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Nearly 1,000 lives are cut short in California every year at the hands of an impaired driver.
In an effort to save lives and reduce the number of people who suffer injuries in alcohol-related collisions, the California Highway Patrol is engaged in a grant-funded effort called “Impaired Driving Enforcement and Apprehension (IDEA) II.”
“Our goal with this aggressive education and enforcement campaign is to deter drivers from making the poor decision to drink and drive,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “And those who fail to heed this warning will be removed from the roadway and arrested.”
California has seen a reduction in the number of alcohol-involved collisions year after year. According to the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System, in 2009 there were 1,146 people killed in alcohol-involved collisions.
The following year, in 2010, there were 972 people killed, which represents a 15 percent decrease. Preliminary data for 2011 shows that encouraging downward trend is continuing.
“The majority of motorists make the responsible decision and refrain from driving under the influence,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Please choose to put the lives of your family and other motorists first this holiday season.”
The IDEA II grant enables the CHP to conduct sobriety and driver license checkpoints, driving under the influence (DUI) task force operations, and deployment of proactive DUI enforcement patrol operations statewide.
In addition, the CHP will educate drivers by holding local traffic safety presentations throughout California and implementing a statewide paid media campaign.
Anti-DUI efforts stemming from the yearlong grant continue through September 30, 2013.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Jurors in the trial of a Maine man accused of a double homicide heard about an hour’s worth of testimony as the defense began presenting its case on Thursday morning.
Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe rested his case on Wednesday in the trial of 32-year-old Robby Alan Beasley, clearing the way for defense attorney Stephen Carter to begin calling witnesses on Thursday.
Beasley is charged with the shooting deaths of Frank Maddox, 32, and his wife, Yvette, 40, of Augusta, Maine, along the side of Morgan Valley Road on Jan. 22, 2010.
Beasley allegedly killed the couple, believing they had broken into his Clearlake apartment and stolen marijuana, according to the prosecution’s theory of the case. The couple came to California after Beasley offered them work in the marijuana business in which both he and McKay were engaged.
Carter first called sheriff’s Det. John Drewrey, the case’s lead detective, to go over call detail records that he had subpoenaed for a TracFone used by Beasley’s codefendant in the case, Elijah Bae McKay, 30.
McKay, who is facing the same charges as Beasley but is not yet scheduled for trial, testified in the case last month that he provided Beasley with the 9 millimeter handgun used to kill the couple, that he helped dispose of Beasley’s phone and clothing after the murders, and had destroyed the TracFone as well.
McKay also testified that, the day after Beasley is alleged to have killed the couple, he helped Beasley move the Maddoxes’ pickup from Morgan Valley Road to the Middletown area, where it was vandalized before a father and son who lived nearby took it and dismantled it.
The call records Carter briefly had Drewrey review on the stand Thursday covered the time period of Dec. 30, 2009, to Jan. 22, 2010.
Carter also asked Drewrey about speaking with Emily Dispennett at the Lake County Jail. Dispennett had told investigators that Beasley threatened the Maddoxes.
Evidence not presented to the jury suggested Beasley may have threatened at one point to kill Dispennett and her boyfriend, and that from jail he sent them a picture he had drawn that allegedly was meant to discourage them from speaking with law enforcement.
Drewrey said he and then-Det. Tom Andrews spoke to Dispennett, with Drewrey asking about her involvement in marijuana sales. Drewrey said she didn’t want to talk to him about the subject.
She also told him about the individuals who were at the birthday part for Taj McKay, Elijah McKay’s brother, on Jan. 22, 2010. Elijah McKay had testified to leaving his brother’s birthday party to go and pick up Beasley from Morgan Valley Road, where Beasley admitted to having killed the Maddoxes.
During brief cross-examination of Drewrey, Grothe asked if there was a time period of no usage on McKay’s TracFone. Drewrey said there were no calls between Jan. 13 and Jan. 22, 2010.
It was during that time period that McKay previously had testified he was visiting the East Coast.
McKay himself was returned to the stand on Thursday so Carter could question him about his trip to Boston in January 2010.
He said he recalled leaving on Jan. 10 and said he did not take his TracFone with him. After looking at the call records for the phone, McKay acknowledged he may have remembered the dates of the trip wrong, as the phone still showed usage three days after he thought he had left for Boston.
On the morning of Jan. 22, 2010, he remembered Beasley showing up to his home. That was the day the phone records showed usage resumed.
McKay also was asked if he remembered eating cake at his brother’s birthday party that day. He said he had recalled eating some after returning from picking up Beasley, where he had learned the Maddoxes had been killed. He said he was trying to act like nothing had happened.
Carter pressed McKay on whether it actually was cake or pie, which McKay couldn’t specifically recall. McKay said his parents often served pie at parties instead, and that he considered a dessert at a birthday party cake even if it was pie. “That’s a technicality,” he said.
Carter also briefly asked McKay about his sister’s marijuana growing activities as well as a head shop she and her boyfriend opened in Ukiah in 2009, and finished by having him identify a number of pictures of Beasley, McKay’s own marijuana garden and his property.
The defense’s last witness was not available on Thursday, and so Judge Andrew Blum told the jury to return to hear the rest of the defense’s case at 9 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 12.
That same day it’s anticipated that closing arguments and jury instructions will take place, Blum told the jury.
Blum apologized to the jury for such a short day of testimony. “If it makes you feel any better, the attorneys and I don't get to go home,” he said.
Blum, Carter and Grothe met later in the morning to begin going over jury instructions that will be given to the jury before deliberations start next week.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A portion of 11th Street in Lakeport was closed late Thursday morning as the result of a small chemical spill.
Lakeport Police Lt. Jason Ferguson said the spill resulted from an overturned trailer carrying a load of liquid chlorine and muriatic acid.
The open bed utility trailer was being towed westbound on 11th Street just past Manzanita at approximately 11:47 a.m. when, for unknown reasons, the trailer disconnected from the vehicle towing it and overturned, Ferguson said.
Ferguson said a half gallon of muriatic acid and chlorine were spilled.
“As a precautionary measure we’ve closed the streets down,” he said.
He said 11th Street was closed from North Street to Pool Street immediately after the incident.
Lake County Environmental Health also responded to scene, according to Ferguson.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said the cause of the incident is still under investigation.
Police estimated that the roadway should be reopened by 1:30 p.m.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
COBB, Calif. – The Friends of Boggs Mountain will mark its 10-year anniversary on Tuesday, Dec. 11.
The 501(c)3 nonprofit organization was formed by seven board members, and continues to carry out its mission to enhance the visitor’s experience at Boggs Mountain Demonstration State Forest through educational and interpretive programs.
Its original raison d'être was to provide a source of funding for the state forest’s trail maps, widely used by cyclists, equestrians, and hikers who enjoy exploring the numerous single-track trails and logging roads.
It then expanded its activities to funding and placing over fifty signs with illustrations that identify year-round and seasonal flora along the world-class self-guided Interpretive Trail.
The Friends also procure and install trail markers to help visitors navigate the 3,433-acre forest, and continues to update and fund the printing of trail maps.
The group promotes forest stewardship by organizing monthly trail maintenance workdays, regular monthly hikes for all fitness levels, sponsoring and organizing speaker events that have included geologists, botanists, archaeologists and local historians.
Thanks to a grant received from the Calpine Community Fund, and local volunteer, builder, and mountain biker, Bob Berg, a kiosk was constructed in 2007 at the main entrance parking lot. Visitors can view a large-scale map, naturalist and membership information, state forest regulations, and obtain trail maps for a $1 donation.
In 2009, the Friends obtained another grant from the community fund to smooth out and resurface the main parking lot with road base, significantly improving the area riddled with deep craters, mud in the rainy season, and unpleasant dust in the summer.
This year, the organization sponsored an eagle scout service project to build park benches at two popular trails.
In addition, a new ADA-compliant bathroom facility complete with wash basin and flush toilet is nearing completion, and will replace the rustic outhouse at the parking lot.
The restroom is being funded by the Friends of Boggs Mountain, Bike Monkey and, once again, a grant from the Calpine Community Fund. Bob Berg Construction was employed to design and build the facility.
At present, the Friends of Boggs Mountain constitutes about 85 regular and business members. Membership benefits include a logo'd bucket hat or T-shirt, and access to the quarterly newsletter. Business membership offers advertising at the kiosk and the Website.
“As the forest grows in popularity through events such as marathons, bike races, and equestrian camps, we’d like more outdoor enthusiasts to become involved in the organization,” said David Thiessen, Friends of Boggs Mountain board president.
Indeed, many large group activities this year included an orienteering weekend organized by the Bay Area Orienteering Club, the Boggs Boogie ultramarathon organized by Heart & Sole Sports, and mountain bike races such as the Bike Monkey Boggs MTB Relay and the NorCal High School MTB Race.
The forest also is an ideal camping and hiking destination for local boy scout troops, as well as shooting sports enthusiasts who avail of the designated target shooting area located in the southeast corner of the forest.
“The trail maintenance and educational programs raise awareness that the forest is not invulnerable from major events that can affect trail and campground use. We’ve been successful in this area by collaborating, for instance, with CAL FIRE management and bike race organizers who have worked cooperatively to re-route courses and perform post-race repairs on impacted areas,” Thiessen added.
Co-founder and board secretary, Peg Landini, expressed her desire to step up youth involvement in Friends of Boggs Mountain programs.
“When the board convenes in January for its annual meeting, I would like to discuss educational activities geared toward youth where for instance, teens lead hikes and trail maintenance programs,” Landrini said. “We might also organize more presentations that encourage youth in a fun, yet educational context, to explore and learn more about the forest.”
Board members meet quarterly at the Cobb Area County Water District office. Interested members of the public are invited to attend and sign up for various committees, and encouraged to consider board membership.
Current board members are drawn from a cross-section of recreational users of the forest – hikers, mountain bikers, horseback riders and bird watchers.
For more information and to get involved with the Friends of Boggs Mountain, visit their site at http://boggsmountain.org .
LUCERNE, Calif. – A local businessman said he’s now in the midst of appealing a decision by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last month to permanently disqualify him from participating in the food stamp program.
Kenny Parlet, owner of Lakeview Supermarket & Deli on Highway 20 in Lucerne, was notified the week of Thanksgiving of the decision, as Lake County News has reported.
He told Lake County News this week that he’s working with the USDA to complete the appeals process. Parlet said he’s not sure how long the process will take.
However, he has the support of Congressman Mike Thompson’s office, which has approached the USDA about the decision.
Thompson said in a written statement that actions like the one taken against Lakeview Supermarket “have serious implications on our county’s small businesses and families who depend on food stamps.”
Thompson said he spoke with USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack last week and made it clear to the secretary that the USDA’s actions “went too far and unnecessarily jeopardized people’s access to food stamps.”
He said Vilsack agreed with him to better train employees on food stamp rules and regulations and to expedite Lakeview Supermarket’s appeal.
The USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service made the decision based on an investigation in which it sent an agent to the store several times to use benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program – or SNAP – program.
The agency concluded that the store was guilty of “trafficking,” which in the program’s terminology means to exchange SNAP benefits for cash.
Parlet said the incorrectly handled transactions amounted to $132.50. The employee responsible for the four transactions that Parlet said occurred has since been terminated.
Parlet maintains that his store hasn’t engaged in trafficking, adding he received no warning before he was banned from the program.
He said the decision ultimately could cost him as much as $500,000 annually and threatens his business.
Thus far the USDA has not offered Lake County News any details about the case, other than to acknowledge the permanent disqualification.
This past August the USDA announced it was cracking down on misuses in the program, with hundreds of stores sanctioned or disqualified due to trafficking allegations and other alleged misuses of SNAP benefits.
Parlet said Thompson’s office connected him with a USDA staffer who is helping him fulfill the appeal requirements.
“They say they’re going to expedite the process,” he said. “I don’t know how long it takes normally.”
Parlet said he’s guardedly optimistic that he can get a positive outcome in his case, but still feels he’s been caught unfairly in the government’s crackdown.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This year, the annual Clear Lake Christmas Bird Count, held by the Redbud Audubon Society, will be on Saturday, Dec. 15.
The Christmas Bird Count (CBC) is a traditional project of Audubon societies around the country and takes place between Dec. 14 and Jan. 5.
Each December birders gather to record every individual bird and species encountered during the day. Each count group has a designated circle of 15 miles in diameter and tries to cover as much ground as possible within a certain period of time.
The data collected by each count group are then sent to the National Audubon Headquarters in New York.
Count data is published in a special edition of the National Audubon Society American Birds Magazine.
Redbud Audubon invites all birders and nature enthusiasts to join in the upcoming Christmas Bird Count. Birders of all skill levels are encouraged to participate.
This is Audubon’s longest running wintertime tradition and is the 38th year the count has taken place in Lake County.
There will be two main groups that participants might wish to join – one will meet at the Ranch House at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park and the other will meet at the visitor’s parking lot at the Clear Lake State Park. Both groups will meet at 8 a.m. and continue through to early or midafternoon.
After the count, participants are invited to a pizza dinner at 6 p.m. at Kelseyville Pizza on State Street in Kelseyville to join in the count compilation where the tally of the day’s sightings is compiled.
Previous to the bird count, at the Thursday, Dec. 13, meeting at the Presbyterian Church Social Hall in Kelseyville, Redbud Audubon will present an extensive slide show and discussion of distinguishing features of birds that are often seen during the annual count. The meeting is open to the public and visitors are encouraged to attend.
If you are interested in participating in the bird count, call Darlene Hecomovich, at 707-928-5591 or email her at
The Christmas Bird Count began more than a century ago when 27 conservationists in 25 localities, led by scientist and writer Frank Chapman, changed the course of ornithological history.
On Christmas Day in 1900, the small group posed an alternative to the “side hunt,” a Christmas day activity in which teams competed to see who could shoot the most birds and small mammals.
Instead, Chapman proposed to identify, count, and record all the birds they saw, founding what is now considered to be the world’s most significant citizen-based conservation effort – and century-old institution.
Scientists rely on the remarkable trend data of Audubon’s CBC to better understand how birds and the environment are faring throughout North America – and what needs to be done to protect them. Data from Audubon’s signature Citizen Science program are at the heart of numerous peer-reviewed scientific studies.
National Audubon’s president, David Yarnold states: “The information gathered by its army of dedicated volunteers leads directly to solutions. At a time when people wonder if individual actions can make a difference, we know that our volunteers enable scientists to learn about the impacts of environmental threats like climate change and habitat loss. That’s good news not just for birds but for all of us.”