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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The American Red Cross has a huge relief response under way in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, providing people across a number of states with a safe place to stay, food to eat and comfort during this difficult time.
Thousands of people have spent the night in hundreds of Red Cross shelters since the storm began its onslaught on the country.
The Red Cross has already served more than 100,800 meals and snacks and mobilized more than 2,300 disaster workers and almost 200 emergency vehicles so far and more are being deployed.
“This response to Sandy is just getting started. The storm has left devastation in its wake and we will be helping people for weeks to come,” said Tim Miller, chief executive officer of the Red Cross of Sonoma, Mendocino & Lake Counties chapter. “This will be very costly and the Red Cross needs help now. We ask everyone to support us as we help people recover from this massive storm.”
North Coast businesses making significant financial donations to the Red Cross disaster response include Friedman’s Home Improvement (Sonoma and Mendocino counties), Community First Credit Union (Sonoma County) and G&G Supermarket (Sonoma County). Wells Fargo ATMs are accepting donations locally and nationally.
The number of local volunteers serving on the East Coast remains at six people, with three more soon to be flying east. The volunteers come from Sonoma, Napa, Mendocino, Lake and Humboldt counties.
The local Red Cross is seeking more volunteers who want to become involved in future relief efforts.
Those who wish to volunteer are invited to two free classes at the Red Cross in Santa Rosa, 5297 Aero Drive.
The first class, “Disaster Services Overview,” is on Thursday, Nov. 1, from 6 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., and the second class, “Volunteer Orientation,” is on Wednesday, Nov. 7, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. To register, call 707-577-7603.
How to help
The response to Sandy is very large and very costly and the Red Cross needs the public’s help now.
People can make a financial donation by visiting www.redcross.org , call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767) or text the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation.
Contributions also may be sent to someone’s local Red Cross chapter or to the American Red Cross, P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013.
If someone needs to find a shelter, they can download the Red Cross Hurricane app, visit the Red Cross Web site, call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767), or check local media outlets.
People can let their loved ones know how they are by using the “I’m Safe” button on the Red Cross Hurricane App which can be found in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store for Android by searching for American Red Cross.
People also can register on the Red Cross Safe and Well website to let loved ones know they are OK. To register, visit www.redcross.org or call 1-800-RED-CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday a jury found that a Redwood Valley man who shot to death his musician neighbor in January was legally sane at the time of the murder.
The jury last week already had found that Billy Norbury, 34, was guilty of the murder of 30-year-old Jamal Andrews on the night of Jan. 24, according to the office of Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster.
Norbury was convicted of a count of first-degree murder and a special allegation that he used a 30-30 Winchester rifle to shoot and kill Andrews.
After handing down that conviction, the jury took up the matter of his sanity, making its finding on Wednesday, Eyster’s office reported.
Firefighters found Andrews shot to death outside of his home after being dispatched to his home as the result of a 911 call.
Norbury had fled the scene on an ATV and returned to his home, where deputies found him, according to the original report from the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
Norbury had shot Andrews twice, once in the head and once in the shoulder, officials reported.
Andrews, who was born and raised in Mendocino County, performed in three musical groups and left behind a fiancée and their young son.
NICE, Calif. – The county’s Northshore area was rattled by a moderately sized earthquake on Halloween night.
The magnitude 3 quake was reported at 8:24 p.m. Wednesday, according to a preliminary report from the US Geological Survey.
The quake’s epicenter was located 11 miles northeast of Nice, 12 miles east northeast of Upper Lake and 12 miles north northeast of Lucerne, at a depth of 4.5 miles, the survey reported.
Shortly after the quake occurred Nice resident Barbara Yaple reported on Lake County News’ Facebook page that a big boom hit her house hard.
One shake report had been submitted from Clearlake Oaks to the US Geological Survey by about 9 p.m.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man hit by a vehicle while jogging last week remains in the hospital, with family members setting up a benefit fund to help him on his long path to recovery.
Isaac Sanchez, 28, was injured on the morning of Thursday, Oct. 25.
Shortly before 10 a.m. that day Sanchez was jogging near the intersection of Arrowhead Road and Country Club Drive when he was hit from behind by a 2005 Kia Sedona driven by 63-year-old William Jackson.
Sanchez, who police found lying on the road’s shoulder with massive trauma, was flown to UC Davis Medical Center.
Police said the investigation’s cause remained under investigation, and a call placed Tuesday seeking an update was not returned. Drugs and alcohol were not believed to be a factor, according to the police report last week.
On Tuesday, UC Davis Medical Center said Sanchez remained hospitalized and was in fair condition.
However, he has a long way to go to recover from the incident, according to his cousin, Erin Izbicki.
Izbicki, who lives in Portland, Ore., said Sanchez was still in intensive care on Tuesday. She had flown down to see him on the day he was injured last week and had since returned home while his mother arrived from Southern California to be with him.
Sanchez suffered significant head trauma, including a fractured skull which resulted in brain swelling. While Izbicki said the swelling has decreased quite a lot, Sanchez is now dealing with pneumonia and a high fever.
Izbicki said he’s been sedated for three days and has been slightly responsive, but isn’t yet conscious.
Originally from Southern California, Sanchez has been living in Clearlake for some time, Izbicki said.
“He had a really hard life,” said Izbicki.
He’s been working as a dishwasher and prep cook at a Thai restaurant in Clearlake. Izbicki said he has turned his life around, started going to church and moved into his own little studio apartment. Sanchez also was saving up to buy a truck.
“He’s just really proud of what he has,” Izbicki explained.
Then he was injured, and she said his doctors have predicted he will need months of rehabilitation.
Izbicki said an account has been set up in his name at Bank of the West.
“We are all praying for his full recovery, Isaac is a very considerate person,” Izbicki said. “He would give you the shirt off his back, he has the biggest heart.”
Bank of the West has a local branch in Clearlake, 707-994-6483; contributions also can be made at any Bank of the West branch.
For more locations or information about the bank visit www.bankofthewest.com .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Clouds began moving over the county on Tuesday afternoon, bringing indications of the unsettled weather forecast to dampen Halloween spirits today as rain returns to the forecast.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a Special Weather Statement for much of Northern California on Tuesday, including Lake County, detailing a Pacific weather system that will bring rain to the valleys and snow to high elevations beginning today.
A warmer system than the previous one with less rain, this system is also predicted to be shorter and lasting only until Thursday.
A 50-percent chance of rain is forecast for this afternoon increasing throughout the evening to 100 percent.
Overnight lows will barely reach in to the 40s tonight as rain lingers into Thursday morning.
Daytime highs on Thursday will reach into the 60s as warmer temperatures and clear skies return for the remainder of the weekend, when daytime highs return to the 70s.
Email Terre Logsdon at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Veterans Day – Sunday, Nov. 11 – the flags of our fallen veterans will fly in display at cemeteries throughout Lake County.
Lake County Veterans Memorial-Avenue of Flags Association, with the help of local volunteers, will install the flagpoles and mount the large flags along the avenues of county cemeteries.
These flags once draped the casket of a fallen veteran. Upon the completion of the internment ceremony, the family is presented the flag.
The family has the option of donating the use of the veterans’ burial flag to the Lake County Veterans Memorial-Avenue of Flags Association.
On Memorial Day and Veterans Day the flags are flown to commemorate the memory of veterans who defended our country.
Avenue of Flags will be presented at the following cemeteries: Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport, Upper Lake Cemetery, Kelseyville Cemetery and Lower Lake Cemetery.
Installation of flagpoles and flags will begin at 7 a.m., weather permitting. Takedown of flags and flagpoles will occur at 4 p.m.
Volunteers would be appreciated at all locations.
Further information is available from the following representatives: Upper Lake, Byron Green, 707-275-9515; Lower Lake, Dave Schober, 707-533-5843; Kelseyville, Paul Harris, 707-279-1115; and Hartley Cemetery, Lakeport, Dean Gotham, 707-350-1159.
Express your respect for fallen veterans and experience the pride of the magnificent display of our veterans’ flags. Never forget.