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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Two Lake County men were arrested following a road rage incident Wednesday that culminated in a fight in the parking lot of a local fast food restaurant.
Damon Joe Shepherd, 29, of Lakeport and Travis Wayne Vaughn, 28, of Nice were taken into custody early Wednesday evening, according to the Lakeport Police Department.
A report from Sgt. Jason Ferguson explained that the incident began on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff where Shepherd is alleged to have cut in front of Vaughn, nearly causing an accident.
Ferguson said that, as both drivers entered Highway 29 in the Hill Road area it was alleged that Vaughn then cut Shepherd off.
He said Shepherd followed Vaughn to the Taco Bell, located on Parallel Drive in Lakeport, and they allegedly got into a verbal confrontation in the parking lot.
Acting Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said police received a call about the confrontation at Taco Bell at approximately 4:42 p.m.
“A Lake County Probation officer called in the incident at Taco Bell,” Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said the probation officer saw Shepherd allegedly brandishing two knives in a threatening manner toward Vaughn before police arrived.
Lakeport Police sent two units to the scene, Rasmussen said.
After officers determined both Shepherd and Vaughn were intoxicated – each were given field sobriety tests – both men were arrested for driving while under the influence of alcohol, Ferguson said.
Shepherd was additionally charged with brandishing a weapon in a threatening manner and possession of a dangerous weapon, Ferguson said. Rasmussen added that Lakeport Police had prior contacts with Shepherd.
Ferguson said both men were taken to the Hill Road Jail where they were booked.
Shepherd's bail was set at $10,000, and he remained in custody Thursday night, according to jail records. Vaughn posted his bail, set at $1,740, and was released.
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The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 12:13 p.m.
It was centered five miles north northeast of Lake Pillsbury and 22 miles north of Upper Lake, at a depth of 8.8 miles, the survey reported.
By late Thursday, the US Geological Survey received eight shake reports from five zip codes – Willits, San Jose, Milpitas, Berkeley and San Bruno.
A 3.1-magnitude quake occurred four miles north northeast of Lake Pillsbury on May 2, as Lake County News has reported.
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Between March 15 and 27, a series of storms swept across Northern California, causing significant damage in 17 counties statewide, including Del Norte, Humboldt and Mendocino counties on the North Coast.
The letter stated that damages are estimated to be more than $44.5 million statewide.
“The March storms brought a lot of devastation to communities across California,” Thompson said. “Heavy rain, snow, wind, and flooding battered local homes and infrastructure, causing significant and costly damage. I urge the President to quickly approve federal disaster assistance for our state to help give local communities the resources they need to get back on their feet.”
In total, 25 California Delegation Members who represent communities affected by the March storms signed on to Congressman Thompson’s letter, including: Wally Herger (R-CA), Lois Capps (D-CA), Sam Farr (D-CA), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Dan Lungren (D-CA), Jeff Denham (R-CA), David Dreier (R-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), George Miller (D-CA), Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Dennis Cardoza (D-CA), Jerry Lewis (R-CA), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), John Garamendi (D-CA), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), Brian Bilbray (D-CA), Gary Miller (D-CA), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Bob Filner (D-CA), Susan Davis (D-CA), and Pete Stark (D-CA).
“Many of us have had the opportunity to view the damage in our districts first-hand, and it is clear that a major disaster declaration is critical to helping our state recover from these devastating storms,” the letter stated.
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The operation was organized by the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office at the request of the Homeland Security Investigations division of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, according to a report from Capt. Kurt Smallcomb.
Smallcomb said the goal of the sweep was to contact persons who were members or associated with criminal street gangs. The majority of persons identified in the operations plan for the sweep were on active Mendocino County Probation or had active federal apprehension warrants.
The law enforcement agencies that participated in the sweep were the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office, Homeland Security Investigations division, Mendocino County Probation, Willits Police Department and the Fort Bragg Police Department, Smallcomb said.
He said that on Tuesday, May 3, the sweep was conducted in the unincorporated areas of the Ukiah Valley and within the city of Ukiah.
Arrested were Refugio Ortega Vasquez, 36, of Ukiah, on charges of violation of probation and felon in possession of ammunition, as well as an immigration detainer; Pascual Garcia-Felix, 33, of Ukiah, held on an immigration detainer; juvenile male, 16, of Ukiah, on charges of violation of probation, according to Smallcomb.
On Wednesday, May 4, the sweep moved to the unincorporated areas of Anderson Valley, Fort Bragg and within the City of Fort Bragg, Smallcomb said.
He said that the arrestees in that portion of the sweep included Antonio Rafael Martinez, 46, of Fort Bragg on an immigration detainer; Juan Martinez-Losano, 36, of Fort Bragg, held on an immigration detainer as a result of a federal apprehension warrant; Jose Felix Angel-Villa, 21, of Fort Bragg, held on an immigration detainer; Sergio Ricardo Reyes, 19, from Fort Bragg, held on an immigration detainer as a result of a federal apprehension warrant; Alejandro Grijalba, 20, from Fort Bragg, on charges of violation of probation.
During the contacts, an indoor marijuana growing operation was located at a residence in the 33000 block of Mill Creek Drive in Fort Bragg. Smallcomb said an occupant of the residence was unable to provide sufficient documentation to show the marijuana was being grown legally. Statements and evidence collected also showed the marijuana was being grown for financial gain.
As a result, 201 growing marijuana plants and approximately 5 pounds of processed marijuana were seized. Smallcomb said no arrests were made in connection with the incident and reports will be forwarded to the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office for review of possible charges.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Yuba Community College District is getting close to choosing a new chancellor, and it will introduce the three top candidates in a series of upcoming meetings.
In January, Dr. Nicki Harrington, the district's chancellor since 2002, announced she would retire effective June 30, as Lake County News has reported.
Since then, college officials say they've undertaken an extensive nationwide search to find Harrington's successor.
The new chancellor will lead a district that covers 4,200 square miles across eight Northern California counties.
The three finalists for the job include Dr. Ron Erickson, Dr. Douglas Houston and Dr. Jim Riggs.
Erickson, who holds a PhD from the University of Minnesota, is president of Ohio's Hocking College and former vice president of academic affairs and institutional planning at Dakota County Technical College in Minnesota.
Houston is superintendent/president at the Lassen Community College District, based in Susanville, Calif., and formerly vice president for human and information services at the Butte-Glenn Community College District in Oroville, Calif. He received his doctorate in educational leadership from Pepperdine University.
Riggs serves as a professor in community college education and is interim doctoral program director at California State University, Stanislaus in Turlock. He previously was president of Columbia College in Sonora, Calif. He holds a doctorate in higher education leadership and curriculum from the University of Southern California.
The three men will participate in public forums at each of the district's colleges.
The district invites administration, faculty, staff, students and the general public to the events, which will feature a brief introduction of each candidate followed by a question and answer session.
District officials said those who attend the forums will be given comment forums. The completed comment forms will be collected and given to the Yuba Community College District Board of Trustees for review.
The public forums schedule is as follows.
Monday, May 9: Dr. Ron Erickson
9 a.m. to 9:50 a.m., Clear Lake Campus forum, Room 800B, 15880 Dam Road Ext., Clearlake.
11:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m., Yuba College forum, Yuba College Theater, 2088 N. Beale Road, Marysville.
3 p.m. to 3:50 p.m., Woodland Community College forum, Room 852, 2300 E. Gibson Road, Woodland.
Monday, May 9: Dr. Douglas Houston
10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., Clear Lake Campus forum, Room 800B.
11 a.m. to 11:50 p.m., Woodland Community College forum, Room 852.
4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., Yuba College forum, Yuba College Theater.
Tuesday, May 10: Dr. Jim Riggs
10 a.m. to 10:50 a.m., Clear Lake Campus forum, Room 800B.
1:30 p.m. to 2:20 p.m., Woodland Community College forum, Room 852.
4 p.m. to 4:50 p.m., Yuba College forum, Room 201.
For more information on the finalists, visit the chancellor search site at www.yccd.edu/chancellorsearch/index.html.
For further information on the public forums please contact Cathy Richter, executive
secretary to the chancellor, 530-741-6971,
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The family of a Sonoma State University student missing since last month is asking for help in locating him.
James Abriel, 19, a freshman at Sonoma State, was last known to be in Rohnert Park on April 22 and in Santa Rosa on April 24, according to his family.
His parents, Bill and Vangie Abriel, said he is 6 feet 1 inches tall and 180 pounds, with dark blond hair and blue eyes.
He is driving a white four-door 1999 Toyota Camry, with California license plate 4GYG766.
Abriel's family said he is an accomplished musician and a member of several ensembles at Sonoma State, including the string orchestra. He recently performed a musical composition he had written in a recital in the Green Music Center.
The teen earned a 4.0 grade point average in his fall 2010 semester, is an avid hiker and loves the outdoors, according to his family.
“We are so grateful to the Sonoma State administration and students for all their help in trying to locate James,” Bill and Vangie Abriel said. “Please continue to search for him and to let us know if you think of any places we could look. And please keep James and us in your prayers.”
If you see James Abriel or have any information about his whereabouts, please contact the Sonoma State Police Department at 707-664-3403, or the Walnut Creek Police Department at 925-943-5844.
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