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Ameni Kawmen Crockett, 36, was arrested Sunday morning on several felony and misdemeanor charges – including assault with a firearm – after the SWAT team forced him out of a trailer, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.
Joseph said that just after 10:30 p.m. Saturday police received a report of multiple shots fired in the area of Cass and Huron avenues, located off Old Highway 53.
One of witnesses to the incident followed Crockett back to a unit at Lakeland Resort on Old Highway 53, he said.
Joseph and another officer were the first on scene, and he said witnesses pointed them to the Lakeland Resort unit where Crockett had barricaded himself.
Clearlake Police – with the assistance of the Lake County Sheriff's Office – established a perimeter around the scene. Using the public address system in Joseph's car, authorities tried to call Crockett out, but he refused to comply, Joseph said.
Because they believed Crockett could be armed with a handgun, along with his refusal to come out, the Lake County SWAT Team and the hostage negotiation team were called at about 11 p.m. Saturday, according to Joseph.
Joseph said Old Highway 53 was closed to traffic and neighbors in the units next to that in which Crockett was barricaded were evacuated to Clearlake City Hall.
The SWAT team arrived about an hour and a half later after the group was called, Joseph said. As the SWAT team members were getting suited up, the Lake County District Attorney's Office was contacted and that agency sent out an investigator, who responded to the Clearlake Police Department to begin working on a search warrant.
When the SWAT team got on scene they tried unsuccessfully to get Crockett out of the residence. Joseph said that during the coming hours the hostage negotiation team established phone contact with Crockett and continued a dialogue with him.
Finally, at about 7 a.m. Sunday, Judge Stephen Hedstrom signed the search warrant prepared by the district attorney's investigator, Joseph said.
The SWAT team deployed a camera which determined Crockett still was inside the Lakeland Resort unit, Joseph said.
Once police had the search warrant and it became clear that Crockett wasn't going to come out on his own, Joseph said the SWAT team deployed chemicals into the trailer.
Within a few minutes, Crockett came out the back door and was taken into custody just after 7 a.m. Joseph said Crockett was treated for the teargas and arrested.
Clearlake Police officers then conducted a search of the trailer, finding no one else inside, Joseph said.
In the area where the shots originally were reported, police found two bullets in a vehicle and one in a parked boat near the intersection of Cass and Huron avenues, according to Joseph.
While the investigation is still pending, Joseph said Crockett – who has had numerous contacts with Clearlake Police – already has been charged with two counts of assault with a firearm on a person.
“There were two people standing near the car when the shots were fired,” he said.
Crockett, who is a convicted felon, also was charged with being a prohibited person in possession of ammunition, exhibiting a firearm, willful discharge of a firearm in a negligent manner, shooting at an unoccupied vehicle or dwelling, and obstructing or resisting a peace office, Joseph said.
Joseph said Crockett also allegedly was found in possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, which resulted in additional charges.
Crockett's bail has been set at $10,000, according to Lake County Jail records.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY – The annual Heron Festival has come and gone, but its goals continue around the year – to conserve, restore and educate people about the valuable natural resources and wildlife that Clearlake has to offer.
More concerned, Lake County-loving citizens are educating themselves about the land they live on, and how to keep it and its creatures healthy. Darlene Hecomovich of the Redbud Audubon Society reports that 1,871 people attended the joint event, which was the biggest turnout yet.
In 1994, the Redbud Audubon Society – formed in 1975 by a group of citizens – created the Heron Festival to celebrate the beauty of the springtime nesting period of one of Lake County’s signature bird species, the great blue heron.
Another important purpose of the festival is to showcase nature’s beauty and increase the appreciation and understanding of its value to all our lives, organizers said.
The goal of the National Audubon Society is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds, other wildlife, and their habitats for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity.
The Redbud Audubon Society, Lake County’s local chapter, reported 300 species of birds call this area home, with the following species being unique: the great blue heron, the double-crested cormorant, Western and Clark’s Grebes, the osprey and the famed bald eagle.
Event-goers had the opportunity to take guided pontoon boat rides during the Heron Festival which made it easier to see the local bird life, and their nests.
Floyd Hayes, pontoon boat guide and professor at Pacific Union College, said that 85 heron nests were counted in late March, so they seem to be doing well.
The National Audubon society designated Clear Lake, and the 50,000 acres surrounding it, as an Important Bird Area; the Important Bird Area Program aims to conserve areas that are vital to birds and other biodiversity. It was launched in California in 1996 but didn’t really take hold until 2000 when an IBA report was initiated.
The Heron Festival attracted many bird watchers and nature enthusiasts. Ever since the event joined forces with the Wildflower Brunch in 2004, a variety of other people also flock to show their support for Mother Nature.
“I think we’ve helped each other pretty equally,” said Madelene Lyon, president of the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA). “The Heron Festival used to be held at Anderson Marsh National Park but it was nowhere near as conducive as the Clear Lake State Park.”
CLSPIA, a nonprofit organization, began the Wildflower Brunch to raise funds towards their goal, which is also to educate the public about the valuable and important natural and cultural resources located in the Clear Lake State Park and surrounding areas.
With so many groups having similar goals, Clear Lake is on the right track. Attitudes have drastically changed from the times when sulfur and mercury mines carved their way into the lake’s shores, embedding the lake with their runoff.
Clear Lake is labeled as an “impaired water body” by the state of California under the Clean Water Act, due to mainly the overload of nutrients, as Lake County News has reported.
In the 1870s, the newly discovered lush landscape and mineral-packed springs lured thousands of settlers to Clear Lake. But, according to a UC Davis study, the massive influx of settlers altered Clear Lake’s ecosystem and watershed beyond recognition.
The economic boom from the early swarm of settlers was too good to let go, so when tourists and residents began fleeing the area to escape a species of gnat, drastic and unfortunately detrimental measures were taken.
Dichloro Diphenyl Dichloroethane, or (DDD), was used in large amounts and is related to DDT, or Dichlorodiphenyl-Trichloroacetic Acid. The UC Davis study reported that three large doses of DDD were used spanning from 1949 to 1957.
Aside from controlling the gnat population, the pesticides also killed off other invertebrates, which were food sources for many species of birds. As a result, bird populations declined, died off and have made a very slow recovery.
According to the UC Davis study, Clear Lake is the first area where the negative effects from pesticides on bird populations were actually documented. But, wildlife populations is not the only this that has been in decline.
Over 85 percent of the area’s natural wetlands have dissipated due to both natural and anthropogenic stresses, according to the study. And now, 80 percent of the fish in Clear Lake are species that were introduced.
Five decades later, it seems Mother Nature has bounced back. At this year’s Heron Festival, event-goers were pleased to see many dwindling species of birds soaring these beautiful, clean skies once again.
Regarding when the DDT was sprayed, Hayes mentioned several species of birds that were affected most.
“The main problem with high level predators like the bald eagle and osprey is that they were really hard hit,” he said, explaining that those birds rely mainly on the kind of fish that the DDT killed.
He also attributed a decline in bird populations to low water levels, which generally means a low food source.
“When winter gets really cold, fish like the shad – a main food source for the grebes – die off and as a result of the colder temperature in the low water levels,” he said.
Having wildlife population data is crucial in the efforts of the groups to conserve, restore and showcase the natural beauty. Community members can pitch in and help collect data during the Christmas Bird Count and the Great Backyard Bird Count.
Hecomovich said that both counts monitor the population and movement in the winter time. The Christmas Bird Count takes place on one day between Dec. 14 and Jan. 4, the Great Backyard Bird Count is over a four-day weekend in mid February
Christmas Bird Count participants “are more apt to be hard-core birders although many novice and mid-level birders participate and are encouraged to do so,” Hecomovich said.
She said that many of those same people participate in the Great Backyard Bird Count, which is more geared to birders with all levels of interest. Many of them – as the county's name suggests – are just interested in the birds in their backyard, Hecomovich said.
To find out how to become involved in the local bird counts, or to get more information on birding in general, visit www.redbudaudubon.org/.
“The Christmas Bird Count is a time-honored tradition that has gone on for 110 years and is the longest-running bird census in the nation and provides scientists with valuable data of bird populations. The GBBC is a four-day event that just completed its 13th year,” she said. “In the Great Backyard Bird Count, either an individual or a team/family submits a checklist for the birds seen each day of the count. Then, Audubon uses this data to determine how many and where the various species are located.”
For more information on this topic, please visit:
http://bioregion.ucdavis.edu/book/10_Clear_Lake/10_11_circ_cl_stpark.html
http://www.audubon.org/bird/iba/index.html
http://www.audubon.org/bird/cbc/index.html
http://www.heronfestival.org/default.asp
http://www.clearlakestatepark.org/clspia.htm
E-mail Tera deVroede at
LAKE COUNTY – A series of televised debates held for the sheriff, district attorney, superintendent of schools and District 2 supervisor races are all now available online.
The debates can be found online at www.velocityvideoonline.com (which offers very high quality resolution), www.lakeconews.com or at TV8's Web site, http://laketv8.pegcentral.com/.
Specific links for the debates are listed below.
First district attorney candidates' debate (held March 30, Lakeport):
www.velocityvideoonline.com/video-040110-001.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/13719/939/
http://laketv8.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=35652afdda0b8747dfeef90e8445018a
Second district attorney candidates' debate (held April 15, Middletown):
http://www.velocityvideoonline.com/video-042010-001.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/13719/939/
http://laketv8.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=6826de8b28c8752f11b74f3f700115b0
County superintendent of schools candidates' debate (held April 19, Lakeport):
http://laketv8.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=6a58eb49052a54a6adc628de1f01fdce
District 2 supervisor candidates' debate (held April 27, Clearlake):
http://laketv8.pegcentral.com/player.php?video=bcabe729623ab042b661bce8f4975c2a
First sheriff candidates' debate (held April 28, Lakeport):
http://www.velocityvideoonline.com/video-050110-001.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/13719/939/
Second sheriff candidates' debate (held May 5, Middletown):
http://www.velocityvideoonline.com/video-050810-001.html
http://lakeconews.com/content/view/13719/939/
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
It’s not often that I refer to a vegetable as “mighty,” but it’s hard to resist calling kale anything else.
First of all, its sheer hardiness is unmatched by any other vegetable.
It’s rarely ravaged by pests or diseases, even those that strike other members of its family. It’s in the species Brassica oleracea, which contains a wide array of vegetables, including cabbage, broccoli and collard greens.
Kale, a spring crop, thrives in cool temperatures and shuns the warmer days of summer. Northern Europeans love it for its tolerance to cold winters; there it’s valued for providing an early supply of greens. Expose it to frost and its flavor becomes deeper and sweeter.
Kale’s cabbage-like, loosely arranged leaves are beautiful for landscaping, especially because its colors range from shades of green to rich purple. Some have ruffled leaves and the endearingly named dinosaur kale has leaves that resemble reptilian skin.
Kale is one of the oldest vegetables, having been grown in its present form by the Greeks over 2,000 years ago. Up until the middle ages, it was the most common green vegetable in Europe.
It’s also one of the most nutritious veggies on the planet. Full of vitamins K, C and A, a variety of minerals and an arsenal of cancer-fighting agents, it packs more nutrients into each calorie than anything we consume. In fact, it’s so full of Vitamin K (1,327.6 per cent of our daily requirement, to be exact), that folks on prescription blood thinners should stay away from its deep green goodness.
Kale is a powerful antioxidant. As well, it contains sulforaphane, a chemical released when kale is chopped that is believed to have potent anti-cancer properties.
There are so many culinary uses for this earthy, bittersweet vegetable that I was hard-pressed to pick just one recipe to share.
It can be sautéed, braised, boiled, stir-fried, steamed and roasted, added to pots of soups, stews and beans, and used in a variety of cuisines, including Northern European, Mediterranean, Asian, Caribbean and the Southern U.S. It can be made into pesto or thrown into a fruit smoothie to make a healthy green shake (but be sure to remove the tough center rib first).
It goes particularly well with white beans, sausages or tomatoes in a soup. When served on its own, a squeeze of lemon or a bit of red wine vinegar is nice as a seasoning. Kale does not work well when used raw in a salad, unless tender baby kale is used.
My favorite way of preparing it is simple: sautéed in a skillet with a bit of olive oil, sea salt, freshly ground black pepper and garlic. Water droplets on the leaves left from washing the kale provide enough liquid for the cooking process; however, if it becomes dry, add a bit of vegetable broth or some more water. After it’s had a nice sauté, finish the dish by covering the pan and steaming the kale until tender and sweet.
Keep in mind that kale takes longer to become tender than other greens such as chard or collards. Cooking it to a tender state removes some of the bitterness that may be present otherwise.
For an added treat, I combine the cooked kale with caramelized onions to use as a topping for polenta, to accompany roasted sweet potatoes or as a green bed on which to rest grilled salmon or chicken.
As our weather grows warmer, less kale will be available at local farmers’ markets. Judith Biggs, self-described “growing artist” of Bio Farm in Kelseyville, had plenty of organically-grown kale at her booth Saturday at the Steele Winery farmers’ market. Her supply will wane as our summer nears, so buy quickly! In addition to mature kale, she has baby kale available.
The recipe I’d like to share with you is unusual but tasty. Once you try it, it may become addictive. It’s a healthier alternative to potato or corn chips, so guilt is not necessary when indulging in this culinary treat.
Kale crisps with sea salt
For about three servings, use:
6 cups of firmly-packed kale, washed and trimmed
1-1/2 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1-1/2 teaspoon good quality sea salt
Toss kale with the olive oil and roast on a baking pan in a preheated 375 degree oven. Turn kale over and roast another 7 to 10 minutes until kale turns brown and becomes paper thin and brittle. Remove from oven and sprinkle with sea salt. Best when served immediately.
Note: To trim kale, cut stems off and strip the leaves off the tough inner rib.
Esther Oertel, the "Veggie Girl," is a personal chef and culinary coach and is passionate about local produce. Oertel owns The SageCoach Personal Chef Service and teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at
Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .
The quake near Oakland was felt as far away as Ukiah, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.
Earthquakes and aftershocks continued to rock Baja and Southern California since the 7.2 magnitude temblor on April 4, with three out of the dozens of quakes recorded on Saturday above 3.0. The US Geological Survey said the strongest of those quakes was a 4.3-magnitude temblor near Guadalupe Victoria, Baja California, Mexico.
Nearly two dozen earthquakes were recorded at The Geysers on Saturday; the largest being a 2.0 magnitude, which occurred at 10:11 a.m. and was felt as far away as Berkeley, according to the US Geological Survey.
E-mail Terre Logsdon at
The collision occurred shortly after 4:30 p.m. Saturday on Highway 29 just north of Twin Pine Casino near Middletown, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The vehicle involved – said to be a white pickup – had been reported all over the roadway about 15 minutes earlier and had nearly gone into oncoming traffic before traveling onto the side of the road, the CHP reported.
According to the report, the pickup then rolled over. A boulder was reported to be in the road and the pickup was on its side.
Major injuries were reported but additional details about the crash were not immediately available Saturday night.
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