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LAYTONVILLE – Mendocino County officials arrested a man late last week who they allege tried to burn down the home he shared with his girlfriend.
Shawn McNeely, 42, was arrested May 7 on a charge of arson, according to Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.
On May 7 deputies responded to a residence on Meadow Lane in Laytonville regarding a possible arson, Smallcomb said.
When they arrived, deputies located a fire burning in the rear of the residence, in a small yard area. Smallcomb said the deputies also noted approximately 90 marijuana plants in a small carport which had the heavy odor of gasoline on and around them.
In their investigation, the deputies located a gasoline can and lawn mower which appeared to have been the source of the fuel for the fire. With the large amount of moisture in the grass and foliage around the residence, the fire had not burned well and was easy to put out, Smallcomb said.
At the residence the deputies contacted a female adult who advised she had been in a dating relationship with McNeely, according to Smallcomb.
That day, the couple had been at their home and McNeely had been drinking, eventually becoming inebriated. Smallcomb said the female requested McNeely leave the residence due to his drunken state, which he did.
However, Smallcomb said that a short time later, the electricity suddenly went off inside the residence. The woman stated that she believed McNeely was responsible for turning off the power.
A few minutes later McNeely entered the residence through the back door, Smallcomb said. The female stated she ran out the front door fearing there would be a physical altercation. She then called law enforcement and waited outside the residence in the woods until deputies arrived at the location.
Deputies searched the house for McNeely with no success, however they continued to search the woods and surrounding areas, until such time McNeely was located and placed under arrest, Smallcomb said.
McNeely told deputies he had been burning brush all day. Due to the close proximity of the fire to the residence and the obvious use of accelerant on the marijuana plants in the carport, it appeared McNeely was attempting to burn the property of another, according to Smallcomb.
Smallcomb said McNeely was transported and booked into the Mendocino County Jail for arson.
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NICE – Throughout the day Friday, about two dozen American Indian community members and their friends stood alongside the entry into Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino, holding signs, shouting slogans and trying to bring attention to the situation of local tribal disenrollees.
The action comes in the wake of a Bureau of Indian Affairs decision last month to uphold the December 2008 disenrollment action carried out by the Robinson Rancheria Citizens Business Council against a total of 67 tribal members, as Lake County News has reported.
Members of the Quitiquit family, several dozen of whom were disenrolled from the tribe, were back at the scene on Friday, a day they picked because it also was the fifth annual National Indian Day.
The group called for a boycott of the casino and demanded a hearing on what they argue are civil and human rights violations.
They carried signs with slogans that accused the tribe of offering the disenrollees no due process and misspending tribal and federal funding.
But the main issue was the disenrollment action, which has cut off the now-former tribal members from the rancheria and their cultural ties. They say disenrollment is an attack on their identity as American Indians.
“Why is the government backing this genocide on paper?” asked Wanda Quitiquit, one of her family's most vocal members.
A message left at the tribal office seeking comment was not returned.
Quitiquit, ironically, worked for years as a member of the American Indian Rights and Resources Organization (AIRRO), to bring attention to the growing number of disenrollment actions across California and the nation before she herself became a target of it.
AIRRO has estimated 3,500 Indians have been disenrolled in California, with a total of 11,000 civil and human rights violations across the United States as a whole.
During the Friday protest, American Indians from other tribes – including Dry Creek in Sonoma County, and the Apache and Passamaquoddy, the latter from Maine – stopped in to ask questions, as did other community members.
Natives from other areas agreed that many of the problems facing tribes is all about money.
The Quitiquits and others whose names were removed from the tribal rolls say they are planning to appeal the BIA decision, with a letter expected to go out to the agency announcing that intention this week.
“We really don't want to go into court, but if that's the last thing we have to do, that's what we'll do,” Quitiquit said.
Even a favorable court decision doesn't guarantee a welcome back into the tribe, she said, pointing to court rulings in other states that still left disenrollees without resolution.
However, there are efforts to draw attention to the disenrollment problem, both from other activists and from Lake County's congressman, who is calling for a congressional hearing on the matter.
On April 29, North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson wrote a letter to Congressman Nick Rahall, who chairs the House Committee on Natural Resources, which includes the Office of Indian Affairs.
“Disenrollment of tribal members is an issue among tribes in my district and throughout California, as well as in other parts of the United States,” Thompson wrote. “In some cases, members are voted out of tribes for bona fide reasons such as their lack of relative bloodline and/or failure to meet membership or residency requirements in accordance with tribal constitutions. However, in other cases, there appears to be arbitrary removal of entire families for obscure reasons.”
Thompson explained that when Congress passed the Indian Civil Rights Act in 1968, tribal members who believed that their civil rights were abused had no legal recourse except to turn to the tribal bodies that were accused of civil rights infringements.
“On behalf of the growing number of disenrolled Native Americans, I believe this issue merits a congressional oversight hearing be convened to review enforcement of the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968,” he said.
Late last week, Thompson's Washington, DC office told Lake County News that there had been no formal response to, or acknowledgment of, the letter yet.
Quitiquit said she and the others impacted by the disenrollment action are looking to Thompson for leadership at this time.
She credited him with being the only congressman standing up on the issue.
While the call for a hearing is welcome news to many of Lake County's disenrollees, Indian activists elsewhere are calling for more serious and systemic reform.
Laura Wass, director of the Fresno office of the American Indian Movement (AIM), is advocating for the California Indian Legacy Act.
That legislation, said Wass, “will bring everybody home and allow no more disenrollments whatsoever.”
Wass pointed out that the BIA and other governmental agencies “all love that gaming money,” which she said is a deterrent for action by some officials, who don't want to commit political suicide by going up against the tribes.
That, she said, doesn't make disenrollment a sovereignty issue, as many tribal and federal government leaders have argued.
Wass said the challenge is to get the people disenrolled from the various tribes together to work for a “full on movement,” because she believes the necessary federal changes are possible.
“It has to happen,” she said, otherwise disenrollments will continue.
“Eventually what's going to happen, I foresee, is that the tribes are going to dwindle down to families, then the feds are gonna step in,” she said.
A movement of Indians and Congress will get the necessary changes, she said.
“It's a very simple issue. You're either Indian or you're not,” she said, pointing out that Indians should qualify for membership based on blood quantum – or the percentage of Indian ancestry – and not be at the mercy of internal disputes.
Wass said that neither Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar nor his assistant deputy and BIA head Larry EchoHawk are doing anything about disenrollment.
While she believes they're willing to do something, “They are not going to do anything until they are pushed to do it.”
Wass, who is herself a California Indian, said “California is by far the worst place” for disenrollments, which she attributed to the combination of historical trauma, the fact that rancherias are made up of several tribes and that temporary fix-it policies for tribal issues are the norm.
“We don't know what it is to have a really full, strong tribal government and still maintain cultural identity,” she said.
The internal racism is “devastating,” she said, and only continues the trauma that tribes have endured historically.
As a result, Wass said the average life span for American Indians is 47, and Indians have a teen suicide rate seven times the national average. She asked how the BIA can dare turn its back on the problem.
“Here in this state we've got a major catastrophe on our hands,” Wass said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT – Proving he is truly “young at heart” and committed to quality early childhood education for Lake County’s young children, District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown recently enrolled in the Lakeport Early Connection Preschool for a one-day experience as a preschool student.
His participation is allowing advocates to raise awareness about the importance of quality early childhood education, said Shelly Mascari, director of the Lake County Child Care Planning Council.
The day began on April 28 at 8:15 a.m., and Brown enthusiastically joined circle time, during which teacher, Katie Mansell, guided the children through songs and activities reinforcing the seasons of the year, and their monthly theme of “growing and changing.”
Students were invited to bring in photographs of themselves as infants, and share with the class skills and abilities they now have that they didn’t have as babies. The children glowed with pride as they shared skills they had mastered.
This activity helps prepare children for success in elementary school, by increasing their self-esteem, and preparing them to confidently share their ideas with the group.
“Many children enter kindergarten without this ability, and those who have had the benefit of a quality preschool experience really hit the ground running and find early success, which increases positive attitudes about school,” said Shirley Littleton, site supervisor at Lakeport Early Connection Preschool.
Brown's busy morning continued with outside activities, during which the children learn the importance of physical activity for a healthy lifestyle. Mascari said he was a big hit, with the kids lining up for the tire swing.
The day’s activities continued with spatial awareness activities, like blocks and puzzles; and pre-math skills development with art and games. Mascari said Brown seemed to enjoy tracing letters in piles of shaving cream, an activity that is popular with all the students.
The highlight of the day was the creation of a worm farm, which provided a great hands-on science learning experience.
Quality early childhood education has been proven an effective way to eliminate the achievement gap and make sure all children have equal opportunity to succeed in school, Mascari said.
Recent research has definitively found that adults who had the benefit of quality early childhood education achieved (from the Perry/High Scope Preschool Study):
Higher monthly earnings (29 percent versus 7 percent earning more than $2,000 per month);
Higher percentages of home ownership (36 percent versus 13 percent);
Higher level of schooling completed (71 percent versus 54 percent completing 12th grade or higher);
Lower percentage receiving social services (59 percent versus 80 percent);
Significantly fewer arrests (7 percent versus 35 percent).
April was “Lake County Cares for our Kids” Month, which helped raise awareness about child abuse prevention, and the importance of quality early childhood education. Brown finished off a month of activities that included an Advocacy Walk, a Children’s Art Festival and the countywide paper doll project.
“Lake County is especially fortunate to have leaders who support children’s issues,” said Mascari.
She said that Brown enthusiastically participated in this activity, Supervisor Jeff Smith, showed his support in the Advocacy Walk and Art Festival, and Supervisors Denise Rushing, Anthony Farrington and Smith were set to participate in the Early Childhood Educator of the Year Award Dinner.
“We appreciate their support; it makes a difference,” said Mascari.
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 .
Strawberry season in Lake County has officially arrived. I had my first taste of the local season this week.
Just as I was biting into one of the red jewels, I could hear my son say “Wow!” in the background as he bit into his. Seconds later, my husband’s “Wow!” was heard. They’re that good when they’re fresh and local.
We visited Sky Hoyt’s Kelseyville farm and brought home a flat. If you’re hankering for some of Sky’s berries, you’ll find him at the Steele Winery farmers’ market on Saturday mornings. He has some pretty interesting farming methods which we’ll chat about later, but for now, let’s talk berry.
Strawberries are not actually berries at all, at least not by botanists’ standards. True berries have their seeds on the inside (think blueberries or cranberries) and, as you know, strawberry seeds are on the outside.
The yellow seeds covering the outside of the berry are considered individual fruits, with the sweet, fleshy part of the strawberry being the receptacle for the roughly 200 tiny fruits that cover it.
They’re members of the same family tree as the rose; in fact, in Italian strawberries are known as “fragola,” derived from the Latin word for fragrant.
They’re surprisingly nutritious. Only eight medium-sized berries provide 140 percent of our daily requirement for Vitamin C. They contain high amounts of antioxidants, which account for their bright red color. In addition, they’re a good source of folic acid, potassium and fiber.
They’re wonderful eaten fresh out of hand, sliced on cold cereal or yogurt, tossed into fruit smoothies, served on a sandwich with cream cheese and fresh mint, or added to a spinach salad (for which I’d recommend a poppy seed dressing or balsamic vinaigrette).
I love serving them fresh with balsamic vinegar and my recipe for that is below. While the combination of ingredients in the recipe may seem surprising, they work well together. The balsamic vinegar really makes the berry flavor pop.
A strawberry port wine reduction is fantastic on vanilla ice cream. For an added treat, soften the ice cream and mix in a bit of freshly ground pepper.
Strawberries should be stored in a cool, humid place; namely, your refrigerator with some special precautions. They’ll dry out without moisture, but go bad when sitting in too much dampness.
To store your strawberries, place them unwashed in a tightly covered plastic container or zipper sealed plastic bag with layers of paper towel between the berries. (Make sure to remove any bruised or moldy berries first.) The sealed container provides a humid environment and protects them from the drying effects of the fridge, while the paper towel soaks up excess moisture. I learned this method years ago from a strawberry grower at a farmers’ market and it hasn’t failed me yet!
If you’re not going to use your berries within a day or two, they should be frozen. To do this, stem, wash and dry the berries. Line a baking tray with waxed or parchment paper and place the strawberries on it with some space between them. Cover with plastic wrap and pop the tray in the freezer till the strawberries are frozen solid, then store them in zipper sealed plastic bags. Some folks roughly chop the berries and freeze in plastic tubs. That works well, too.
Frozen berries are fantastic in icy smoothies or pureed to make healthy popsicles for the kids. I like to make a fruity topping for pancakes or waffles by cooking frozen berries with a bit of water and sugar till it liquefies and then thickens into a syrupy consistency.
Now that you’ve got some practical ideas for strawberries, let’s travel back to Sky Hoyt’s farm.
Some years ago, Sky devised a clever method to grow strawberries that not only reduces harvest time backaches, but produces a better berry as well. Using salvaged material, Sky set up 12 long rows of growing tables to hold tubs of potting soil, into which he planted strawberries. (He also uses them for other crops, such as basil and carrots.) The soil is covered with white coated plastic and netting hovers above to keep hungry birds away. Ripening berries rest atop the plastic, rather than on dirt, to prevent rotting. Harvesting is made easier with the plants at waist level, as is tending the plants and checking for pests.
Sky uses a hybrid farming method, dubbed SAFE farming, that combines organic and non-organic methods for growing crops. (He’ll be happy to share a flyer with you at the farmers’ market.) His berry of choice is the Albion variety, a switch from last year’s Seascape, which can be harvested from May till October.
In Medieval times strawberries were associated with love. Whether or not they’re able to influence human love, these tasty, healthy berries are well worth your affection. Enjoy them while the local season lasts!
Strawberries with balsamic vinegar
This is a delightful way to serve this summer fruit. The balsamic vinegar brings out the flavor and color of the berries. It’s a refreshing dessert as is, or may be used as a topping for ice cream, shortcake or other desserts.
1 pint strawberries, washed, hulled and quartered
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Combine first three ingredients and marinate for about an hour (but no more than four). Add freshly ground black pepper to taste just before serving.
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 .
On Friday the Third District Court of Appeal denied the request from the California Redevelopment Association (CRA) for a temporary stay on a Sacramento Superior Court decision reached last Tuesday that upholds a state law requiring the redevelopment agency payments.
The CRA is notifying its members and recommending redevelopment agencies statewide make the required payment on Monday, May 10, even though the association said Friday that it will appeal the Superior Court ruling and is confident the appeal will be successful.
CRA said the payment due Monday is the first $1.7 billion installment the state is raiding from local communities “which would otherwise be used for projects to create jobs, economic growth and urban revitalization projects.” CRA sought the stay to protect this funding while the appeal process wound through the Court of Appeal.
The payments will be made in accordance with a ruling by Sacramento Superior Court Judge Lloyd Connelly last Tuesday which instructed local redevelopment agencies to abide by the provisions of AB X4 26.
Passed last year as part of the state budget, AB X4 26 allows the state to take $2.05 billion in redevelopment funding over two years to use for state obligations.
“Taking this funding will stall job creation efforts in California at the worst possible time,” said John Shirey, CRA executive director. “The money being turned over to fund State obligations would have been used for local revitalization projects that would have improved our communities, created jobs and stimulated our local economy. CRA plans to file its appeal in the next week or so. We expect to prevail.”
Last, officials with the redevelopment agencies for the county and the cities of Lakeport and Clearlake indicated they were prepared to make the payments if the stay wasn't granted.
Payments are due this year and next. Lakeport will pay $313,005 this year and $64,380 next year; Clearlake is due payments of $1,014,736 and $208,716; and the county will pay $764,000 and $155,000.
On Friday, Kelly Cox – the county's administrative officer and county redevelopment agency executive director – said the county would be processing its payment from the county's redevelopment agency budget on Monday for the entire amount.
“It's budgeted and we've been planning to make the payment,” Cox said. “The court decision that was issued today doesn't come as a surprise to us.”
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 .
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