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An estimated 800 flags-which once decorated the caskets of veterans-will be flown at Hartley,
Kelseyville, Lower Lake and Upper Lake cemeteries on Memorial Day.
The Avenue of Flags flies twice a year – on Memorial Day and Veterans Day in November. Families of veterans donate the flags to the Ave of Flags Association for the display.
The flags will go up at 7 a.m. and be taken down at 4 p.m.
Community groups and volunteers assist with the avenue, and volunteers once again are invited
to take part.
For more information or to volunteer contact one of the following Avenue of Flags organizers: Frank Parker, 707-274-9512; Dean Gotham, 707-350-1159; or Joel Moore, 707-272-1136.
The Employment Development Department's monthly report on employment figures showed Lake County's April unemployment rate was 16 percent, down from 16.6 percent in March but up the 9.7 percent unemployment rate reported in April of 2008. The county ranked No. 45 out of the state's 58 counties.
In April, 4,040 people in Lake County were reported to be unemployed, down from 4,260 out of work in March, according to Employment Development Department reports.
California's unemployment rate decreased to 11 percent in April, down from 11.2 percent in March. In April of 2008, the state's unemployment rate was 6.6 percent. The number of people unemployed in California in April was 2,057,000 – down by 35,000 over the month, but up by 843,000 compared with April of last year.
Neighboring counties reported the following unemployment rates and statewide rankings: Colusa, 19.1; Glenn, 16.1 percent; Mendocino, 10.7 ; Napa, 8.5 percent; Sonoma, 9.4 percent; Yolo, 10.7 percent.
While state and local employment showed improvements, the US unemployment rate increased in April, rising to 8.9 percent from 8.5 percent in March and 5 percent in April of 2008.
The Employment Development Department reported that nonfarm jobs in California totaled 14,411,400 in April, a decrease of 63,700 over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The year-over-year change (April 2008 to April 2009) shows a decrease of 706,700 jobs (down 4.7 percent).
The federal survey of households estimates the number of Californians holding jobs in April was 16,565,000, an increase of 42,000 from March, but down 544,000 from the employment total in April of last year, the agency reported.
The department's report on payroll employment in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 14,411,400 in April, a net loss of 63,700 jobs since the March survey; during that month, the state lost 61,700 jobs.
Adding 9,700 jobs in April were three industry categories – natural resources and mining; other services; and government.
At the same time, eight categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – reported job declines, with a loss of 73,400 jobs.
EDD reported that trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest decline over the month, down by 18,900 jobs.
Ten categories lost a total of 726,600 jobs: natural resources and mining; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government.
Trade, transportation and utilities employment showed the largest decline on a numerical basis, down by 189,000 jobs, which EDD said is a decline of 6.5 percent).
Construction posted the largest decline on a percentage basis, down by 18.4 percent – a decrease of 149,900 jobs – the EDD reported.
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Steven Wayne Mitchell, 59, was taken into custody on Thursday morning, according to a report from Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On May 2, Mitchell's family members contacted the sheriff’s office to report that he had committed multiple acts of sexual abuse against his 13-year-old niece, according to Bauman.
The acts allegedly had occurred at Mitchell’s home in Lower Lake over a three- to four-week period during the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays of 2008, Bauman said.
Bauman reported that Mitchell had already been the subject of another open investigation into alleged sexual misconduct with an 11-year-old Spring Valley girl, which was reported to the sheriff’s office last October.
The victim in that case was the daughter of a one-time girlfriend who reportedly lived with Mitchell for a short time and works for him at his medical marijuana dispensary, “Steve’s Place,” on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake. Bauman said the incidents alleged in that case occurred during the summer of 2008.
Having ensured the victims in both cases had been removed from Mitchell’s access since reporting the allegations, sheriff’s detectives completed enough followup investigation into both cases to secure a warrant of arrest for Mitchell and search warrants for both his home in Lower Lake and his business in Clearlake, said Bauman.
In addition to Items of evidence located at Mitchell's home and business, deputies seized two firearms and a large amount of ammunition.
Superior Court Judge Stephen Hedstrom signed the warrants on May 20 and on Thursday at about 7:40 a.m., Bauman said. Mitchell was located and arrested at the El Grande Hotel in Clearlake without incident.
He was booked at the Lake County Jail on a felony charge of lewd and lascivious acts with a child under 14, said Bauman.
Mitchell was released on a $250,000 bond Thursday afternoon. Bauman said Mitchell ultimately will face a total of five felony counts of the same charge as a result of both cases.
Bauman said Mitchell has a prior felony conviction for burglary and receiving stolen property so he will also face charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition.
John Glen Anderson, 46, was taken into custody by Lake County Sheriff's deputies on felony charges of making criminal threats and elder abuse, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Bauman reported that sheriff’s deputies responded to a home on Shoreview Drive in Clearlake Oaks for a family disturbance on Wednesday at about 7:30 p.m.
There deputies learned from 38-year-old Lisa Resents that her husband, Anderson, had been drinking and causing problems with her and her 72-year-old father, Kenneth Resents. Bauman said Anderson was warned about his behavior and the deputies left the home.
About two hours later, deputies were dispatched back to the Shoreview Drive home for reoccurring problems with Anderson, said Bauman.
This time, deputies learned Anderson had gone into Kenneth Resents' bedroom with a lit candle in his hand and threatened to “burn the house down” and “blow the place up,” according to Bauman's report.
Resents apparently was wearing a “nasal cannula” and being administered oxygen from a compressed tank at the time of the threat.
Deputies subsequently arrested Anderson, who was booked at the Lake County Jail with bail set at $10,000 bail. Jail records on Friday indicate that he has since posted bail and been released.
The defendants – James Stanley Koenig, 57, of Redding; Gary T. Armitage, 59, of Healdsburg; and Jeffery A. Guidi, 54, of Santa Rosa – were arrested late Thursday and are now in custody. Bail has been set at $5 million each.
"These three men callously swindled thousands of individuals out of $200 million to bankroll their extravagant lifestyles," Brown said. "They took investors money and used it to pay for an 80-acre castle estate, a Lear jet, luxury homes and fancy cars. The Ponzi scheme ultimately collapsed under its own weight, causing hardship to thousands, many of whom were retirees who lost their life savings."
The charges, filed in Shasta County Superior Court, mark the culmination of a year-long investigation, which found that Koenig, Armitage and Guidi created a network of more than 55 business ventures over a period of 10 years to enrich themselves and keep their Ponzi scheme afloat.
Brown's investigation revealed that in 1997, the three men began peddling construction and real estate projects across California. This included: "Quail Hollow," a residential subdivision in Susanville; Lake College, a for-profit vocational school in Redding; Mountain House Golf Course near Tracy; a light industrial distribution center in Brentwood; and dozens of other so-called "investment opportunities." Victims were promised that these were safe, secure, low risk investments with double digit returns, averaging 12 percent.
In recruiting their victims, Armitage organized "investment planning seminars," many of which targeted retirees, in the Bay Area and throughout California. Based on advice from these seminars, Californians invested sums ranging from $50,000 to more than $1 million. Some turned over their entire retirement portfolios and savings accounts.
Many of the construction and real estate projects, however, were poorly managed and were not financially viable, resulting in huge losses. Some projects were left unfinished or ended up in foreclosure.
Rather than inform investors about the failures, Koenig, Armitage and Guidi sought to attract new investors, whose funds could be used to offset losses and pay returns to earlier investors. In doing so, the defendants withheld vital information that impacted investment decisions, including past business failures and Koenig's 1986 federal fraud conviction.
With double-digit returns and no knowledge of the investment failures, most investors kept their money in place and many invested in new projects. This Ponzi scheme continued for more than 10 years.
Beginning in 2001, Koenig, Armitage and Guidi redirected investors' millions into the purchase of more than 20 senior housing and residential care facilities. This included: Alterra Clare Ridge in Fresno; Sterling House in Bakersfield; Clare Bridge Cottage in Bakersfield; Seasons in Modesto, Northridge, and Vacaville; Oakdale Heights West in Redding; Oakdale Heights in Bakersfield, Fresno, San Leandro, Beverly Hills, Santa Clarita, Roseville, Laguna Beach, and La Mesa; Senior Oaks Senior Living in Redding; and other facilities in Pennsylvania, Oregon, Nevada, North Carolina, and Virginia.
Under this scheme, the defendants' company would purchase an assisted living facility and sell it to one of their affiliate companies. The affiliate would then sell ownership shares in the property as an "investment opportunity" at an even higher price to new investors. Meanwhile, an additional affiliated company would manage the property to maximize revenue.
Revenues, however, were not reinvested into the facilities, but were pooled and used to pay interest to investors and keep investors at bay.
In April 2007, the Ponzi scheme began to collapse under a mountain of debt, and the defendants were unable to pay interest to investors. Nevertheless, they continued to solicit new investors in the vain hope that they could keep the operation alive, raising $23 million from 91 new investors.
The defendant's businesses finally went closed their doors in June 2008.
During the course of its investigation, Brown's office identified more than 1,000 victims with losses totaling $200 million.
Over the 10 years, Koenig, Armitage and Guidi siphoned fees, revenues and profits from their business ventures for their personal benefit, using the funds to purchase an 80-acre castle estate, a Lear jet, luxury vehicles, lavish vacations and expensive wine and art.
On Thursday the defendants were charged with selling securities by means of false statements or material omissions in violation of Corporations Code Section 25401/25540 and residential burglary in violation of Section 459 of the Penal Code:
Koenig was charged with 40 counts of securities fraud and 37 counts of residential burglary.
Armitage was charged with 42 counts of securities fraud and 37 counts of residential burglary.
Guidi was charged with 39 counts of securities fraud and 33 counts of residential burglary.
If convicted on all counts, each could face more than 100 years in prison.
If you believe you have been a victim of this scheme, please contact the Attorney General's office at 1-800-952-5225.
“Memorial Day weekend can be a safe celebration for everyone,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “It’s about making sound decisions and planning ahead before you head out on the highway, for example wearing your seat belt and designating a non-drinking driver beforehand.”
The three-day holiday is a Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) for the CHP.
All available officers began patrolling the roadways during the MEP, which began at 6 p.m. Friday and extends until midnight on Monday, May 25.
The CHP’s maximum enforcement effort is also part of the state’s recently launched 2009 Memorial Day Next Generation Click It or Ticket mobilization.
The start-of-summer campaign is supported by $3 million in traffic safety grants awarded by the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The CHP’s primary mission is to prevent loss of life and injury to all motorists. That mission parallels the Strategic Highway Safety plan, a roadmap for improving safety on the state’s roadways that all state traffic safety organizations follow. An element of the plan is to improve the use of passenger restraints.
During the 2008 Memorial Day weekend, 38 people died on California’s roadways; 68 percent of those killed in CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the crash.
“Many of those deaths could have been easily avoided by taking just one second to buckle a seat belt,” stated Commissioner Farrow. “Unfortunately, too many motorists still need a reminder, which is why our officers will be on the lookout for those who are not buckled up.”
In addition to those who fail to fasten their seatbelt, speeders and motorists driving under the influence may find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Last year CHP officers statewide arrested 1,450 drivers for DUI during the Memorial Day weekend.
The Memorial Day MEP is also an Operation Combined Accident Reduction Effort (CARE) holiday. Operation CARE is a joint program of the nation’s highway patrols that places special safety emphasis on interstate highways during holiday periods. CARE highways in California include Interstates 80, 40, 15 and 5.