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Rick William Robison, 55, was arrested by Mendocino County officials after he allegedly robbed the Savings Bank of Mendocino's Hopland branch.
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office issued a statement Wednesday in which the agency said it was continuing to investigate Robison's connection to other incidents around the county.
Robison is a suspect in other bank robberies in Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, according to statements to North Coast media on Thursday.
His booking sheet, released Thursday, shows that at 5 feet 9 inches and 170 pounds, with graying hair, he matches the physical description of the suspect in those cases.
Officials had reported on a series of bank robberies in the three-county area, including the robbery of the Windsor Bank of America on March 17, the Ukiah Bank of America on March 24, the US Bank on Jefferson Street in Napa on March 26 and the Chase Bank in Willits on March 31.
The suspect in those incidents handed a note across the counter to the bank teller; in the Napa County case, the demand note was written in crayon. He was spotted leaving the Napa robbery in a white four-door Cadillac sedan. No weapons were seen in the robberies and no one was hurt.
Surveillance photos of the suspect in those cases also shows a figure who looks like Robison.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been working with the Ukiah Police Department and the sheriff's office of Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa counties in investigating the case.
Robison was being held on $75,000 bail for charges of robbery and using fear as an element on Thursday.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Next Tuesday, several hundred signatures will be submitted to City Clerk Janel Chapman in an effort to get an initiative before voters this fall.
The effort is being spearheaded by four local nonprofit groups that have been allowed by city ordinance to sell safe and sane – or state-approved – fireworks in the city for many years. They include the Miss Lake County Scholarships Organization, the Clear Lake High School Booster Club, Terrace School Parent Teacher Organization and the Lake County Channel Cats.
Citing concerns over fire danger, on April 21 the council turned down the applications of the four groups to set up booths and sell fireworks from July 1 through July 4, as Lake County News has reported.
The council vote wasn't unanimous – council members Jim Irwin and Suzanne Lyons fought what they said was an attack both on tradition and personal freedoms.
For the groups, losing a major source of annual revenue – as much as $15,000 per group per year – prompted them to ask the council on May 5 to rescind their April 21 actions and approve the applications, otherwise an initiative would move forward
But on May 5 the council gave initial approval to a proposed ordinance that would permanently ban safe and sane fireworks in the city, the last place locally where they're still allowed. A second reading and final approval are expected June 2, with the ordinance going into effect on July 3.
Dennis Revell of Revell Communications, who represents American Promotional Events, TNT Fireworks and the nonprofits, said the groups had two courses of action – do a referendum once the second vote is taken on the ordinance in June or pursue an initiative.
Revell said the groups didn't believe council members Roy Parmentier, Bob Rumfelt and Ron Bertsch would change their minds. A referendum would have required a legal process to order the council to approve the applications of the groups, which had met the requirements of the current fireworks ordinance, Revell said.
That was a costly option that wasn't guaranteed to work. So they chose instead to take the initiative route, Revell said.
Ultimately, Revell said, they decided it was best to put it out to the voters.
He said the groups previously had suggested the city improve its fireworks ordinance and include some very specific enforcement provisions for fines and additional restrictions on sales.
The language of the proposed initiative includes a 5-percent assessment fee on gross fireworks sales, which would be paid to the city by Aug. 15 of each year. That assessment is intended to cover increased police and fire protection, permit processing, sales booth inspections and cleanup.
City Attorney Steve Brookes confirmed that the groups submitted the initiative to him to prepare the ballot titlee and summary, and that the city is waiting for the Tuesday signatures submission.
In his 25 years with the city, Brookes said he doesn't remember another such initiative going to voters.
Revell said the public's response to the initiative has been “extremely strong.” They've gathered signatures both from people connected to the nonprofits as well as in front of local stores.
He said the groups have been collecting signatures since Saturday, and by the time they submit the initiative to Chapman on Tuesday they will have about 550 signatures – well in excess of the 15 percent of the city's 2,600 registered voters that could compel a special election.
Brookes anticipates that the initiative could go on the November general election ballot. However, even then, the city's new fireworks ban ordinance would already be in force, canceling out much of the time for sales opportunities this year. As well, the city hasn't granted the groups permits, so they'll likely be unable to sell fireworks either way.
The election code provides for and encourages initiative supporters to engage in good faith negotiations in order to come to an alternative result, said Revell.
Brookes said he's not received council direction to enter into good faith negotiations with the groups to find a middle ground.
That appears unlikely to happen. Revell said he contacted Parmentier and Bertsch on Wednesday, and both indicated they were not interested in the discussion. He said Rumfelt didn't return a message.
Bertsch, the city's mayor, confirmed to Lake County News that he spoke to Revell on Wednesday.
“I told him my decision didn't change,” Bertsch said.
He explained that his decision was based on the concerns of Lakeport Fire Protection District Chief Ken Wells, who had approached the council in April.
If the groups want to go to a special election, “then so be it,” said Bertsch, noting he doesn't plan to change his opinion because an outside company that stands to lose a large amount of money pressures him and the council.
Bertsch said if the community turns out to want safe and sane fireworks then he's OK with it, but he said many of the people who have contacted him indicate that they no longer want those fireworks to be legal.
He added that he doesn't believe the initiative will pass or that the council will change its mind.
According to an initiative qualification calendar, the council must act no later than Aug. 4 to place the measure on the Nov. 3 ballot, otherwise it will necessitate a special election on Dec. 3, the costs of which the city would need to absorb.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office couldn't give an exact figure on how much a special election might cost. However, the special mail-in ballot election the city held in April of 2005 to fill an open seat that resulted from the death of Councilman Dick Lamkin cost approximately $7,674.82, the agency reported.
Revell said when the groups submit the signatures for the initiative, “it sets the whole process in motion and there's no turning back.”
Once the signatures are filed with the clerk, “the ball's in the City Council's court,” Brookes said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LUCERNE – Two drivers were transported to regional hospitals Thursday after being involved in a head-on crash on Highway 20 in Lucerne, with one of the drivers arrested for driving under the influence.
Sue Ellen Sannes, 62, of Clearlake Oaks and Bryan Voyles, 39, of Herald were injured in the crash, which occurred near the intersection of 13th Avenue and Highway 20 just after 1 p.m.
The California Highway Patrol said Sannes was arrested for felony DUI – in this case, driving under the influence of prescription medication.
The CHP reported that Sannes, traveling westbound in a small 1986 Honda, failed to negotiate a slight curve and went into the eastbound lane, where she collided head-on with Voyles' 2003 Chevrolet minivan.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Bill Holcomb said Sannes was driving in the highway's center turn lane before going into Voyles' lane. A witness claimed she had been in the center lane for about a quarter of a mile before her car crossed over into the eastbound lane.
Traffic for several blocks around the crash scene was reduced to one lane as Northshore Fire took care of the crash victims and CHP investigated the scene.
Sannes was trapped in her vehicle, with her ankles crushed under the engine firewall, and had to be extricated by Northshore Fire personnel. Holcomb said she suffered major injuries to her legs, including broken ankles.
Voyles suffered moderate injuries to his legs and complained of abdominal pain and was transported to medical care on precaution. Holcomb said that injury may have been caused by the seatbelt, as there were no intrusions in the inside of the vehicle.
A landing zone was set up for air ambulances at the end of 13th Avenue at Highway 20, a short way from where the crash occurred.
There, a REACH helicopter landed to transport Sannes to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital's trauma center. A short time later, a CalStar helicopter landed and took Voyles to UC Davis Medical Center.
Voyles' wife and four children – the children ranging in age from 4 to 13 – were transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital via Northshore Fire Protection District's ambulance due to complaints of pain, Holcomb said.
Due to her injuries, Sannes could not be booked into the Lake County Jail.
CHP Officer Brendan Bach is leading the crash investigation.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
The event will take place in the quad area of the college campus, 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.
Three ceremonies are scheduled for the canopy-covered quad. The processional march for students receiving the associate in arts or associate in science degrees will begin at 7 p.m. Board of Trustees Member Brent Hastey will confer the degrees. Student speaker will be Mary Blakely-Pulido, and master of ceremonies will be campus Dean Bryon Bell.
A graduation breakfast will be held at 9 a.m. on Friday. The student speaker will be Wendy Coleman. GPA certificates will be awarded at this time.
The following local students will receive associate degrees:
ASSOCIATE IN ARTS
Maxx J. Bartlett, Robert Adam Besgrove, Sean David Fielden, Maria Lynn Fortino-McCuan, Anna V. Ventsko, Melissa Emeline-Mae Warner and Brad E. Wight of Clearlake; Mireya Clizbe of Cobb; Brianna Leigh Cook and Jon Robert Davison of Lower Lake.
ASSOCIATE IN SCIENCE
Megan Roth of Casa Grande, AZ; Regina Dawn Amaral, Mary Elizabeth Blakely-Pulido, Wendy Raeann Colemen, Donna Elizabeth Cummins, Rachel Annia Emming, JoAnne Lynn Fortino, Raxita Dhanpal Gandhi, Beth Ann Jenkins, Anthony Lee Lewis Jr., Shane David Merrill, Ana Rosa Montanez, Kimmberly Jean Munson, Krystal Kay Peng, Arlene Mildred Powel, Jerome James Richardson, Heather Ann Wallace, Measha Ann Weinzirl and Robert G. White of Clearlake; Ceva Ann Giumelli, Christie Lee Greenfield and Robert John Vieira of Clearlake Oaks; Debra Lee Ratcliff and David James Schlueter of Clearlake Park; William D. Brown of Cobb; Erin Rose Teames of Fairfax; Leonard Joseph Dombrowski Jr., Michele Emery, Benjamin Samuel Timmons and Bonnie Jean Vaughn of Hidden Valley Lake; Susan M. LaBarre of Kelseyville; Nicole Marie Coccimiglio, Sara Christine Coel, Nicole Michele Doud, Jackson Maxwell Kaiser and Justin Jay Read of Lower Lake.
Students who have earned certificates of achievement will be recognized for their accomplishment at a noon ceremony. Student speaker will be Francis Williams. Certificates in 17 different areas will be awarded.
Accounting Certificate of Achievement
Beth Ann Jenkins, Maria D. Montero and Jill Dawn Pierce of Clearlake; Christine L. Bergen and Donna T. Curnutt of Clearlake Oaks; Dennis D. Bilardi of Kelseyville; Melisa K. Wilson of Lower Lake; Shawna Marie Summers of Middletown.
Advanced Accounting Certificate of Achievement
Beth Ann Jenkins of Clearlake.
Administrative Assistant Certificate of Completion/Achievement
Mary Elizabeth Blakely-Pulido of Clearlake; Debra Ratcliff of Clearlake Park.
Business Computer Applications Certificate of Achievement
Christine L. Bergen of Clearlake Oaks; Ashley Evangeline Holback of Lower Lake.
Advanced Business Computer Applications Certificate of Achievement
Christine L. Bergen of Clearlake Oaks; Ashley Evangeline Holback of Lower Lake.
Chemical Dependency Awareness Certificate of Training/Achievement
Deserie Ann Askew, Erin Tamsan Meyers, Jay El Tillman and Anna V. Ventsko of Clearlake; Kathrine Jennette Allan and Eileen K. Daniels of Clearlake Park; Katarina Maria Meyer and Scott Richard Meyer of Kelseyville; Teresa Deuchar and Lionel Oliver Pierce of Nice.
Chemical Dependency Counselor Certificate of Completion/Achievement
Debbie Marie Flemming, John Delvin Hamner Jr., Erin Tamsan Meyers, Kimmberly Jean Munson, Jay El Tillman, Anna V. Ventsko and Dow Walton of Clearlake; Scott Richard Meyer and Francian LeAnn Reinhardt of Kelseyville; Lionel Oliver Pierce of Nice; Jayleen Rae Ward of Upper Lake.
Child Development Associate Teacher Certificate of Achievement
Taqua Salem Ammar, Leticia Arellano, Rebecca Joanne Castillo, Neala Renea Ellsworth, Kara Marie Kramer, Melissa Marie Mehew and Maria Romero of Clearlake; Ceva Giumelli and Francis Kay Williams of Clearlake Oaks; Malinda Ann Triola of Hidden Valley Lake; Sunshine Raquel Baker of Kelseyville; Maria Montanez of Middletown; Michelle Diann Villines of Upper Lake.
Child Development Teacher Certificate of Achievement
Francis Kay Williams of Clearlake Oaks; Megan Streif of Lower Lake.
Clerical Certificate of Training/Achievement
Mary Elizabeth Blakely-Pulido and Rachel Annia Emming of Clearlake; Debra L. Ratcliff of Clearlake Park; Tonya Marie Albright of Hidden Valley Lake.
Culinary Arts Certificate of Completion/Achievement
Kacie Da’Nelle Carson, Carlos Fausett, Matt Morgan and Julieann Linda Wonderwheel of Clearlake; William Gregory Wymer of Clearlake Oaks; Ann-Marie Pleskaczewski of Hidden Valley Lake.
Infant and Toddler Certificate of Achievement
Neala Renea Ellsworth of Clearlake; Francis Kay Williams of Clearlake Oaks; Megan Streif of Lower Lake.
Information Technologies Certificate of Completion/Achievement
Benjamin Samuel Timmons of Hidden Valley Lake.
Legal Office Skills Certificate of Achievement
Debra Lee Ratcliff of Clearlake Park.
Medical Office Procedures Certificate of Achievement
Mary Elizabeth Blakely-Pulido of Clearlake.
Welding Technologies Certificate of Achievement
Jon Allen Bobus, Jennifer Lyn Burlingame, Edgar Jovani Hernandez and Milton Levy of Clearlake; William George Hawley of Kelseyville; Daniel Thomas Current of Lower Lake; Tony M. Petersen of Middletown.
Word Processing Certificate of Completion/Achievement
Mary Elizabeth Blakely-Pulido of Clearlake; Debra Ratcliff of Clearlake Park.
Scholarship awards will also be given at the noon and 7 p.m. ceremonies.
The following students will receive scholarships:
Clearlake Rotary Service Scholarship, Donna Dawson of Clearlake; Computer Technology and Networking Scholarship, Kathryn McCallister of Lower Lake; Culinary Arts Award, Stephen Woolridge and Matthew Young of Clearlake; Human Services Scholarship, Renee Ruggeri of Clearlake; Yuba College-Clear Lake Campus Faculty and Staff Award, Kathryn McCallister of Lower Lake; ECE Scholarship, Stephan Thill of Clearlake Park; Yuba College Higher Education Scholarship, Stefanie Mederos of Clearlake; Arthur Lewis Nan Memorial Scholarship, Shawna Summers of Middletown; Business Student of the Year in Memory of Ed Miller, Roy Sivertson of Clearlake.
The ceremony for students receiving the G.E.D. certificate begins at 4 p.m. in the quad. Student speakers will be Garrett Henson and Bonnie O’Donnell.
G.E.D. Diplomas
Mark Abbott, Perry Bishop Jr., Michelle Clayton, Rachel Costa, Robert Costa, Christina Domingos, Jona Elsa, Carlos Fausett, John George, Sandra Gonsalves, Anthony Hatfield,Garrett Henson, Diana Holt, Thomas Madrid, Jennifer Pinnick, and Clayton Tansey of Clearlake; Anthony Dow, Daniel Gerber and Trenton Reid of Clearlake Oaks; Gianina Parrino of Glenhaven; David Schlueter of Clearlake Park; Carrie Horarik of Hidden Valley Lake; Blaine Manard, Tasia Sanchez and John Swehla of Cobb; Ashley Barrett and Bonnie O’Donnell of Kelseyville; Linda Gail Harvey, Andrea Mendieta, Alan Mitchelll, Sharon Naber, Jennifer Tenneson and Laurie Terra of Lower Lake; Eula Francis Owens of Lucerne.
LUCERNE – A portion of Lucerne is getting a new look thanks to a public art effort.
Community members of all ages are taking part in the Lucerne Community Art Project, which is being built at the corner of Eighth Avenue and Highway 20, on the edge of Lucerne Creek Park.
Natural building expert Massey Burke is overseeing the effort, which is building a community bench with a small arch and decorative walls with earthen building techniques, including adobe and cob.
The project began May 9 and will run through this Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. daily.
On the project's first weekend, volunteers started off by making about 200 of the nearly 300 adobe bricks that will be used in the project, said District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, who spearheaded the effort.
Burke said she's seen a wide variety of community members dropping by during the days to help – from seniors to small children and their parents.
She said the red clay-laden soil being used for the bricks came from Tom Carter's Upper Lake property.
Burke is an experienced natural builder who took part in creating an arch of earthen materials that was temporarily featured in an exhibition on the National Mall in Washington DC.
Clearlake Oaks residents Bill Rett and Judy Barnes have been faithfully making the trip – mostly on weekends but with an occasional weekday thrown in – to work on the project and learn natural building skills.
“That's why we got interested in this – because we wanted to learn the techniques,” said Rett.
Barnes said the project has moved along “faster than I thought it would.”
Just over the last week the arched bench has popped up, with the decorative walls and a decorative feature on the Lucerne Creek Park sign also quickly coming together.
Barbara Hepburn of Hidden Valley Lake has made the trip every day to work on the project.
She said she's part of Burke's “building tribe,” which is creating structures for Sol Fest at Hopland's Solar Living Institute.
Hepburn took natural building classes from Burke previously, but she said the only way to really learn the technique is to get out and do it.
This week she was up to her elbows in natural clay and stray, and using her hands to shape the materials on the frame of the arched bench.
Hepburn said not only is she learning more, she's helping teach others, “and realizing I know more than I thought I did.”
Volunteers hope to take what they learn and put it to work on their own projects. Rett said he and Barnes want to build a small arched bench seating area like the park's at their own home.
Burke said the project is right on schedule. Because things have moved along well, she said she's thinking of adding some additional structural details.
She also is going to have a garden party on Sunday.
Fifteen yards of topsoil have been donated to the park beautification effort, and on Sunday afternoon – after it starts to cool off – community members are invited to come and help plant a garden.
Burke suggests those who want to participate should bring shovels, wheelbarrows, drought-resistant plants and plenty of ideas.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
Properly cleaning and drying will also protect boats and help boaters avoid quarantines or being turned away from a water destination.
"Vehicles with watercraft are being stopped at California border stations for inspection," said Food and Agriculture Secretary A.G. Kawamura. "In the last two years, we have inspected tens of thousands vessels crossing into California and have confirmed adult mussels on 323. Each of those finds meant we saved a California lake or reservoir from exposure to this invasive species."
Lake County has a mussel prevention program that requires boats have an inspection sticker before launching. The Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce, 707-263-5092, has more information about the program.
The mussels are a threat to California agriculture because they can clog irrigation canals and other elements of the state’s vast water delivery system.
Efforts to keep the mussels out of California help officials and taxpayers avoid costly repairs and maintain efficient water movement.
“Quagga and zebra mussels pose a serious threat to our waters and fisheries,” said Department of Fish and Game (DFG) Director Donald Koch. “The spread of these mussels threatens aquatic ecosystems and fisheries, water delivery systems, hydroelectric facilities, agriculture, recreational boating and fishing, and the environment in general. Boaters should be prepared for inspections throughout the state designed to help ensure California’s water bodies remain mussel-free.”
In addition to being sure to clean, drain and dry watercraft, the Department of Boating and Waterways (DBW) urges boaters to plan for possible launch restrictions and inspections by calling water bodies before leaving home. Programs and requirements vary and can change rapidly.
“Anyone planning to go boating should contact their destination about local restrictions or requirements,” said DBW Director Raynor T. Tsuneyoshi. “At some locations, potentially contaminated vessels – those not properly cleaned, drained and dried – could be turned away.”
Quagga and zebra mussels can cause severe problems for boaters and water enthusiasts. They can:
Ruin the engine by blocking the cooling system – causing overheating;
Increase drag on the bottom of the boat, reducing speed and wasting fuel;
Jam steering equipment on boats;
Require scraping and repainting of boat bottoms;
Colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces requiring constant cleaning.
To help prevent the spread of these mussels, boaters should inspect all exposed surfaces, wash boat hulls thoroughly, remove all plants from boat and trailer, drain all water, including lower outboard units, clean and dry livewells and bait buckets and dispose of baitfish in the trash. Watercraft should be dried for at least five days and up to 30 days depending upon the weather between launches in different fresh bodies of water. These steps are designed to thwart spread of the invasive mussels, safeguard boats and preserve high quality fisheries.
“We are strongly encouraging boaters to arrive at State Park reservoirs with clean and dry vessels to ensure they are granted access,” said Ruth Coleman, director of California State Parks. “Boaters may have their vessels inspected and we hope that people understand and cooperate to stop the spread of this destructive invasive species.”
California law makes it illegal to possess or transport quagga or zebra mussels and gives DFG authority to stop, detain, search and quarantine boats suspected or determined to be contaminated with mussels. Additional agencies have been granted this authority including the Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and Parks.
Zebra mussels inhabit water depths from four to 180 feet, while Quagga can reach depths more than 400 feet. Both mollusks can attach to and damage boat trailers, cooling systems, boat hulls and steering equipment. Mussels attached to watercraft or trailers can be transported and spread to other water bodies. Water in boat engines, bilges, live wells and buckets can carry mussel larvae (called veligers) to other water bodies as well.
Quagga mussels were first detected in the Colorado River system in January 2007 and were later found in San Diego and Riverside counties by state and local water agencies. Zebra mussels were discovered in San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County in January 2008.
A public toll-free number hotline has been established for boaters and anyone involved with activities on lakes and rivers seeking information on the invasive and destructive auagga mussels at 1-866-440-9530.
For more information on the quagga/zebra mussel response and what you can do, please visit the DFG Web site at www.dfg.ca.gov/invasives/quaggamussel.