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- Written by: Michelle Scully
Ms. Caroline Beteta, president and CEO of Visit California was the guest speaker and presented attendees with an overview of Visit California’s function in which “they work in partnership with the state’s travel industry to inspire travel to all parts of California. Travelers spent $132 billion in 2017 in California, directly supporting more than 1.1 million California jobs and $10.9 billion in state and local tax revenue.”
Huge thanks to Mike Adams and the whole Soper Reese Theatre crew who made it all happen with the short time-frame we had to do so.
Thank you to Supervisor Moke Simon for being the master of ceremony (and panelist); to Wilda Shock, president of the Lake County Economic Development Corp.; and Helena Welsh, executive director of the Lake County Winery Association for agreeing to be panelists along with Ms. Beteta. The panel fielded moderated questions as well as interactive questions from the audience.
A forum isn’t a forum without all those who took time out of their day to attend and share their thoughts about the impacts to our local tourism industry in the wake of the Mendocino Complex fire.
Thank you so much to Lake County News for filming the event and to the Record-Bee for attending as well.
Michelle Scully is deputy county administrative officer for the county of Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Glenn Neasham
As a lot of you know and for those that don't I was arrested, tried, convicted, then exonerated for a crime that wasn't even a crime in the first place. I sold a lawful Insurance product to a client and she made over $42,000 on her annuitization value in about three years with $175,000 investment. The Lake County DA's Office charged me with larceny because they felt I should of known that my client had the onset of dementia Alzheimer's at the time of the sell.
Two months after the sale the DA's Office interviewed my client and my client told them that she bought the annuity for tax purposes and nobody forced her to do it and she did it by her own free will and choice (I have the DA report), and if I would have known my client had any such problem I wouldn't of helped her which is irrelevant anyway because she wasn't conserved and it wasn't a crime in the first place. (FYI if I would have known she had any such problems again I would never have helped her.)
What they were saying is if you're in sales or service and you help somebody with a product or service over $950 the state could of come back and arrest you for larceny up to three years after the sale. That would negate and destroy the free enterprise system. (Ironically recently there was an article on The Drudge Report that said that dementia or Alzheimer's begins at birth.) I'm not making excuses just throwing that out there.
As funny as this may sound I believe Judge Martin, Donny Anderson, Rachel Abelson and Jon Hopkins – who was the one that filed the frivolous suit but Don Anderson had the opportunity to dismiss it – need to go back to law school and relearn the definition of larceny. The appeals court said that if you sell somebody something of equal value how could that be a taking and how could that be a crime? They said that larceny is a specific intent crime requiring the intent to steal and said that that there was no evidence that defendant made any misrepresentations or use any artifice in connection with the sell, and that the defendant appropriated the elders funds to his own use or to the benefit of anyone other than the client herself .
And somehow the Superior Court forgot the intent part in the jury instruction and the appeals court said there can be no doubt that this error was prejudicial the emission of an essential element of an offense when the courts instructions is an error of constitutional significance since the defendant is entitled to a jury findings they're all elements have been proved beyond a reasonable doubt.
My case was unprecedented; never in the history of this nation has anything ever like that gone to trial.
Even after the first DCA appeals court reversed and overturned the verdict three to nothing the AG's office tried to appeal the Appellate Court's decision and the California Supreme Court thought the case was so ridiculous they wouldn't even hear it.
This is why I don't believe Don Anderson should become the next Lake County Superior Court judge because he has the potential and authority to destroy you, your family, and your business and arrest and try you for something that wasn't even a crime in the first place if they chose too.
A matter of fact, when I went back to court to be exonerated for this frivolous non-crime the judge says I'm free to go and that was all after my life was destroyed and turned upside down.
This travesty happening to one person is enough isn't it, and Don Anderson was at the helm of that department that caused it to happen. What if it happened to you in Don Anderson's courtroom? Is he the person that you'd want to judge you in the event that you were put in the same situation or tried in his courtroom?
I still have never received an apology from the DA’s Office, Judge Martin or Rachel Abelson for the travesty that they put me through and I believe they still should and unfortunately I found out six months after the statute of limitations ran out that I could have sued the DA's Office for malicious prosecution.
That's why I voted for Shanda Harry for Lake County Superior Court judge because I don't feel that Don Anderson is qualified.
Glenn Neasham lives in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif.
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- Written by: Greta Zeit
It’s time that we brought a woman to this office, especially one young enough to serve a full term and embrace new norms as they are implemented statewide.
Her experience is the broadest, having represented people from all walks of life and in many areas of the state.
She has the best temperament to be a judge and her ethics are impeccable.
Shanda has received a long list of endorsements from all age groups and spanning all political parties. One of her latest supporters is Sheriff Brian Martin, who is a great example of someone who has earned the respect and support of all since his election in 2014.
Shanda has received most of her endorsements by attending hundreds of events around the county in order to meet as many voters as possible, to hear their concerns and answer their questions. She has run an exemplary and tireless campaign which previews what kind of judge she will be.
I will be proud of her judicial service to Lake County and not worry that she will bring any personal drama to the position, but instead bring energy and great ideas for positive changes to build a strong and fair future for the residents of Lake County.
I’m voting for Shanda Harry for Judge on Nov. 6 and hope that you will, too!
Greta Zeit lives in Middletown, Calif.
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- Written by: Doyle Awtrey and Steve Sartori
We were excited, but not surprised, that many other voters saw all of her great credentials and made her the top candidate in the June primaries. But because there were three candidates in the race, Ms. Harry could not attain the 50 percent plus 1 threshold needed to win outright.
In the final days of the runoff election, we are reaching out to the rest of the voters in Lake County to ask you to join with us in voting for Shanda Harry on Nov. 6. She will make a first-class judge who will work hard with the highest level of integrity, treating all in her courtroom with dignity and respect.
She has exciting plans to access state funds for mental health court and more self-help services for defendants who are representing themselves.
Ms. Harry has been a lawyer for 18 years. She has worked as an associate in large law firms, as general counsel for Robinson Rancheria, as an Indian Child Welfare Act attorney, as deputy district attorney and, for the last six years, as deputy county counsel, with experience at the appellate and Superior Court levels.
The breadth of her experience makes her a particularly useful judge to the Lake County judiciary which is understaffed and needs flexibility – she can be scheduled to hear a wide diversity of cases.
Most importantly, she has the will and can-do attitude to accomplish a lot for all in this county. Look at how much she has accomplished in the last eight months in her campaign while working full-time and raising a 6-year-old daughter.
Once in a while, we get asked, “How old is she? Is she old enough to be a judge?” Ms. Harry is 45 years old.
As a comparison:
Brian Martin, our sheriff, was 42 years old when he was elected in 2014 and we can see from his great performance that he was definitely ready to be sheriff.
Bruno Sabatier, mayor of Clearlake and incoming District 2 Lake County Supervisor, is 39.
EJ Crandall, tribal chair of the Robinson Band of Pomo Indians, former Planning Commissioner, incoming District 3 Lake County Supervisor, is 41.
And our own District 4, Lake County Supervisor Tina Scott, for whom we have the highest regard and also supported during her entire campaign, is 45.
And all of these great leaders along with hundreds more are enthusiastically supporting Shanda.
Please join us on Nov. 6 in voting for this remarkable candidate, Shanda Harry as Lake County Superior Court judge.
Doyle Awtrey and Steve Sartori lives in Lakeport, Calif.