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Letters
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- Written by: Walter Welborn
In September 2016, my daughter Nichole Welborn was killed on Main Street in Lower Lake. The driver who killed her was Robert Wade Hitchcock, was driving under the influence of methamphetamines and driving on a suspended license.
Hitchcock crossed an entire lane of traffic to slam into my daughter and crush Nichole against her own car which killed her. She was parked in front of the feed store and had returned to her car to get something from her car.
Hitchcock was charged with second-degree murder and a number of other charges including one with special circumstances due to his previous DUI convictions. My family was looking forward to seeing Nichole"s killer face justice in a jury trial.
Any parent can imagine our horror when we learned that there would be no jury trial for my daughter's killer. I learned this from some people I still know that live in Lake County. I learned that Lake County Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones gave Hitchcock a real lenient plea deal that requires him to serve only two more years in prison.
The District Attorney's Office not only denied my daughter justice they did not have enough respect to inform me of the plea deal. When I called Deputy District Attorney Susan Krones, she stated to me that “she did not feel comfortable " with a jury trial.
Susan Krones not only dismissed my family’s concerns, she completely ignored and disrespected a former correctional officer of Lake County. Instead my daughter was judged by her instead of Hitchcock being judged by a jury of 12. If she is so uncomfortable with pursuing justice then maybe she needs to change her career choice.
District Attorney Don Anderson, whom I have known since 1985, signed off on this terrible miscarriage of justice. When Anderson became an attorney, I was his first client. We had talked about this very same type of incident in his office then and he agreed it was murder. I am so disappointed in his lack of integrity.
Susan Krones failed my daughter and failed the people of Lake County with this plea deal. She is unfit to serve as district attorney.
The voters of Lake County need to send her and all elected officials a loud and clear message at the ballot box on June 5 – no justice for victims of crimes means no job and no promotion.
Susan Krones and the district attorney have forgotten who they are supposed to represent, "us the voters".
Walter L. Welborn is a former Lake County, Calif., correctional officer who now lives in Utah.
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- Written by: Michael L. Herman
After watching each candidate answer questions from local residents, I am giving my personal endorsement to Denise Loustalot for supervisor.
Her experience as a city councilwoman and mayor of Clearlake, chair of the East Region Town Hall and the owner of 2 local businesses gives Denise the needed skills to turn the county around and help resolve long-standing local problems with crime, code enforcement and road repairs.
Denise Loustalot has earned my vote. She will make an excellent county supervisor for the residents of the Northshore.
Michael L. Herman lives in Clearlake Oaks, Calif.
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- Written by: Sharon Lerman
I was fortunate to work alongside Shanda when she was a deputy district attorney at the Lake County District Attorney’s Office. There, she proved herself a capable criminal litigator who considered the greater impact of her decisions on public safety.
She gained significant experience, not just from jury trials, but by participating in the law and motion process – where bail decisions, sentencings and procedural motions are fought and decided on a daily basis in the courtroom.
Shanda’s deep understanding of the law was apparent in the quality of her work – she did not shoot from the hip or act on emotion; rather, she studied case law, prepared, and considered the evidence to arrive at just results.
She then joined the County Counsel’s Office, where she ensured the transparency and legality of the operations of local government. She represented the county in court on complex civil matters, engaged in contract negotiations, and conducted legal research under significant time pressure.
Additionally, she addressed the rights of incarcerated individuals by reviewing and responding to writs of habeas corpus initiated by inmates, and advising on policies of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Shanda has earned a reputation as an intelligent, reliable and trusted public servant with a strong work ethic. She has shown her ability to put in the necessary work, including long hours of research, to arrive at balanced decisions.
This is the candidate who has the right qualifications, intelligence and temperament to be a Lake County Judge.
Vote for Shanda Harry on June 5, 2018.
Sharon Lerman is a former Lake County deputy district attorney. She lives in Lakeport, Calif.
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- Written by: Colleen Assavapisitkul
Adventist Health Clear Lake would like to recognize our talented, dedicated nursing colleagues during National Nurses Week, May 6 to 12. Adventist Health Clear Lake truly has a remarkable team of people working together to live our mission to inspire health, wholeness and hope in each interaction with our patients, their families and guests.
From nurses who welcome our newest patients in the Women’s Care Unit, those providing specialized care in our surgery suites, serving those in crisis in the Emergency Department and caring for the young and old on the Med/Surg and ICU Units, we are blessed with an experienced, compassionate team. We greatly value their commitment to patient care and the healing services they provide.
Our nurses understand that their work is more than a job. It is a full-time mission to live out our values of respect, excellence, integrity and compassion. They inspire me with their calling to serve in a setting that is full of challenges and change. The Adventist Health Clear Lake nurses provide hands-on care, but much of what they do is often overlooked or done behind-the-scenes. These women and men are selfless servants, and the letters and notes I receive from grateful patients in thanks for their life-saving work demonstrate they are making a difference.
Please join us in celebrating National Nurses Week by thanking the nurses in our community who have touched your life.
Colleen Assavapisitkul, RN, MSN, HACP, is vice president of patient care at Adventist Health Clear Lake in Clearlake, Calif.