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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
This is the eighth year the California Assembly has honored nonprofits throughout the state on California Nonprofits Day.
“Karen’s House is an incredibly valuable organization as the first and only domestic violence program in Colusa County,” said Aguiar-Curry. “As vice chair of the California Legislative Women’s Caucus, I am so grateful for the services Karen’s House provides to women who are trying to break the cycle of domestic violence. I am thrilled to be able to honor such a fine group as the Fourth Assembly District Nonprofit of the Year.”
Founded in 2018, after the death of Williams native Karen Garcia, Karen’s House is the first domestic violence program in Colusa County and assists women and children with housing, food, clothing and personal hygiene needs.
Karen’s House also advocates on behalf of their clients by providing a safe space that promotes intervention, prevention, awareness and empowerment.
Karen’s House was honored with a resolution from the California State Assembly at an awards luncheon sponsored by CalNonprofits for their numerous contributions to Colusa County.
Representing Karen’s House were president and founder Cynthia “Tootie” Hackett and Colusa County Supervisor Kent Boes who also sits on Karen’s House Board of Directors.
“It was such an honor to be recognized as a 2023 California Nonprofit of the Year for our work to help victims of domestic violence in Colusa County. When a young lady I knew was killed at the hands of her boyfriend five years ago, I felt like there must be something we can do. I didn’t want her death to just be swept under the rug, so I started Karen’s House,” said Tootie Hackett, president and founder of Karen’s House.
Karen’s House is currently working towards their goal of opening and operating their own shelter, which would be the first domestic violence shelter in Colusa County.
Aguiar-Curry represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all of Lake, Colusa, Napa, and Yolo counties, and part of Sonoma County.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
FORT BRAGG, Calif. — Caltrans reported that around-the-clock one-way traffic control will begin on Route 1 at the north end of Fort Bragg at the Pudding Creek Bridge starting Monday, June 19, and will continue until Aug. 29.
Traffic will be controlled with a temporary signal system. Motorists from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. can expect up to 20-minute delays Monday through Friday and 30-minute delays are anticipated on the weekends.
There will also be 10 nighttime closures during the following dates from 10 p.m. to 4 a.m. Construction will escort emergency responders over the bridge:
• Two nights from July 12 to 14;
• Three nights from July 17 to 20;
• Three nights from Sept. 11 to 14;
• Two nights from Sept. 23 to 25.
The safety project includes widening the Pudding Creek Bridge to accommodate two 12-foot wide lanes, two 8-foot wide shoulders, two 6-foot walkways and new bridge railings.
The project also includes “Complete Streets” improvements by constructing sidewalks on both sides of SR 1 from Pudding Creek Bridge south to Elm Street and north to Pudding Creek Drive and drainage improvements and relocation of the City of Fort Bragg’s waterline from the Pudding Creek Dam to Route 1.
For more information, visit https://dot.ca.gov/caltrans-near-me/district-1/d1-projects/puddingcreekbridge.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Helping survivors of last year’s wildfires prepare to rebuild, California has completed state-managed debris removal operations for the 2022 wildfire season centered in Siskiyou County.
Debris removal crews cleared, tested and released all 218 enrolled properties impacted by the Mountain, McKinney and Mill fires.
Overseen by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, or Cal OES, and the California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery, or CalRecycle, the state works with counties to sign up households for the Consolidated Debris Removal Program to clear eligible fire-related debris from burned properties at no cost to property owners.
“Removing disaster debris gives survivors a path to rebuild,” said Rachel Machi Wagoner, director of CalRecycle. “We thank our state, local and federal partners for their shared commitment to assisting the communities devastated by wildfires.”
State crews cleared burned metal and concrete, ash and contaminated soil from the last of the 183 homes, as well as 7,027 wildfire-damaged trees in danger of falling on public accessed roads.
“We’re proud to work with our partners to ensure wildfire survivors can properly recovery and rebuild following an intense fire season,” said Ryan Buras, Cal OES deputy director of Recovery.
Cal OES continues to provide technical and financial assistance to Placer, El Dorado and Madera counties managing debris removal from the Mosquito and Fork fires.
Among the communities affected by the 2022 fires was historic Lincoln Heights in Weed, one of the oldest rural Black neighborhoods in the west.
California has safely cleared over 23,000 disaster destroyed properties from 60 fires since operations began in 2007.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley announced on Friday the sentencing of convicted murderer Christopher “Roly” Young to life in prison without the possibility of parole for the shooting death of 18-year-old Nathan Gabriel Garza of Fairfield.
Young’s sentencing is the culmination of a thorough investigation and lengthy trial in which Napa County Deputy District Attorneys Taryn Hunter and Diane Knoles proved beyond a reasonable doubt that the defendant was solely responsible for the Aug. 16, 2020, murder.
Several of Garza’s friends and family members were present in court today including his mother, Tracy Garza, who read a witness impact statement to the court.
“My world, my family, my very being was shattered when Nathan was taken from us,” she said. “It has taken almost three years for the justice system, the honorable men and women in law enforcement and the Napa County District Attorney’s Office, and a panel of brave and dedicated jurors to find Christopher Young guilty of all charges, describing and depicting the ruthless murder of my son Nathan Gabriel Garza. No parent or loved one should have to see or hear what we have endured during this process. We live with this knowledge and horrifying images every moment, of every day, of our lives.”
On May 11, a Napa jury convicted Young, age 26, of Martinez, of first-degree murder in connection with the killing of Garza, who was shot twice in the back by the defendant while fulfilling curbside delivery orders at Safeway in American Canyon where he worked.
Immediately after shooting Garza from the Cadillac sedan he drove to Safeway, Young sped away from the parking lot and abandoned his vehicle nearby on Cattail Drive.
Napa County Sheriff’s deputies apprehended Young shortly after receiving several reports of the defendant hopping fences and entering back yards of neighborhood homes.
The jury also convicted Young of shooting from a motor vehicle, felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, and giving false information to a police officer, and found true the special circumstances of personally and intentionally discharging a firearm, firing a weapon from a vehicle with the intent to inflict death, and of lying in wait.
Judge Elia Ortiz sentenced Young to two consecutive terms, one term of life without the possibility of parole and the other of 28 years to life.
Judge Ortiz also ordered a restitution amount to be paid to Garza’s loved ones and to the California Victim Compensation Board.
Garza was a recent graduate of Rodriguez High School and was working a summer job at Safeway in American Canyon before continuing his studies at Diablo Valley College.
He was a young man who had his whole life ahead of him before he was ambushed by Young, who was a stranger to him, Napa County Deputy DA Knoles said.
“Thankfully the jury saw through Young’s contrived defense and convicted him on all charges and allegations,” Knoles said. “The defendant has not demonstrated a shred of remorse for Nathan or for his devastated family. We are grateful that this sentence provides justice by ensuring that he will never again be a threat to anyone and that he will be punished to the fullest extent possible.”
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