The factors and summaries on how Mann ruled on them were as follows:

– Nature and gravity of the offense: Mann said the case was a multiple homicide and it did have racial overtones and the homeowner used deadly force to protect his home. Mann said that this was not unique to Lake County and that anywhere this case was tried the same issues would be present. Therefore, Mann concluded that particular factor was neutral.

– Extent of publicity: Mann said that overall this leaned in favor of granting the motion to change the venue. Mann noted that there was extensive coverage, citing the 72 articles presented by the defense, although in many cases there was duplication.

At any rate, Mann concluded that only half of the population of Lake County read the newspaper (according to data presented by the defense) and only half of this group knew of the case.

Turning to the quality of the coverage, Mann referred to expert witness Craig Haney's citing of the repeated absence of the term "alleged" and concluded that this was not much of a factor. Mann also concluded that the term "home invasion," to which the defense took exception, was really not significant.

Mann also found that the publicity was largely factual and included facts that are going to be admissible to the jury.

– Size of community: Mann noted that Lake County has a population of roughly 65,000, only 2.3 percent of which is black. But Mann noted that in its use of these demographics Haney did not take into account the diversity of Lake County and the residents here who previously lived elsewhere, especially in the San Francisco Bay area, which Mann said neutralized this data.

– Status of the defendant: Mann also saw this as a neutral factor. Hughes is an outsider from San Francisco, but a survey commissioned by Haney did not deal with the question of whether the people of Lake County have any animus toward people from San Francisco.

Mann also recalled the testimony of expert Byran A. Stevenson that the image of a burglar in Lake County is a young male of color. Mann said in his experience that is not the image that people of Lake County embrace. Their image of a burglar in Lake County, Mann observed, is a young white male who is a methamphetamine user.

Referring again to comments made by Stevenson regarding racial bias, Mann granted that it exists here as it does everywhere and has to be dealt with as an issue. But it can be dealt with in court here, Mann concluded.

– Status of the victim: Mann also found this factor to be a neutral one, because the victim, Shannon Edmonds, had no particular status in the community and reports of Edmonds' use of marijuana, even allegations that he is a drug pusher, are not the type of information that would contribute to unfairness in the trial of the defendant.

Mann said if dealing with these issues end up showing that the defendant cannot get a fair trial in Lake County, the motion for change of venue will be revisited.

E-mail John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LAKE COUNTY – March is going to be a very exciting month for three of the county’s local watershed groups, along with the citizens who live in the Kelsey Creek, Middle Creek and Scotts Creek watersheds.

Thanks to a $400,000 grant awarded to the West Lake Resource Conservation District, studies will be conducted in these three watersheds that will allow these groups to gather information about both the historical and current conditions of the natural resources in these areas.

These watershed assessments will be used in making management decisions and obtaining funding for restoration, fuel load management, habitat improvement, water quality and various other projects in the future.

In order to put together the most comprehensive documents possible, it is vital that the local communities participate in these studies.

This grant opportunity was specifically designed for the citizens in each of these watersheds to participate in the process, and help in developing the information that goes into these assessments.

The three watershed groups in the participating areas will be holding meetings in March, and citizens in these areas are urged to attend.

Are you concerned about clean air, clean water, fire safety, erosion problems, development, and the day-to-day issues we all deal with? Well, we all live in a watershed, and if you live in one of the three included in this grant opportunity, now’s your chance to share your opinions, your concerns and your knowledge of the area in which you live.

If you reside in the vicinity of Kelsey Creek from Forest Lake on Cobb Mountain to Clear Lake itself, you live in the Kelsey Creek Watershed, and are encouraged to attend the Big Valley CRMP meeting at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 6. The event will be held at the American Legion Hall, corner of Second Street and Gaddy Lane in Kelseyville.

If you live in the vicinity of Clover Creek, Sam Alley Creek, the town of Upper Lake, or the areas near the East Fork and West Fork of Middle Creek to Rodman Slough, you reside in the Middle Creek Watershed. Please make it a point to attend the next meeting of the Middle Creek CRMP at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 14. This month’s meeting is being held at the Upper Lake High School Library, 675 Clover Valley Road (corner of First Street and Clover Valley Road), in Upper Lake.

There are a number of communities included in the Scotts Creek Watershed. If you live in the areas of Saratoga Springs, Witter Springs, Bachelor Valley, Blue Lakes, Scotts Valley, Cow Mountain, and Tule Lake to the confluence at Rodman Slough, you live in the Scotts Creek Watershed. The date to mark on your calendar is 6 p.m. Thursday, March 15. The meeting will be hosted by the Scotts Creek Watershed Council and held at the Scotts Valley Women’s Clubhouse, 2298 Hendricks Road, Lakeport.

Each of these meetings will be facilitated by Korinn Smith of the Natural Resources Conservation Service in Lakeport. The meetings will be structured to gather the information which will be used to develop the purpose and goals of these assessments. Greg Dills, watershed coordinator for East Lake and West Lake Resource Conservation Districts also will be on hand to answer questions and share his knowledge of the process.

This is an opportunity to participate and have a voice in the issues that concern your community. You may be the person that helps to identify an issue others know nothing about!

What do you want your watershed to look like in five, 10 or 50 years? Now's your chance to have a say in the future of your own community. Don’t miss this opportunity to get involved. To quote one of the watershed volunteers, “This is a really big deal!”

For questions or additional information, call Dills at 263-4180 x12 or Linda Juntunen at 263-7950.

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Residents in Lakeport, along with others areas in Lake County, started their day with falling snow, frozen sidewalks and hazardous road conditions.

While rain was predominant throughout the day, the NWS has issued a winter storm warning for Lake County and a hazardous weather outlook for inland Mendocino County that will last overnight and into Wednesday afternoon.

The NWS predicts that 2 inches of snow will fall to nearly 1,000 feet overnight - with overnight temperaturess in the mid 20s to low 30s.

During the next 24 hours to 36 hours, the NWS believes the hazardous weather across Northern California will continue, with significant snowfall totals possible above 1,500 feet - with nearly a foot of snow possible below 4,000 feet.

Twenty-four to 30 inches of snow may fall over the higher elevations by Wednesday afternoon, according to the NWS.

Six to 10 inches of snow are forecast above 4,000 feet, with 2 to 6 inches possible above 2,000 feet in Lake County and above 1,500 feet in inland Mendocino County overnight.

Strong winds are also possible with localized gusts up to 45 mph which may cause white-out conditions overnight and into tomorrow.

On Wednesday, snow levels are expected to stay in the 2,000-foot range, with high temperatures in the mid-40s at lower elevations.

A winter storm warning means significant amounts of snow, sleet and ice are expected or will occur, according to the NWS, making travel very hazardous or impossible.

E-mail Terre Logsdon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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The California Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted the third of five snow surveys for the season on Friday off Highway 50 near Lake Tahoe.

The manual measurements were conducted at elevations ranging between 6,500 and 7,600 feet, according to DWR officials. Snow depth measured between 63.8 inches and 86.6 inches.

The average snowpack measurement in the Sierras was 80.5 percent of normal.

That measurement is higher than the computer-generated reports from electronic snow sensors, which on Friday recorded the Northern Sierra snow water equivalents at 71 percent of normal. The sensors also recorded the Central Sierra at 66 percent and the Southern Sierra at 55 percent.

Statewide, the snowpack is at 64 percent of normal, officials said.

Those results are much improved from February's measurements, which were at 40 percent of normal. January's readings had been slightly better, at 59 percent of normal snowpack.

DWR Hydrology Branch Chief Arthur Hinojosa says the results are encouraging.

“Above average precipitation in February has certainly improved our water supply outlook,” said Hinojosa. “Although not enough to offset a very dry January, the latest survey shows statewide average snow pack water content is nearly 65 percent of average to date compared with only 40 percent four weeks ago.”

DWR Snow Surveys Chief Frank Gehrke says the current readings “put us about where we were at this time last year.”

Reservoir storage remains above normal and groundwater storage for most areas is good, DWR reported.

The next survey is tentatively scheduled for March 27.

Snow-water content is important in determining the coming year's water supply. The measurements help hydrologists prepare water supply forecasts as well as provide others, such as hydroelectric power companies and the recreation industry, with much needed data.

DWR coordinates monitoring as part of the multi-agency California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program. Surveyors from more than 50 agencies and utilities visit hundreds of snow measurement courses in California’s mountains each month to gauge the amount of water in the snow pack.

Information on reservoir levels can be found at watersupplyconditions.water.ca.gov/current_conditions.pdf; for real-time snow-water content readings, visit cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/lsreports/DLYSWEQ.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LAKEPORT – After a day of nitpicking newspaper coverage by the defense and nibbling at its findings by the prosecution on Wednesday, there was still no decision regarding a change of venue motion for the trial of Renato Hughes, a young black San Francisco man charged with murder by accomplice of two of his companions in an alleged burglary.

On Wednesday, the hearing of the motion filed by Hughes' attorney Stuart Hanlon concluded 13 hours of testimony with the likelihood that Lake County Superior Court Judge Arthur Mann will render his decision when the hearing resumes Friday morning.

Hanlon and his key expert in the hearing, Craig Haney, spent most of Wednesday going over 72 articles from assorted publications regarding the case, which stems from the alleged forced 4 a.m. entry into the Clearlake Park home of Shannon Edmonds on Dec. 7, 2005.

Hughes' companions, Rashad Williams and Christian Foster, also black, were fatally shot down by Edmonds after the alleged break-in, where the men were allegedly attempting to steal marijuana that Edmonds claims he uses for medicinal purposes.

Hughes, however, is charged with causing their deaths under the provisions of a law that holds the perpetrator of a felony responsible if the felony results in a lethal response.

Hanlon concluded his final argument in the hearing Wednesday afternoon and District Attorney Jon Hopkins was all but finished with his presentation when Mann ended the proceedings.

Hanlon reasserted his position against trying the case in Lake County because of pretrial publicity and the county's racial demographics.

According to research Hanlon has presented, only a little over 2 percent of the county's population is black.

In his final comments, Hanlon told Mann, "The only way you can find (that Hughes) will get a fair trial here is by disregarding the testimony of Mr. (Bryan A.) Stevenson and Mr. Haney. No one is calling this county racist; we're saying he can't get a fair trial."

Stevenson, the executive director of an Alabama civil rights group, and Haney have supported Hanlon's claim that a representative jury cannot be selected for Hughes in Lake County.

"It is speculation on his (Hanlon's) part to make it an emotional issue rather than a judicial one," Hopkins countered. He added that he didn't believe Mann's decision could be decided "simply on numbers."

Hanlon and Haney presented statistics showing that blacks comprise 6 percent of the state's population and pointed out that only nine of the state's 58 counties exceed the state percentage, most notably San Francisco County (13.7 percent), where Hughes lives.

Hopkins questioned if Hanlon and Haney believe that all trials for crimes which blacks are charged with should be tried in those nine counties that exceed the state average in order to get a fair trial.

Hanlon, meanwhile, castigated Hopkins for responding publicly to a document and comments issued by the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, a civil rights organization in support of Hughes.

Among other things, Hopkins called civil rights-oriented charges by the Baker group a "smokes screen" and he questioned why a well-meaning organization such as this one would comment when he said it didn't know all the facts.

Hanlon said that Hopkins' comments "polarized the community" and by contributing to advance publicity the district attorney was giving "the perception of a problem."

Neither Hanlon nor Hopkins made mention of a document on the letterhead of Hanlon's law firm that surfaced early in the case.

Presumably circulated to raise funds for Hanlon to take over Hughes' defense from Steven Carter, the document asserted that Hughes was being "railroaded" by the Lake County justice system.

Hanlon claimed that he had no knowledge of the document at the time.

Haney occupied the witness stand for easily half of the 13 hours the hearing has taken up so far.

Throughout his time on the stand his theme was the word "allege," which he cited as missing from many of the 72 newspaper articles and other news documents in the case.

Hopkins, however, pared the documents down to 14 by eliminating duplications and sources that prospective jurors in Lake County would never see, such as the Willits News, a law profession publication and comments made on an FM radio station.

Hanlon criticized Hopkins also for failing to bring his own experts to the hearing to refute the findings of Stevenson and Haney.

"The burden's on the defendant," reasoned Hopkins. "I don't think it's my burden to bring in experts.”

E-mail John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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A snow plow travels the Hopland Grade Tuesday morning. Photo by John Jensen.

LAKE COUNTY – With snow falling in the higher elevations, commuters need to be prepared for adverse conditions as they travel area roads and highways.

The California Highway Patrol reports that Mount St. Helena is now closed due to snow, according to Josh Dye, public information officer for the Clear Lake CHP office. 

This afternoon, the county's Public Works Department reported that four-wheel drive and chains are required on Elk Mountain Road, Bartlett Springs Road, Bottle Rock Road and Gifford Springs Road.

As for area highways, at 3 p.m. Caltrans reported no delays or restrictions on Highway 175 over the Hopland Grade.

However, earlier in the day, due to the snowy condition across Highway 175 to Hopland, chains were required on all vehicles except those with both four-wheel-drive and snow tires on all wheels.

For those traveling along Highway 101, Caltrans reported chains or snow tires were required from seven miles north of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to the junction of Highway 175 in Hopland. There also were chain requirements near Willits, Caltrans reported.

No traffic restrictions are reported for Highways 20, 29, 53 or 281, according to Caltrans.

Please use caution when driving, and be particularly cautious of ice on the roadways.

Lake County News will update you on any adverse changes in weather conditions.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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WASHINGTON – Rep. Mike Thompson's binding legislation to end U.S. involvement in Iraq is gaining fierce momentum in the House of Representatives, according to a report from his office.

HR 787, which restricts the president's dangerous escalation of the Iraq War and sets firm deadlines for redeployment, gained 18 co-sponsors over the past week, bringing the total to 45.

Thompson's bill is the only Iraq legislation in the House with bipartisan support and the only one with a Senate companion, which was authored by Senator Barack Obama (D-IL).

"This bill is an achievable strategy for ending our involvement in the war and helping the Iraqi government stabilize their country," said Thompson. "The support for this bill is an indication that many members of Congress are ready to find a solution to the crisis in Iraq and get our troops out as safely and quickly as possible."

Thompson introduced his bill, the Iraq War De-escalation Act of 2007, last month with Iraq War veteran Congressman Patrick Murphy (D-PA).

The plan closely follows the bipartisan recommendations of the Iraq Study Group by requiring a phased redeployment of U.S. troops to begin no later than May 1, 2007, with all combat brigades out of Iraq by March 31, 2008.

"I've been against this war since the beginning and think our troops should have been redeployed long ago," said Thompson. "Our troops have done everything we've asked of them and they shouldn't be in the middle of Iraq's civil war. The Iraqi government should step up and take responsibility for securing their country."

Thompson's bill allows for the president to request from Congress a brief suspension of redeployment if there is clear evidence that the Iraqi government is achieving certain security, diplomatic and reconstruction milestones.

Foreign policy experts agree that this is the most realistic way to get the Iraqi government to assume control of their country and get our troops out of Iraq as quickly and safely and possible.

"If the Iraqi government is making progress, we should help them rebuild and stabilize their country," said Thompson. "But bringing our troops home must be our top priority."

HR 787 also calls for increased diplomatic efforts in the Middle East. It requires the president to appoint a special U.S. envoy that will help build relationships between Iraq and its neighbors.

"The president's escalation plan is a continuation of his failed 'stay the course' slogan," said Thompson. "We should be putting our resources toward a surge in diplomacy, not troops. That's the only way we will effectively help bring stability, and ultimately peace, to Iraq."

Thompson has been a vocal critic of the war since 2002 and voted against the authorization of the war.

In the previous session of Congress, he introduced legislation calling for redeployment of troops out of Iraq by Sept. 30, 2006.

He also introduced legislation for the third time that would require oversight and accountability of all military and reconstruction spending in Iraq.

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The U.S. Geological Survey reported that the first, and largest, temblor took place at 2:47 a.m.

The quake was recorded at a depth of 1.2 miles, and was centered one mile east northeast of The Geysers, according to the USGS.

About 10 minutes later, a 1.8 magnitude quake followed, the USGS reported, followed by three more small quakes, ranging in size from 1.5 to 1.9 in magnitude, over the next two and a half hours, all centered at The Geysers.

So far this week there have been 15 small earthquakes recorded in Lake County, according to the USGS, most of them centered in or around The Geysers area.

The second-largest quake of the week, at a magnitude of 2.9, took place Sunday morning just after 8 a.m. at a depth of 1.3 miles three miles east southeast of The Geysers and three miles from Anderson Springs, the USGS reported.

A 1.8 magnitude quake was recorded by the USGS on Tuesday at 2:27 a.m. at a depth of seven miles, and centered eight miles from Hidden Valley Lake.

Two quakes hit near Lake Pillsbury on Tuesday, a 2.3 magnitude at 5:27 a.m. and a 2.5 at 2:50 p.m.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Dennis and Angela Ostini of Nice filed the case in U.S. District Court Feb. 16. It names the City of Burlingame, Police Chief Jack L. Van Etten, Officer Jarel Peters and Sgt. Jeff Downs.

The Ostinis are asking for $1.4 million in damages for an incident they say occurred in 2005, while they visited family in the city.

The couple themselves have law enforcement connections: Dennis Ostini is a Lake County Sheriff's sergeant. “He supervises Boat Patrol for us,” Sheriff Rod Mitchell said Friday.

The attorney for the Ostinis, who discussed the case with Bay Area news outlets over the last week, declined a request by this publication to interview her clients.

Angela Ostini told the San Francisco Chronicle last week that on July 10, 2005, she found out her brother, Samuel Giardina, had died unexpectedly. Her loud weeping caused neighbors to call the police to report a disturbance.

When they arrived, she told the Chronicle that Peters put his hand on her and kept telling her to calm down, and Ostini told him to remove his hand. Peters then reportedly shoved her into a chair. loudly berated her and threatened to have her taken for a mental evaluation.

Burlingame City Attorney Larry Anderson said Monday the city didn't have an official statement on the lawsuit.

“We tried to come to some resolution last year with Mrs. Ostini and weren't able to do so,” Anderson said.

Ananda Norris, Ostini's attorney, told Lake County News that Peters had lost a family member shortly before the confrontation with Ostini.

“The Burlingame Police Department was aware that Officer Peters was emotionally unstable and was unfit to carry out his duties as a police officer,” said Norris.

She added that Peters should have been able to have had a mourning period away from the “rigors of ordinary police work.”

“The Burlingame Police Department not only required him to be at work but asked him to go out on calls of distress involving potential acts of violence that were likely to trigger the debilitating emotions that would afflict any human being in a similar situation,” Norris said.

By doing so, said Norris, Burlingame Police put community members at risk.

Ostini and her brother were very close, Norris said. Giardina was nine years older than Ostini, and the last member of her immediate family. “They spoke daily and saw each other at least three days a week,” Norris said. “Angela and Sammy suffered the loss of both of their parents and helped each other to remember the good times they experienced as a family. Sammy was Angela's best friend and true confidant.”

Norris said Angela Ostini has been in a “state of arrested grief” since the July 2005 encounter. “She remains traumatized by Officer Peters' actions and the department's failure to resolve this matter fairly and swiftly has compounded her emotional distress,” Norris said.

Proceedings in the case aren't scheduled to begin until May, when a case management conference is on the calendar.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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KELSEYVILLE – Students at Kelseyville High School rejected the initial idea of a walk-out to protest the firing of a favorite teacher this week, opting to write letters and make phone calls instead.

Math instructor David Blair received the equivalent of a pink slip last week when Kelseyville Unified School District's board of trustees unanimously agreed to terminate his contract.

Time will tell whether the pen is mightier than the door.

Currently the board has no plans to revisit the issue, according to the superintendent's staff Thursday afternoon.

"We had to weigh things out," said school board member Valerie Ramirez about the decision. "We did that and we came to that decision as individuals."

Ramirez wouldn't comment about the board's direction but affirmed she would reconsider her vote if the issue were presented to the board again.

The issue itself remains cloudy as parents and district staff alike refuse to put their names to allegations that the math teacher is being fired because of a controversy regarding his decisions made as basketball coach, a job he held last year but no longer retains.

"Rumor has it it's a political thing about his being a basketball coach," said one parent. "The bottom line is if it is about basketball, guess what? He's not doing that anymore."

Parents Brad and Peggie King were willing to put their names on a letter to the board regarding the firing.

"Mr. Blair is teaching high level calculus to a group of very bright and dedicated students, some of the best in this year’s graduating class," the letter reads.

"Mr. Blair is dedicated, competent and concerned. He has set the bar high enough to challenge these students ... this is somewhat of a rarity in the current educational climate and these college-bound students will have an even greater appreciation next year when this becomes the norm."

The King letter goes on to urge the board to "make every effort to retain the teacher" despite the acknowledgment, "we cannot know all the facts leading up to the superintendent’s recommendation to the board to not renew the contract with Mr. Blair, as they may include confidential personnel issues."

But Peggie King thinks David Blair is being terminated because he is a good teacher.

"People don't like this teacher because he's passionate, he doesn't listen to excuses and he really pushes the kids,” she said.

King said of her daughter who is in one of Blair's classes, "She's had to work like a dog and she should be proud of herself."

She added, "They're wanting to dumb it down.”

Also enraged is parent Marc Yaffee whose two daughters have been in Blair's classes. "My daughter said he's the best teacher in the school."

Yaffee said he has been impressed with Blair's passion for math, noting that he tutored two students who were behind all summer – without pay – and also attended some training himself at Stanford "on his own dime."

Yaffee is calling for an emergency session of the school board to reconsider the matter.

Two other parents who didn't want to be identified echoed Yaffee's sentiments. All three cited the teacher's website (blairmathematics.com), challenging work ethic and dedication to the subject as well as to the students.

Yaffee noted that he counted 95 supportive students at the student-led meeting held during the lunch hour Tuesday. He commented that students at the top of the class as well as students who have not received good marks from the teacher all support the man.

Freshman Katie Murphy contacted all five board members by phone or via email according to her father, Phil Murphy, and heard back from all of them.

Katie's polite letter to school board chairman Peter Quartarolo stated, "In my opinion, Mr. Blair brings a higher level of education to our school.

"Mr. Blair is an exceptional math teacher," Katie's letter reads. "For me, he is the first math teacher I have ever had that truly helped me to understand and be interested in math. His teaching methods always get the concept across to me. His is also the most helpful and accessible teacher I have ever had; he has a website with help links and he answers questions by email every night of the week. He helps students who are not only in his math classes, but also in physics and chemistry. His door is always open to student who seek help and want to learn.

"Finally, " Katie Murphy's letter concludes, "the student body does not want to see this teacher leave our school. We want an emergency board meeting before March 15."

Superintendent Boyce McClain, who confirmed the next scheduled board meeting is March 22, said he was citing state law in explaining the process by which teachers are hired and fired.

According to McClain, teachers have a two-year probation period during which the school board can "see if the fit is good."

Because of the state's March 15 deadline regarding termination notices, the superintendent explained, that period is actually more like a year and a half, "so they have time to find a new job."

The school board met in closed session last week to evaluate pros and cons, according to McClain, then voted unanimously "not to re-elect Mr. Blair."

When asked to describe the evaluation criteria presented to make the decision, McClain said, "The high school principal and I went in and shared all the data we had."

McClain said Blair is fully credentialed for the position, but he would not rule out his performance outside the math classroom, repeating that the board evaluated "all the data of Mr. Blair."

McClain said confidentiality code prohibits his further comment on personnel issues.

High School Principal Matt Cockerton was unavailable for comment Thursday.

But McClain continued that "Mr Blair didn't like (the decision)."

McClain added, "It appears he has chosen to rally his students and peers."

The superintendent said "there will probably end up being a board meeting," and "one way or another the community will be heard.”

"The board always cares about what the community thinks," McClain said.

E-mail Maile Field at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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NICE – A Monday traffic stop led to a Southern California man's arrest on various drug charges, including possession of LSD.

Lt. Patrick McMahon of the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday that Deputy Mike Brown stopped a vehicle driven by Jeffrey B. Myers, 27, of Bellflower at 11:50 p.m. Monday.

Brown stopped Myers for a mechanical violation, and for weaving on Highway 20 near Lakeshore Boulevard in Nice, McMahon reported.

When Brown contacted Myers, he detected the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle, said McMahon. Myers told Brown that he was returning home to the Los Angeles area after a visit to Arcata in Humboldt County.

While investigating the odor of marijuana, McMahon said Brown recovered a glass bottle of LSD from the Myers' jacket pocket.

The bottle contained approximately 20 milliliters of suspected LSD in liquid form. McMahon said a subsequent search of the vehicle led to the seizure of almost 1 pound of psilocybin mushrooms, 8 ounces of marijuana, 32 grams of hash (concentrated cannabis) and one gram of Dimethyltryptamine or “DMT,” a hallucinogen.

Most of the items were recovered from the trunk of the vehicle, McMahon noted.

Brown subsequently arrested Myers, McMahon reported.

Myers's booking sheet shows that he faces one misdemeanor and five felony charges, including possessing and transporting a controlled substance for sale, possession of LSD and possession of concentrated cannabis.

He remains in the Lake County Jail on $66,000 bail.

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Locally, 155 vehicles were stolen and 152 recovered, said Josh Dye, public affairs officer for the Clear Lake CHP Office. The following year, 186 stolen vehicles were stolen, and 160 recovered, Dye added.

That amounts to a 20-percent increase in local car thefts, relative to statewide statistics.

The CHP said there was a 5.5-percent decline in car thefts statewide between 2005 and 2006, which amounts to 14,399 fewer cars stolen.

In 2006 the majority of cars stolen were recovered, according to the CHP, which said 90 percent of the 247,896 cars stolen in 2006 were reunited with their owners.

CHP Commissioner Mike Brown said car theft is a “crime of opportunity.”

“A little bit of prevention can go a long way, but when a car is stolen, the tools we have now are helping to return the stolen cars to their rightful owners,” Brown said.

The CHP reported it's a part of 16 county-funded vehicle theft task forces across the state, which include various law enforcement agencies that use bait cars to combat auto theft.

Those bait cars are outfitted with a global-positioning system (GPS) and a video camera, which hep track the location, speed and direction of the vehicle being tracked, the CHP reported.

Officers are tipped off when a thief attempts to steal a car; as soon as officers are in position, the engine can be disabled with the click of a computer mouse and officers can arrest the suspect inside, according to the CHP. The video footage is then used as evidence in court to prosecute the suspect.

That bait car technique, the CHP said, has proved to be a successful deterrent – more than 95 percent of the time, if an activation occurs on a bait car, the thief will eventually steal the car and will also be arrested.

The CHP reported that in 2006, the department made 357 arrests from bait car deployments.

“Criminals are beginning to wonder what is, and what isn’t, a bait car,” said Brown.

In the effort to recover stolen cars, the CHP uses the automated license plate recognition (ALPR) system, which has helped the agency to seize or recover 868 wanted or stolen vehicles, worth more than $7 million. In the process, CHP also arrested 535 suspects through the period ending September 2006.

The system, mounted onto marked patrol cars, reads license plates of vehicles and compares them against the state's database of stolen and wanted vehicles, the CHP said. Currently, the CHP reports it has a 73-percent recovery rate using ALPR.

“It’s like an electronic hot sheet; it allows officers to obtain information instantly on a car’s license plate to see if it belongs to a stolen car,” said Brown.

Stanislaus County, an area particularly hard hit by vehicle theft in recent years, has noticed a difference since the implementation of the new auto-theft technology. That county saw a 40.6 percent decrease in the number of vehicles stolen from 2005 to 2006.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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