On Wednesday afternoon, Robert “Budge” Brown, 78, was supposed to meet his son, Jeff Brown, in Tracy, Calif., but when he didn't arrive by early evening Jeff Brown said he alerted authorities and the search began.

Ian Gregor, a spokesman for the Federal Aviation Administration's Pacific Division, said that the plane Brown was reported to have been flying, a Lancair Legacy with the tail number N121J, departed around 4 p.m. Wednesday from Minden, Nev., for a private airstrip near Tracy.

“The pilot was not communicating with, or being tracked by, air traffic controllers,” Gregor said.

Gregor said the FAA received the information about the overdue at 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.

Brown was reported to be the only person on board the plane, according to his family and the FAA report.

Jeff Brown said the search is focusing on the Bear River Reservoir area off of Highway 88 near Placerville and above Jackson.

He described the search area as very rugged and densely forested, with a significant amount of snow reported to be on the ground.

He said it's “not a place you want to go down in an airplane, for sure.”

Jeff Brown said that he had spoken to his father early on Wednesday afternoon. His father wanted to have dinner with him that evening, and was excited to be leaving for a trip to Mexico with a friend the next day.

He asked his son – also a pilot – about the weather conditions. “He said that he was going to wait for some weather to clear in the Minden area and that he'd probably leave around 4 p.m. and he'd see me about 4:30 p.m.,” Jeff Brown said.

However, by 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jeff Brown said he began calling his father's friends to find out if anyone had seen him. “What worried me is he didn't call the people he normally calls.”

When it became clear no one had seen Budge Brown, the authorities were called. On Thursday morning the Civil Air Patrol and the Amador County Sheriff's Office initiated a search by air and ground, Jeff Brown said.

It appeared that Budge Brown wasn't on any kind of a flight plan, which isn't required although is strongly recommended, his son explained.

He said his father had made the same trip hundreds of times since he learned to fly in 1978.

Jeff Brown said a forensics specialist worked to try to track a radar signal believed to have been from Budge Brown's plane.

They found an airplane flying on a commonly followed course from Minden to Tracy, he said.

“Based on radar returns, it looked like the plane started deviating somewhat and then descending in altitude at a pretty rapid rate,” Jeff Brown said.

Based on that information, Jeff Brown said authorities identified the area where they believed the plane had gone down and started the search, after checking on whether he could have landed at any of the airports along the way.

“I believe the search is going to continue on for several more days,” Jeff Brown said.

He added, “We're really confident something will happen today.”

He said he and his family are hoping that the search can continue until his father is found.

Jeff Brown said his father loved airplanes and flying. “He was always trying to be better,” and had become an accomplished pilot in his 33 years of flying, his son said.

The Brown family also been active in the wine industry in other parts of California and in Nevada.

Shannon Gunier, executive director of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, said she was heartbroken at the news about Budge Brown, who she called “a great guy.”

The Brown family has been active in Lake County's wine industry, where in 2003 they purchased and began renovating the the old Vittel water bottling facility on the outskirts of Nice.

Gunier said she and her husband, Rick, worked with the Browns on locating at the facility. She'd also ridden with Budge Brown in his plane.

“We were just so excited to have him invest in Lake County,” she said.

Under the Brown family's guidance the Vittel facility, once used to bottle water from Bartlett Springs, was transformed into the Tulip Hill Winery, which – true to its name – is festooned each spring by a multicolored carpet of tulips.

“We've tried really hard to be active in the community,” said Jeff Brown, who grows some of the grapes used for the company's wines in Tracy.

Gunier said the Browns had indeed been great supporters of the county, and she was hopeful that there might be a happy ending to the search.

Budge Brown also has been noted for his philanthropy.

In 2005, following the death of his wife of 48 years, Arlene, who lost a battle with cancer, he founded Cleavage Creek Wines, based in Napa, which raises money for cancer research.

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Jennifer Lyon, with the Parks Division of Lake County Public Services, hangs a Lake County Sesquicentennial celebration lamppost banner at Lucerne Harbor on Wednesday, May 18, 2011. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In preparation for Lake County’s 150th anniversary celebration, commemorative banners are being raised in communities around Lake County this week.

Local business associations agreed to hang the banners, and in some communities, local merchants have stepped up to purchase the necessary banner brackets.

The Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation donated $2,500 in grant funds for the creation of the signature 150th celebratory lamppost banners to be raised in communities throughout Lake County.

The striking 150th logo and lamppost banners were designed by local artist Gerri Groody who donated her time and talent to the project. The lamppost banners were created by RAH Outdoor Media of Middletown.

To coincide with the community banners, the county of Lake also raised a celebratory banner on the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport and on both County-operated museums: the Lake County Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport and the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake. The courthouse and museum banners were created by Signs of Randy Hare of Clearlake.

The sesquicentennial celebration kickoff event will be held on Friday, May 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Old Courthouse Square in front of the Historic Courthouse Museum, at 255 N. Main St. in Lakeport.

This event kicks off the 150th celebration, which will continue through the summer and fall with a presence at several major annual events held in each community.

The banners will be in place throughout the summer and fall, for approximately 150 days, to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the creation of Lake County on May 20, 1861.

In honor of the celebration, Lake County Museum staff developed a sesquicentennial time line that depicts key events and happenings in Lake County over the past 150 years. Seven-foot-long posters of this time line will be on display in each community. Smaller-sized versions of the time line will be available for sale at the kickoff event.

In addition to its generous donation toward the lamppost banners, the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation also has presented the community with a challenge grant – if community donations to the 150th effort reach $2,500, the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation will match that with an additional $2,500, which, in effect, doubles the impact of those donations.

To donate, please send a check made payable to “Friends of the Lake County Museum – LC 150” and address it to: Friends of the Lake County Museum, c/o Lake County Historic Courthouse Museum, 255 North Main St., Lakeport, CA 95453. The Friends of the Lake County Museum is a local 501(c)(3) organization and the fiscal agent for the LC 150 effort.

For information about donating, call 707-263-4555 or send an e-mail to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

To discover more, go online to www.LC150.org for information about Lake County sesquicentennial activities and events and for a fascinating look at historical video vignettes of life in Lake County in the 1860s. This site is updated regularly, so check back often.

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Lake County Public Services Buildings and Grounds crew members unfurl a Lake County Sesquicentennial banner above the entry to the Lake County Courthouse on Wednesday in advance of Friday

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Officials are investigating the circumstances behind a Tuesday morning house fire in Hidden Valley Lake, with a juvenile male in custody who may have been responsible for setting the fire.

The fire did serious damage to a home at 19407 Deer Hill Road, which was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on scene shortly after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, according to South Lake County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Upton.

Later in the morning, Lake County Sheriff's deputies detained a 17-year-old male, whose name has not been released because of his minor status, according to Capt. James Bauman.

The incident was initially reported just after 8 a.m., when a woman who lived at the home called to report that her son attempted to set the home's bathroom on fire, had spread lighter fluid throughout the house and broke things inside the residence before leaving on foot, Bauman said.

About five minutes later, at approximately 8:12 a.m., another call came in reporting the home was on fire, Bauman said. A deputy who arrived in the area a few minutes later began looking for the teen.

Upton said eight fire units responded to the fire, located in a 2,500-square-foot, split-level home.

“We got pretty quick knockdown on it,” Upton said, adding that they contained the fire to the second floor, where it appeared to have originated.

By the time firefighters arrived, everyone in the home was outside, Upton said. No residents or firefighters were injured in the incident.

Shortly after 8:30 a.m., as firefighters were working on extinguishing the blaze, the Lake County Sheriff's Office put out an alert on the Nixle system, seeking information on the whereabouts of the teen.

The message said the teenager was “suspected of starting a fire at a house and throwing rocks at passing cars,” and described him as a white male, 5 feet 6 inches tall, with thin or shaved blonde hair, wearing a dark blue shirt, baggy pants and tennis shoes.

Bauman said the teen's mother reported that he might be heading to his stepfather’s home on Horseshoe Drive.

Deputies located the teenager at around 8:40 a.m. in the 18000 block of Horseshoe Drive, in front of the stepfather's home, Bauman said. A Google map indicated the location is about a half-hour's walk from the burned home.

As deputies approached the juvenile, the boy retrieved a large rock from the front yard and threw it through the front window of his stepfather’s home. Bauman said the juvenile was then detained without further incident.

A followup Nixle report announcing the teen's arrest went out shortly before 9 a.m.

Bauman said the teenager's mother told deputies that earlier in the morning her son had just finished taking a shower when she heard a loud noise in the bathroom. When she asked the boy if he was alright, he told her he had broken a shelf and then went into the garage, presumably to get something to fix the shelf.

When he returned from the garage, he had a bottle of lighter fluid and began spreading the fluid throughout the house, Bauman said.

When the woman took the lighter fluid away from the boy, he began breaking items in the home, according to Bauman. While the woman called 911 for help, the boy reportedly went into her bedroom, spread toilet paper throughout the room, and started the fire before fleeing from the home on foot.

Bauman said deputies arrested the teenager and transported him to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake for a medical and mental health clearance. He was then taken to the Lake County Juvenile Hall and booked on several arson-related charges.

When firefighters responded to the incident, they weren't aware that the fire may have been intentionally set, Upton said.

Upton said sheriff's personnel arrived at the scene about an hour after the fire to let him know what was going up. Later, some sheriff's detectives visited the scene.

Investigators were working the scene Tuesday to try to determine the cause, Upton said.

“We just brought in one of the Cal Fire prevention officers and we've activated the Lake County Arson Task Force,” he said.

Upton estimated the home's value to be at about $300,000, with the property saved valued at half that amount.

“It has a severe amount of damage to the inside of the home,” Upton said.

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The crash was reported shortly after 2:30 p.m. Thursday on Kelsey Creek Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP said the school bus driver was not at fault, said Kyle Reams, Kelseyville Unified's director of maintenance and transportation.

“It was a bad situation but the transportation staff did a fantastic job in dealing with it,” said Reams.

Two students sustained minor injuries in the collision, and were treated by emergency personnel, Reams said.

The bus driver, who was shaken by the experience, was uninjured, he added.

Reams said the bus, which the school bus driver was able to drive back to the bus barn from the crash site, also sustained damage, and would be taken out of service until it could be repaired and a mechanic could perform a service check to ensure it was back in perfect running order.

Late Thursday afternoon CHP officers were still on scene and so hadn't been able to produce a full report. Reams said early Thursday evening that he didn't yet have all the information from the CHP on what led to the crash.

The initial CHP reports from the scene indicated the driver of the vehicle that hit the bus was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for a blood draw, raising concerns that alcohol may have been involved.

Reams said that all buses would be running on Friday morning, although the numbers would be different since the damaged bus was taken temporarily out of service.

He said the district also would contact parents on Friday to update them on the incident.

Kelseyville Unified Superintendent Dave McQueen also credited the bus driver with doing “an awesome job.”

He said the situation turned out “pretty good for as bad as it could have been,” adding that he was thankful that everyone was OK.

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Bradley Holt, 29, and his girlfriend, Bonnie Denham, 27, were arrested by Lake County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force members in Lakeport, Calif., on Tuesday, May 17, 2011, on drug-related charges. Lake County Jail photos.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in Lakeport Tuesday afternoon has resulted in two arrests and seizure of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.

Arrested were 29-year-old Bradley Steven Holt and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Bonnie Raeshelle Denham, both of Lakeport, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On May 13, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for the person, home and vehicles belonging to Holt of Lakeport. On Tuesday, May 17, at approximately 2:20 p.m., detectives served the search warrant at Holt’s Brush Street home, Bauman said.

Narcotics detectives located Holt and Denham, outside of the home. Bauman said both were detained without incident as officers with the Lakeport Police Department arrived to assist.

Both Holt and Denham were determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested, Bauman said.

When detectives searched the home, they located and seized methamphetamine and illicit narcotic medications from a bedroom shared by Holt and Denham. Bauman said detectives also located live ammunition in Holt’s pickup truck, which was unlawful for him to possess as a convicted felon. A search of Denham’s clothing revealed a glass “meth” pipe she had concealed beneath her clothing.

Both Holt and Denham were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility for booking. During the booking process, correctional officers recovered more methamphetamine that Denham had concealed in her bra, and another “meth” pipe concealed beneath her pants, Bauman said.

Holt was booked for possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and being a felon in possession of live ammunition, Bauman said. Denham was booked for possession of a controlled substance, bringing a controlled substance into a jail, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Anyone with information that can assist the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in its effort to eradicate illicit narcotics is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

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A yellow Ford Mustang nearly went into Clear Lake near Lucerne, Calif., after the car's driver lost control and went off the road on Monday, May 16, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A yellow Ford Mustang ended up perched on rocks on the Clear Lake shoreline Monday evening after its driver lost control and went off the highway.

The single vehicle crash occurred shortly before 7 p.m. Monday on Highway 20 near Pepperwood Cove east of Lucerne, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The male driver, said to be in his 20s, suffered no injuries, the CHP said.

The vehicle had reportedly been heading eastbound when the driver exited a lefthand turn, the rear of the vehicle lost traction and the Mustang went off the roadway. Reports at the scene indicated a tree stopped the car from going into the lake.

The driver reported he was driving 45 miles per hour when he went through the curve, according to reports from the scene. He was able to get out of the vehicle on his own.

Two CHP officers were on scene for traffic control, a Northshore Fire medic unit and a tow truck responded, according to incident reports.

Radio traffic indicated no fuel got into the lake as a result of the crash.

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Highway 20 near Lucerne, Calif., was partially blocked while a tow truck pulled the vehicle from the Clear Lake shoreline on Monday, May 16, 2011. Photo by Gary McAuley.

Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy, or EHM, is caused by equine herpes virus (EHV-1), officials reported.

The illness has been confirmed in 10 horses in California, in Kern, Placer, Stanislaus, Amador and Napa counties, according to the Tuesday report.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture said one horse in Kern County was euthanized after showing severe neurologic signs often associated with the disease.

This disease outbreak is evolving and CDFA will continue to investigate cases and provide updated information.

All of the infected horses recently attended the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Odgen, Utah, held April 30-May 8, 2011, where officials believe the horses were most likely exposed to the virus.

All California horses that have been in contact with an infected horse and show signs of disease or test positive for EHM will be placed under a California Department of Food and Agriculture quarantine in order to limit spread.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that it has contacted all 54 exhibitors from California who participated in the Utah event and asked them to isolate and monitor their horses for clinical signs of EHV-1.

A rectal temperature in excess of 102 Fahrenheit commonly precedes other clinical signs. Officials urged horse owners with potentially exposed horses are urged to take temperatures on each individual horse twice a day. If a temperature above 102 Fahrenheit is detected, the horse’s private veterinarian should be contacted immediately for evaluation and laboratory testing.

Equine herpes virus is a contagious disease and may spread quickly among horse populations, the state reported.

EHV-1 is not transmissible to humans. Horse-to-horse contact, aerosol transmission, and contaminated hands, equipment, tack and feed all play a role in disease spread, the California Department of Food and Agriculture said.

Horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1 may show any of the following clinical signs: nasal discharge, lack of coordination, hind-end weakness, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone.

There is no specific treatment for EHM, the state said. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory drugs and other appropriate supportive treatment. Immediate separation and isolation of identified suspect cases and implementation of appropriate biosecurity measures are key elements for disease control.

The agency said that, currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurologic strain of this virus.

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Shortly before 11 p.m. fire and police were dispatched to the area of Boyles for a report of a victim with a gunshot wound to the head.

The victim was later reported to have been transported to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. Radio traffic indicated issues locating a helicopter to fly the victim out of county.

A short time later, a Clearlake Police patrol vehicle was involved in a crash that resulted in major injuries at 18^th Avenue and Phillips shortly after 11:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The CHP said the crash was the result of a pursuit.

It was not clear based on radio traffic if those incidents were related to each other and to the police's search for a silver Honda with three occupants.

The car reportedly had front- and rear-end damage, appeared to two blown out tires and was last seen in the area of Seigler Canyon Road passing toward Perini Road.

That vehicle had reportedly been at the scene of what a dispatcher described as a drive-by shooting. A be on the lookout for officer safety relating to the vehicle was put out shortly before midnight. The car's occupants were believed to be armed and dangerous.

Clearlake Police were not available for comment early Tuesday morning.

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“In a time of shrinking budgets, this historic settlement affirms that Medi-Cal exists to help the state's most vulnerable families rather than to illicitly stoke corporate profits,” said Harris. “Medi-Cal providers and others who seek to cheat the state through false claims and illegal kickbacks should know that my office is watching and will prosecute.”

The settlement with Quest is the result of a lawsuit filed under court seal in 2005 by a whistleblower and referred to the Attorney General's Office.

In a Thursday statement, Quest Diagnostics maintained that it had done nothing wrong.

“Our laboratory testing services for Medi-Cal were priced appropriately, and we deny all allegations in the complaint,” said Michael E. Prevoznik, senior vice president and general counsel of Quest Diagnostics.

Prevoznik said Quest Diagnostics operates with the highest standards of integrity and fairness. “California's interpretation of the Medi-Cal 'comparable charge' regulations created uncertainty and resulted in an intolerable business environment for us,” he said. “This agreement allows us to put the lawsuit behind us and provides for an orderly process for resolving any remaining interpretation issues. We also intend to pursue other avenues, including legislative action, to ensure clear regulatory standards in California for the clinical laboratory industry.”

The lawsuit alleged that Quest systematically overcharged the state's Medi-Cal program for more than 15 years and gave illegal kickbacks in the form of discounted or free testing to doctors, hospitals and clinics that referred Medi-Cal patients and other business to the labs.

California law states that “no provider shall charge [Medi-Cal] for any service … more than would have been charged for the same service …to other purchasers of comparable services …under comparable circumstance.”

Yet, Quest is alleged to have charged Medi-Cal up to six times as much as it charged some other customers for the same tests. For example, Quest charged Medi-Cal $8.59 to perform a complete blood count test, while it charged some of its other customers $1.43.

California law also prohibits Medi-Cal providers from soliciting and receiving “any kickback, bribe, or rebate, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in valuable consideration of any kind… [in] return for the referral, or promised referral, of any individual…for the furnishing … of any service” paid for by Medi-Cal.

Harris' office said an investigation revealed that Quest systematically offered doctors, hospitals and clinics low prices for lab tests in return for referrals to Quest of patients, including Medi-Cal patients. Quest then charged Medi-Cal a higher price to make up the difference - resulting in the loss of millions of dollars to the Medi-Cal program.

Under the state's False Claims Act, any person with previously undisclosed information about a fraud, overcharge, or other false claim can file a sealed lawsuit on behalf of California to recover the losses, and is entitled to a share of the recovery in some cases. Such individuals become plaintiffs and are known as “whistleblowers,” “qui tam plaintiffs” or “relators.”

In this case, the whistleblowers were Chris Riedel and his company Hunter Laboratories. Hunter Laboratories found it could not compete in a significant segment of the marketplace where major medical laboratories such as Quest offered doctors, hospitals and clinics far lower rates than they were charging Medi-Cal. Riedel and Hunter were represented by Niall P. McCarthy of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP.

The Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse conducted an intensive three-year investigation that uncovered widespread abuse of Medi-Cal by medical testing laboratories in California.

Based on facts disclosed in the complaints, the California Department of Health Care Services, which administers the Medi-Cal program, launched an independent statewide audit of medical laboratories. Through reform of industry pricing practices stemming from this case, Medi-Cal is expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars.

“This agreement sends a strong message that fraud against the state and its Medi-Cal program will not be tolerated,” said Toby Douglas, director of the Department of Health Care Services. “I commend our department's employees and the Department of Justice for working successfully in pursuit of compensation and justice for the state and its important health care programs.”

Besides providing compensation to the whistleblower under statutory guidelines, the settlement is designed to reimburse the state's Medi-Cal program and the Attorney General for expenses in investigating and prosecuting false claims actions. The total that will flow to the state is $171 million.

The settlement also requires the Quest to report information to assist the state in determining Quest's future compliance with Medi-Cal's pricing rules.

Similar cases are still pending against four other defendants, including Laboratory Corporation of America, commonly known as LabCorp, the second largest medical laboratory service provider in California. Trial is scheduled for early next year.

Also assisting in the case was the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Among those in the Attorney General's office who were instrumental in this case: Aviva Burmas, Sharon Crotteau, Vincent DiCarlo, Dennis Fenwick, J. Timothy Fives, Brian Frankel, Alissa Gire, Jennifer Gregory, David Guon, Sharon Harris, Brian Keats, Eileen Landon, Larry Menard, Kelli O'Neill, Susan Park, Kim Reed, James Shannon, Annette Silva, Jill Spitz, Claude Vanderwold, Lawrence Wold, Mark Zahner, and Gary Zerbey.

A copy of the original complaint can be found at http://oag.ca.gov/news/press_releaseid=1705&y=2009.

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The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 8:20 a.m. and was centered six miles north northeast of Ukiah, seven miles north of Talmage and 15 miles west northwest of Upper Lake, at a depth of 4.9 miles.

The survey reported receiving 251 shake reports from 12 zip codes around the North Coast and the Bay Area, with residents in Lakeport and Upper Lake among them.

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Dr. Douglas Houston has been named the new chancellor of the Yuba Community College District, headquartered in Marysville, Calif. He takes over the job on July 1, 2011. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Yuba Community College District has a new chancellor.

On Monday the district's board of trustees announced the selection of Dr. Douglas B. Houston as the next chancellor, effective July 1.

The board is scheduled to hold a special meeting at 5:30 p.m., Wednesday, May 18, at the district's board room in Marysville, at which time they're expected to formally appoint Houston.

He now will head a district with a presence in eight counties – including Lake, which is home to the Clear Lake Campus – as well as colleges in Marysville and Woodland, outreach operations at Beale Air Force Base and in Williams, and another planned for Sutter County.

Houston will succeed Dr. Nicki Harrington, who in January had announced she was retiring at the end of the academic year, as Lake County News has reported.

Houston currently is superintendent/president of Lassen Community College District, based in Susanville. He previously held administrative positions at Butte College in Oroville and at Barstow College in Southern California.

He holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Pepperdine University. Previous to that, he earned his master's and bachelor's of science degrees in physics from the University of Florida, Gainesville.

District officials said they conducted a nationwide, beginning in February, to find Harrington's successor. The Association of Community College Trustees assisted the governing board in the search.

The district started the search process with campus forums Feb. 22-23 to collect public input for the purpose of developing a chancellor profile, officials reported.

Applications and nominations came in through mid-April, a search committee selected interview candidates and the field was narrowed to three: Houston; Dr. Ron Erickson, president of Hocking College in Ohio; and Dr. Jim Riggs, interim doctoral program director at California State University, Stanislaus.

The district had hosted public forums at its campuses May 9-10 to introduce the three finalists to the community, and allow students, administration and the public at large to ask questions.

“The hard work of the search committee, chaired by YCCD Board Vice-Chair Brent Hastey, is to be commended,” said district board Chairman Xavier Tafoya stated. “The committee worked tirelessly over several months and forwarded to the board three exceptionally well-qualified final candidates for the board’s consideration.”

Tafoya said it was after the open public forums and final interviews by the board of trustees that Houston was selected as the district's next chancellor.

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