The bipartisan letter comes less than two weeks after Gov. Jerry Brown formally appealed FEMA’s decision to deny federal assistance for affected communities.

In their letter, the members of Congress highlighted the significant and costly damages caused by the storm system, which swept through Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, and Tuolumne counties in March.

Current estimates of the damage now exceed $51 million, causing significant financial strain to the state and impacted local communities.

In total, 30 California Delegation Members who represent communities affected by the March storm system signed on to the bipartisan Congressional Delegation letter, including: Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA), Rep. Wally Herger (R-CA), Rep. Lois Capps (D-CA), Rep. Sam Farr (D-CA), Rep. Laura Richardson (D-CA), Rep. Dan Lungren (D-CA), Rep. Jeff Denham (R-CA), Rep. David Dreier (R-CA), Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Rep. George Miller (D-CA), Rep. Jerry McNerney (D-CA), Rep. Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Rep. John Garamendi (D-CA), Rep. Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Rep. Grace Napolitano (D-CA), Rep. Lynn Woolsey (D-CA), Rep. Mike Honda (D-CA), Rep. Brian Bilbray (D-CA), Rep. Gary Miller (R-CA), Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Rep. Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Rep. Bob Filner (D-CA), Rep. Susan Davis (D-CA), Rep. Doris Matsui (D-CA), Rep. Jim Costa (D-CA), Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA), and Rep. Janice Hahn (D-CA).

A copy of their letter to FEMA and President Obama is available below:

“Dear Mr. President:

“We write to you in strong support of the State of California’s appeal regarding the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) decision to deny a major disaster declaration and provide federal assistance to address the damages sustained from the severe storm system that struck California in March 2011.

“Between March 15 and 27, 2011, a severe storm system struck California bringing heavy rain and snow, high winds and flooding, destroying and damaging property throughout the state. Seventeen counties in our state were hit hard by this storm system including Alameda, Amador, Butte, Contra Costa, Del Norte, Humboldt, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Santa Cruz, Sierra, Stanislaus, Sutter, Trinity, and Tuolumne.

“We understand that a Stafford Act major disaster declaration for a storm event is limited to (1) a single storm, or (2) a series of storms that are deemed to be part of the same storm system that impact the same geographical areas, such that the impacts from the separate storms are indistinguishable, and are separated by three days or less. According to the National Weather Service and the California Department of Water Resources, the damages sustained were from a single low pressure storm system which set up over the region for two weeks shifting from north to south and back again across the state. This is consistent with the second category for a qualifying storm event. Furthermore, these conditions are similar to other weather-related federal disasters declaration in 1986, 1997, 1998, 2004/2005 and 2010.

“Current estimates of the damage caused by the storm system now exceed $51 million, causing significant financial impacts to the state and the affected local jurisdictions that are beyond their capabilities. Many of us have had the opportunity to view the damage in our communities first-hand, and it is clear that a major disaster declaration is critical to helping our state recover from this devastating storm system.

“Therefore, we strongly support the State of California’s appeal regarding a major disaster declaration and federal disaster assistance related to the March 2011 storm system. We appreciate your consideration of this request, and we stand ready to assist you in expediting support and resources to the impacted communities throughout California.”

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

Marc Harry Halvorsen, 27, of Nice, Calif., was arrested early on Sunday, July 24, 2011, after he was shot while allegedly attempting to break into an elderly woman's home in Lucerne, Calif. Lake County Jail photo.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A woman who shot a man allegedly trying to break into her home early Sunday morning had been terrified for years by someone coming onto her property and stalking her, according to family members.

A suspect in an attempted break-in of a home in 14^th Avenue in Lucerne was shot shortly before 2 a.m., as Lake County News has reported.

On Sunday, Marc Harry Halvorsen, 27, of Nice was booked into the Lake County Jail on felony charges of attempted robbery and first-degree attempted burglary, according to jail records. His bail was set at $50,000.

Robert Krentz of Lucerne said his 77-year-old mother was the victim of Halvorsen's alleged attempt to break into her home early Sunday.

Krentz asked that his elderly mother's name not be released yet because of concerns for her safety.

He said she has been the victim of an ongoing case of harassment for years. The person behind that harassment has so far not been positively identified, but Krentz is concerned that it was connected to the Sunday break-in attempt.

Krentz said his mother shot Halvorsen after his third attempt to kick in her sliding glass door. Before she shot she had issued him a warning that she was armed.

He said his mother used a 9 millimeter pistol that she kept for self-protection to shoot the suspect.

Halvorsen later was found trying to limp down 14^th Avenue with the gunshot wound to his upper thigh, Krentz said.

Deputy Gavin Wells arrested Halvorsen at 2:14 a.m., according to jail records.

Radio reports indicated that the suspect in the case had been transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment. Halvorsen later was released and booked into the Lake County Jail at 7:21 a.m., jail records showed.

Krentz said his mother is a frail amputee with limited mobility who actually is terrified of guns.

However, for several years she has been the victim of harassment – including having her yard and fencing torn up, and her vehicle tires flattened. Someone even left a rope with a knife in a box at her front door, according to Krentz and his wife, Loretta.

At one point his mother's next door neighbor sat up watching her home at night, sitting guard with a 12-gauge shotgun, Robert Krentz said.

Loretta Krentz said someone has done “numerous things to try to scare her to death,” all of which have been reported to the sheriff's office.

As to why the harassment started more than five years ago, Loretta Krentz said they had no idea.

Finally, it reached the point where the woman – who is terrified of guns, and had herself been shot when she was younger – asked for a gun for self-protection, a request that her son said got his attention. He subsequently got her the 9 millimeter handgun.

Early Sunday she was awakened to an intruder when her dog began barking and making noise, Robert Krentz said.

He said she couldn't hear the suspect at first, but then she heard a crack against the sliding glass door which entered a room where she was sleeping in a chair. The chair was only two and a half feet from the glass door, Krentz said.

Because she has limited mobility, she couldn't move or retreat, and couldn't reach the window to pull back the curtain to look outside. Instead, she took out the handgun and called 911, he said.

When she heard another crack against the door, she gave the suspect a command to stop and told him she was armed and would shoot if he didn't, Krentz said.

The beating on the window continued, and Krentz said when she heard it start to give way, she fired.

Krentz said Halvorsen was still on the home's deck when his mother's neighbor came out and confronted the suspect.

The neighbor's wife had called Central Dispatch early Sunday and reported her husband had fought with the suspect, as Lake County News has reported.

At about the same time a dispatcher who was speaking with Krentz's mother advised Wells that the woman was continuing to fire her weapon.

Jail records indicate Halvorsen is scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Tuesday.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

This composite of two Hubble images shows Pluto's four satellites in motion. Image courtesy of NASA.

Astronomers using the Hubble Space Telescope have discovered a fourth moon orbiting the icy dwarf planet Pluto.

The tiny, new satellite – temporarily designated P4 – popped up in a Hubble survey searching for rings around the dwarf planet.

The new moon is the smallest discovered around Pluto. It has an estimated diameter of 8 to 21 miles (13 to 34 km).

By comparison, Charon, Pluto's largest moon, is 648 miles (1,043 km) across, and the other moons, Nix and Hydra, are in the range of 20 to 70 miles in diameter (32 to 113 km).

“I find it remarkable that Hubble's cameras enabled us to see such a tiny object so clearly from a distance of more than 3 billion miles (5 billion km),” said Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif., who led this observing program with Hubble.

The finding is a result of ongoing work to support NASA's New Horizons mission, scheduled to fly through the Pluto system in 2015. The mission is designed to provide new insights about worlds at the edge of our solar system. Hubble's mapping of Pluto's surface and discovery of its satellites have been invaluable to planning for New Horizons' close encounter.

“This is a fantastic discovery,” said New Horizons’ principal investigator Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo. “Now that we know there's another moon in the Pluto system, we can plan closeup observations of it during our flyby.”

The new moon is located between the orbits of Nix and Hydra, which Hubble discovered in 2005.

An artist's concept of Pluto's satellite system with newly discovered moon P4 highlighted. Credit: NASA, ESA, and A. Feild (STScI).

Charon was discovered in 1978 at the U.S. Naval Observatory and first resolved using Hubble in 1990 as a separate body from Pluto.

The dwarf planet’s entire moon system is believed to have formed by a collision between Pluto and another planet-sized body early in the history of the solar system.

The smashup flung material that coalesced into the family of satellites observed around Pluto.

Lunar rocks returned to Earth from the Apollo missions led to the theory that our moon was the result of a similar collision between Earth and a Mars-sized body 4.4 billion years ago.

Scientists believe material blasted off Pluto's moons by micrometeoroid impacts may form rings around the dwarf planet, but the Hubble photographs have not detected any so far.

“This surprising observation is a powerful reminder of Hubble's ability as a general purpose astronomical observatory to make astounding, unintended discoveries,” said Jon Morse, astrophysics division director at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

P4 was first seen in a photo taken with Hubble's Wide Field Camera 3 on June 28. It was confirmed in subsequent Hubble pictures taken on July 3 and July 18.

The moon was not seen in earlier Hubble images because the exposure times were shorter. There is a chance it appeared as a very faint smudge in 2006 images, but was overlooked because it was obscured.

For images and more information about Hubble, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/hubble.

Hubble is a project of international cooperation between NASA and the European Space Agency. NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md., manages the telescope.

The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) in Baltimore conducts Hubble science operations. STScI is operated for NASA by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy Inc. in Washington.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

Milo Manley, 58, of Ashland sustained major injuries in the Sunday morning crash, which occurred on Highway 20 near the Lodge at Blue Lakes, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Kory Reynolds.

Reynolds said at approximately 10:05 a.m. Paul Ruggirello, 33, of Plumas Lake was driving his 2004 Chrysler Pacifica westbound on Highway 20 and was slowing to make a left turn into the Lodge at Blue Lakes when he failed to see Manley's 2008 Honda motorcycle.

Ruggirello turned directly into the path of Manley causing his Honda to strike the front of the Chrysler, Reynolds said.

Manley was ejected from the Honda and sustained major injuries, according to Reynolds.

Reynolds said Manley was airlifted by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he was treated for a fractured left leg, left wrist and right ankle.

Ruggirello and his passenger, 31-year-old Autumn Ruggirello, also of Plumas Lake, were not injured in the collision, Reynolds said.

One-way traffic control was in effect at the scene for approximately one hour, Reynolds said.

Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the collision which is still under investigation by Officer Erich Paarsch, according to Reynolds' report.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

A California Department of Fish and Game staffer works on the 2011 Delta smelt net survey. Courtesy of California Department of Fish and Game.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Young Delta smelt abundance this year roughly doubled when compared to last year but is a small fraction of their historical abundance, state biologists say.

The improvement is likely due in large part to higher than usual flows from the San Joaquin and Sacramento rivers this year which resulted in better habitat conditions and water quality, according to the California Department of Fish and Game.

Because it is exceptionally difficult to determine the actual number of Delta smelt, Department of Fish and Game biologists use survey data to develop “indices” of the species’ abundance.

An index is a number that is likely to vary in direct proportion to abundance. For example, if a hypothetical index were to double from 4 to 8 then abundance would also have doubled (e.g., from 200,000 to 400,000).

The 20-Millimeter Survey index of young Delta smelt abundance – which has been developed yearly since 1995 and is named after the approximate size of fish it collects – was 8.0 this year while the index in 2010 was 3.8 and its record high was 39.7 in 1999, officials reported.

The Summer Tow Net Survey index of slightly-older Delta smelt abundance – which has been developed yearly since 1959 and is named after the type of net used to collect fish – was 2.2 this year while the index in 2010 was 0.8 and the record high was 62.5 in 1978.

The California Department of Fish and Game conducted its 2011 net survey to record Delta smelt numbers. Courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game.

The increased number of young Delta smelt is encouraging, according to biologists, but because it is still early in their one-year life cycle, the abundance of adults may or may not increase similarly.

The Department of Fish and Game will continue to monitor the population and at the conclusion of the Fall Midwater Trawl Survey in December will calculate and then release an index of sub-adult Delta smelt abundance.

Delta smelt occur only in the Sacramento-San Joaquin River Delta. The finger-sized fish was historically one of the most abundant in the Delta, but the species declined substantially and was listed as threatened under the California and Federal Endangered Species acts (ESA) in 1993.

After a further decline, the species was designated as endangered in 2010 under the California ESA.

Ongoing efforts to protect and recover the population include research on threats to the species, active management to minimize loss at water diversions under federal ESA biological opinions and a state ESA authorization, development of the Bay Delta Conservation Plan, improved water quality, habitat restoration and conservation of genetic diversity through special hatchery-rearing techniques.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

The indices of Delta smelt abundance have varied over the years. Courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Game.

Dorian Jay Decker, 18, of Middletown, Calif., has been arrested for allegedly molesting a 13-year-old Yuba City girl. Lake County Jail photo.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – An 18-year-old Middletown man who was one of six people arrested on July 11 for a string of burglaries committed in the Middletown area is now charged with sex crimes, allegedly committed against a 13-year-girl.

Dorian Jay Decker has been arrested for allegedly annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Decker was among six suspects – two adults and four juveniles – arrested on July 11 following an extensive investigation led by Deputy Dennis Keithly, the Lake County Sheriff's Office's Middletown community service deputy, into multiple burglaries committed in Middletown, as Lake County News has reported.

Bauman said Monday that approximately one week before the Middletown burglary cases were closed, the family of a 13-year-old Yuba City girl reported that Decker had allegedly molested her while she was visiting Decker’s family in Middletown over this past Memorial Day weekend in May.

The victim and her father were reportedly long-time acquaintances of Decker’s family, Bauman said.

Following further investigation by the Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit, a warrant of arrest was secured by detectives on July 19 and Decker was arrested at his home without incident, according to Bauman.

Bauman said Decker was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on charges of annoying or molesting a child under 18 years of age.

Jail records indicated Decker's bail was set at $10,000. He later posted it and was released.

Anyone with information relating to this case, or any other allegations of similar conduct by Decker is asked to contact Det. Mike Curran at 707-262-4200.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

This basil at the Lake County Farmers' Finest market at Steele Winery in Kelseyville, Calif. on July 23, 2011, was grown by Full Moon Farms. Photo by Esther Oertel.

I love the scent of fresh basil leaves; in fact, of all the aromas in the world, basil ranks high among my favorites, right up there with coffee beans, newly-mown grass and warm-from-the-oven homemade bread.

This is the time of year when mounds of freshly plucked basil leaves – as well as basil plant starts for home gardens – are available at local farmers’ markets. The short-lived abundance of this seasonal herb is one of the reasons for the subject of my column this week.

The other is that a couple of readers asked me to write about it.

Having covered the topic last summer at about this time, I was hesitant to comply at first. I worked to overcome that reluctance, however, since I do like to please my readers and it would be impossible to have covered all there is to know about basil in just one column. (It is the king of summer, after all!)

As most home gardeners know, there are many types of basil.

There are sweet and Genovese basils that are the darlings of Italian cuisines, the types found at most farmers’ markets and grocery stores.

There is strongly flavored Thai basil used in Southeast Asian cooking.

There are basils infused with the scents and flavors of things like licorice, anise, clove, lemon, lime, camphor or cinnamon.

There are those named for areas of the world such as Greece, Cuba and Africa, or basils whose monikers reflect a physical characteristic, like mammoth or purple ruffles.

And then there are those with names that make you scratch your head a little, like Magical Michael.

Oh, how I love them all! From bright green and shiny to dark purple, the flavorful leaves of this plant have made it one of the most popular herbs in the world.

This basil oil, shown here with crispy basil leaves, is made by infusing fresh basil leaves in warm olive oil. In addition to flavoring sauces and dressings, basil oil may be used as a drizzle or dip for bread. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Basil is thought to have originated in India, as the most ancient references to it are found there; however, some believe it hails from further east, in the Hunan region of China, which also has ancient references to the plant.

Either way, throughout history, basil has been associated with much folklore, some of it conflicting, with the lion’s share related to love.

One of the most interesting things I read related to such basil mythology is that it was thought to be a charm in ancient Rome against the basilisk, a fire-breathing beast brought to recent fame via the literary world of Harry Potter.

Whether or not basil can banish dragon-like creatures, medicinally it’s known to be a fighter. In fact, the volatile oil obtained from its leaves has been shown to inhibit several species of pathogenic bacteria that have become resistant to antibiotic drugs.

In addition, basil has active components known as flavonoids that protect cell structures and chromosomes against damage, whether oxygen-based or from radiation.

Basil is known for promoting cardiovascular health through its high concentration of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene. It also has good stores of magnesium, which is helpful to the heart through improving blood flow.

Basil is considered a very good source of iron and calcium, and a good source of potassium and vitamin C.

It would seem that enjoyment of this herb is beneficial to more than just our palate.

In this country, basil is most closely associated with Italian cuisine, and the basil commonly available to us is that which is used in the foods of that region.

The thought of such dishes as bruschetta, with diced fresh tomatoes, basil, garlic and olive oil over toasted slices of Italian bread, or pasta pomodoro, with its magnificent combination of fresh tomatoes, basil-infused olive oil, and garlic as a sauce for pasta, can make my mouth water.

To be honest, almost any combination of tomatoes and basil can do that to me, whether it’s a tomato-basil sandwich or a lovely dish of garden-fresh tomatoes sliced and layered between basil leaves, fresh mozzarella and drizzled olive oil.

Basil is the key ingredient of pesto, a most delicious sauce with its origins in northern Italy, specifically Genoa. This beautiful green paste infuses pasta and other dishes with pungent basil and can be made by blending basil with olive oil, garlic, and pine nuts.

Since fresh basil tends to lose its flavor when cooked, it’s best to add it to dishes at the last minute, after cooking is completed. (Toss it into a pasta sauce just before you pull it off the stove, for example.)

One way to preserve the flavor of basil is to make an herb-infused olive oil. Oils and fats are flavor carriers, and once basil has released its essence into the olive oil, it’s locked in.

I often use basil-infused oil as a way flavor sauces and other dishes. As a bonus, such oil is a great alternative to butter because it’s a fantastic dip for bread, especially when combined on a plate with a splash of balsamic vinegar.

To make infused oil, toss a healthy handful of basil leaves into a good amount of olive oil in a saucepan (about ½ to one cup of basil leaves to about the same amount of oil).

Allow the oil to come to a simmer, then turn the heat off and let it sit for 30 minutes or so on the still-warm burner.

Strain the oil into a container and store it in the fridge, where it should keep well for at least a week or two.

For additional flavor, garlic cloves and/or red pepper flakes may also be added to the oil (something I do when I make pasta pomodoro). This method may be used to infuse the flavor of any herb into oil (for example, rosemary or thyme).

The basil leaves and other goodies left after the infusion may be pureed and stored in the fridge to flavor to a variety of other foods, from mashed potatoes to minestrone soup to salad dressing.

Crispy basil, a garnish for Italian soups and other dishes, can be made in a similar way; however, a skillet should be used rather than a saucepan and the oil should be heated before the basil is tossed in.

Be cautious, as the basil will bubble and pop once it hits the oil. When the basil is crispy, turn off the heat and remove the leaves from the oil.

In addition to the crispy basil leaves, a basil-infused olive oil has been created.

Though we most often think of basil to flavor savory foods, it also has a place in sweeter fare.

Lake County farmer Sean Mooney displays a drink made by adding sprigs of fresh flowering basil to water. Mooney enjoys this concoction for its flavor, as well as for its health benefits. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Thinly sliced basil is a pleasant surprise ingredient for fruit salads, especially those that include strawberries, peaches or nectarines, and sweet syrup made with basil may be drizzled over desserts made with components such as lemon or mango.

A quick Internet search revealed some pretty interesting desserts made with basil: chocolate-basil ice cream, basil-poached pears and watermelon-basil granita, to name a few.

The recipe for today is a refreshing drink made with basil and mint. These two relatives in the plant kingdom complement one another well.

The basil-mint syrup may also be used for things such as sparkling lemonade (one part syrup, one part freshly-squeezed lemon juice and two parts sparkling water) or as a topping for pancakes with strawberries.

If basil syrup without mint is desired, increase the amount of basil to replace the mint. Lemon-basil syrup may be made by adding a generous piece of lemon peel to infuse with the basil.

For those who wish to avoid sugar, use stevia, honey or agave nectar in place of the sugar.

Enjoy!

Summertime basil-mint cooler

½ cup loosely paced fresh basil leaves

½ cup loosely packed fresh mint leaves

Cup sugar

Cup water

Sparkling water or club soda

Ice

First, make the syrup:

Combine sugar and water in a saucepan. Heat to a simmer on stove top and cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is clear. Remove from heat and cool just a little so it’s still warm, but not overly hot.

Place the basil and mint in a container and pour the warm syrup over. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours for flavors to infuse (or overnight).

If desired, remove herbs from simple syrup once flavor is infused. (I like keeping them in the syrup and sometimes put them in the glasses when I make the coolers.)

Leftover syrup should be stored in the refrigerator in a covered container.

To make the cooler, add two to three tablespoons of syrup to a glass, add ice and pour about a cup of sparkling water in. Stir and garnish, if desired, with sprigs of fresh basil or mint.

Recipe by Esther Oertel.

Esther Oertel, the “Veggie Girl,” is a culinary coach and educator and is passionate about local produce. Oertel teaches culinary classes at Chic Le Chef in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., and The Kitchen Gallery in Lakeport, Calif., and gives private cooking lessons. She welcomes your questions and comments; e-mail her at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

Thomas James Bradley, 66, and Bernd Mathias Steffan, 64, both of Middletown, Calif., died on Sunday, July 18, 2011, when the plane they were riding in crashed in Azalea, Oregon. Image courtesy of the Douglas County, Ore., Sheriff's Office.

Thomas James Bradley, 66, and Bernd Mathias Steffan, 64, both of Middletown, were the victims of the fatal plane crash that occurred on Sunday, July 17, according to the sheriff's office of Douglas County, Ore.

Just after 5 p.m. July 17 Douglas County Emergency Communications received a report of an airplane crash in the 4100 block of Azalea Glen Road, the sheriff's office reported.

Sheriff's deputies and emergency response personnel responded to the scene and found a small fixed wing airplane that had crashed shortly after takeoff from a local airfield, the agency said.

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office said both men were pronounced dead at the scene.

The crash's cause wasn't known, according to sheriff's officials.

The Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board were notified. The sheriff's office said investigators from both agencies arrived on Monday to take over the scene.

An initial FAA report on the incident identified the plane as an experimental, amateur-built Zenith Stol CH701.

The plane, manufactured in 2006, was a fixed wing, single engine aircraft that a search of the FAA Registry confirmed was registered to, and owned by, Bradley.

According to the Web site www.zenithair.com, the Zenith Stol CH701 is a kit airplane first introduced in 1986.

When contacted by Lake County News on Friday, both the FAA and NTSB declined to offer further specifics of the cause of the crash.

“The investigation isn't closed yet,” said Mike Fergus with the FAA's Northwest Mountain Region office.

The NTSB in Washington reported that it would be some time before a final cause was released, although a preliminary report may be ready next week.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

The quake occurred at 10:41 a.m. Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.

The survey said the quake was centered three miles east southeast of Cotati, five miles north northwest of Petaluma and 10 miles south southeast of Santa Rosa, at a depth of 4.3 miles.

Shortly before 8 p.m. Monday the US Geological Survey had received 829 shake reports from 56 zip codes around California, including as far south as Fresno.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

The incident occurred in the 6400 block of 14^th Avenue in Lucerne shortly before 2 a.m. on Sunday, according to radio reports.

Law enforcement officials received a call from a woman reporting that her husband had fought with an intruder outside of their home.

It also was reported that a female neighbor was shooting a gun during the incident.

Even after law enforcement were called, a dispatcher reported that the woman was continuing to fire her weapon.

At approximately 2:16 a.m. an ambulance was summoned for a subject with a gunshot wound to the leg.

Northshore Fire Protection District medics responded to the scene along with the Lake County Sheriff's Office, according to reports from the scene.

The ambulance later reported heading to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport with one patient.

Information was not immediately available on the gunshot victim's identity, however it may have been the suspect in the case, as a deputy indicated on the radio that he was following the ambulance to Sutter Lakeside to stand by with the suspect.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

Marvin D. Johnson Jr., 33, and 22-year-old Simon Thornton, both reported to be transients with connections to the Ukiah area, were arrested Thursday for the murder of Joseph E. Litteral, 40, according to Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

Still being sought are William Hale Crocker, 30, and Arone Schnebly, 35, Smallcomb said.

Litteral was shot at the Bu Shay Campground at Lake Mendocino in Redwood Valley on Wednesday evening, as Lake County News has reported. Another Willits man also was shot and transported to an area hospital, where he was listed in stable condition on Thursday.

Johnson had been the subject of an early morning be on the lookout to Lake County law enforcement on Thursday, with officials warning he was armed and dangerous, and that he had relatives in the county.

Smallcomb said Ukiah Police officers found Johnson in Ukiah at 11:30 a.m. Thursday.

Sheriff's detectives subsequently contacted Johnson and interviewed him. Smallcomb said Johnson was arrested on charges of murder and attempted murder. He was being held on Friday in the Mendocino County Jail on no bail status.

Also on Thursday, Mendocino County Sheriff's detectives recovered a 12-gauge shotgun and a 45-caliber pistol which investigators believe were used in the incident, Smallcomb said.

Mendocino County Sheriff's detectives, with the assistance of Willits Police officers, located Thornton in the area of Highways 20 and 101 in downtown Willits at about 6:30 p.m. Thursday, said Smallcomb.

Smallcomb said Thornton was subsequently arrested and booked into the Mendocino County Jail on murder and attempted murder charges. He also is being held on a no bail status.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is still seeking Crocker and Schnebly, who Smallcomb said also are believed to have been involved in the shootings.

Smallcomb said Crocker frequents both Mendocino and Lake County, and is described as a white male adult, with brown hair and eyes. He stands approximately 5 feet, 10 inches tall and weighs more than 200 pounds. He should be considered violent.

Schnebly frequents Ukiah and Willits, and is described as a white male adult, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He stands approximately 6 feet, 6 inches tall, and weighs more than 200 pounds, Smallcomb said.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of either suspect is encouraged to contact the Mendocino County Sheriffs Office at 707-463-4086.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.