Robinson Rancheria Tribal Chair Tracey Avila was arrested on a felony bench warrant on Friday, September 9, 2011. She is alleged to have stolen more than $60,000 from the Elem Indian Colony in Clearlake Oaks, Calif., where she worked from 2006 to 2008. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An investigation initiated more than two years ago and carried out by federal officials has led to the arrest of Robinson Rancheria's tribal chair on a charge of felony grand theft for allegedly stealing tens of thousands of dollars from another Lake County tribe.

Tracey Isabelle Avila, 50, of Nice was arrested on a felony bench warrant on Friday, Sept. 9, according to jail records. She posted bail, set at $20,000, and was released later that same day.

Avila is alleged to have taken more than $60,000 from Elem Indian Colony of Clearlake Oaks between February 2006 and September 2008, during which time she worked as the tribe's fiscal officer and also was Robinson's tribal chair, according to Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson, who is prosecuting the case.

Abelson said Avila is due to appear in for arraignment in Lake County Superior Court's Clearlake division before Judge Stephen Hedstrom on Oct. 31.

According to the case file, the Berkeley firm Karshmer & Associates, Elem Colony's general legal counsel, sent a letter dated June 1, 2009, to Laura Yoshii, acting regional director for the US Environmental Protection Agency's Pacific Southwest Region 9, requesting an investigation into the alleged embezzlement.

The letter, written by attorney Sarah Dutschke, said that after Avila's termination as bookkeeper the tribe uncovered evidence which they alleged showed that during her 30 months of employment Avila had taken funds from the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act grant as well as from grants the tribe had received from the US EPA and US House and Urban Development.

Elem's own investigation led to the conclusion that Avila had allegedly taken the funds through three principal methods – increasing her hourly pay rate without authorization, giving herself unapproved pay advances and signing several of her family members up for health care coverage but not having the required premiums deducted from her paycheck, Dutschke's letter stated.

On June 15, 2009, the US EPA's Grants Management Office opened the investigation, which later was taken over by special agents with the EPA Office of the Inspector General and HUD's Office of the Inspector General, the documents state.

A review of Avila's pay records conducted as part of the investigation revealed that Avila is alleged to have given herself just over $44,000 in unauthorized pay raises, as well as more than $16,000 in additional paychecks and annual leave.

During the same time a check for more than $14,000 was stolen from the tribe and cashed by a Hispanic male suspect in the Chico area, where Avila is reported to have family, according to case file.

According to the investigation, Elem alleged that Avila hired auditors from Robinson Rancheria to conduct an audit of Elem's financial records. The audit reportedly came back clean.

Avila's work records showed she was frequently late or ill, and rarely worked entire weeks, yet still drew full wages, the report said.

The special agents interviewed Avila on June 9, 2010, at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula.

During the interview Avila said that Elem's system for receiving the grant funds was a “mess,” and that others were writing checks on tribal accounts without her knowledge. She said that she eventually quit her job after becoming increasingly frustrated with the situation.

Avila also told the agents that she paid back the pay advances, insisted that the tribal council had authorized her pay raises and accused another tribal leader of taking the missing funds.

Elem tribal members the agents interviewed stated that Avila had threatened to implicate others if she got in trouble, and that over time her work hours dropped from eight hours a day to four. She also allegedly got a better car and started wearing more expensive clothes.

Abelson said Avila could face a maximum of three years in state prison if convicted. Due to the state's realignment, Avila's time could be served in the county jail, which is where prisoners convicted of certain felonies will be housed.

Court records show that Avila has previous convictions for assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm in 2000 and driving on a suspended license.

Over the last several years she's been at the center of a disenrollment controversy at Robinson Rancheria, where dozens of members of the Quitiquit family and others who opposed Avila as tribal chair were removed from the tribe's membership rolls, as Lake County News has reported.

In 2008 Avila lost the election for tribal chair to Eddie Crandell and followed up by having members of her family on the tribe's election committee invalidate the election.

She has managed to hold onto the tribal chair seat through postponing or delay elections, but in July Bureau of Indian Affairs Central California Agency Superintendent Troy Burdick sent Avila a letter notifying her that she must go forward with holding a new tribal election.

The agency has received a request for a secretarial election – a special federal election overseen by the BIA to revise a tribe's constitution – to ensure a fair election process, Burdick's letter said.

While the tribal citizens business committee and legal counsel had assured the BIA that they would respond with information about how they were ensuring a fair election process, Burdick said BIA had not received the information.

In addition Burdick pointed out that several committee members were on expired terms.

“In order to maintain a government-to-government relationship with the Tribe, the Agency is responsible to ensure we are working with duly elected Tribal officials that were property voted into office in accordance with tribal law,” Burdick wrote. “Failure to hold tribal elections can be viewed as failure to accord Tribal members due process and equal protection as mandated by the Indian Civil Rights Act of 1968.”

Burdick went on to state that the BIA is concerned that the tribe may be violating the Indian Civil Rights Act by not holding tribal elections.

Those elections still have not taken place. Tribal members have reported that they have been unable to get the required candidacy papers from Avila and that the election has once again been delayed.

This week, in the wake of her embezzlement arrest, there also were calls for Avila to step down from her position as tribal chair, which she has reportedly refused to do.

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This unique and enduring opportunity is raising money to build new play structures for both the large school playground, as well as the kindergarten playground, with the monetary donors featured in a prominent brick display at the school.

The need for new playground structures had become increasingly apparent to both staff and parents alike.

“The Coyote Valley Elementary playground equipment gets constant use, considering we have nearly 500 students using it during recesses and after lunch each day. Natural wear and tear over a decade of use has brought us to a point where we need a long range plan for replacement,” said school Principal Tom Hoskins.

He added, “The Buy-A-Brick fundraiser will allow individuals, families and businesses to donate funds towards building a new play structure over time while providing a venue for recognizing supporters with permanent in-lay bricks.”

Says the “Buy-a-Brick” campaign manager Carol Luis, “As a parent of two children who have attended Coyote Valley Elementary, I have watched the current playground deteriorate over the years. It seems less and less of the current structures are usable and the Kindergarten playground area has never even had a proper play structure.”

Commemorative bricks can be purchased year-round by individuals, families, businesses, alumni, groups, teams, etc. and they also make a great gift.

All buyers will receive a certificate with their brick information. Costs range from $100 for a 4-inch by 8-inch brick, to $250 for an 8-inch by 8-inch brick, and up to $500 for an 8-inch by 8-inch that also includes the engraving of a company logo or graphic along with two lines of text.

This will be an ongoing fundraiser with a goal of ultimately raising $100,000. The first phase of bricks is tentatively scheduled to be laid in the gall of 2012 near the front office, in an area of high traffic and plenty of visibility for all to see and enjoy.

“We are very fortunate to have a school with wonderful teachers, a caring principal, and an extremely active and supportive PTO and community,” said Luis. “Providing our children with a fun and safe playground will only add to what is already a positive educational experience.”

To purchase your brick, or for more information, contact Carol Luis at 707-318-2661 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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From left, Andrew Serrano, 38, of Kelseyville, Calif., is accused of shooting William Turner, 41, also of Kelseyville, Calif., in a confrontation on Saturday, September 10, 2011. Serrano is being held on $1 million bail at the Lake County Jail; Turner is in care at Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital in Santa Rosa, Calif. Lake County Jail and Facebook photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A man alleged to have shot his estranged wife's companion before severely beating the woman has had a bail enhancement placed on him, while doctors are working to prepare the shooting victim for surgery.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office reported on Monday that detectives succeeded in having the bail for 38-year-old Andrew James Serrano raised to $1 million.

Andrew Serrano is accused of shooting 41-year-old Kelseyville resident William Turner and assaulting his estranged wife Lesa Serrano during a confrontation on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 10, as Lake County News has reported.

A sheriff's office report on the shooting released Monday said that the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received a 911 call just before 12:30 p.m. Saturday from Turner, who told the dispatcher he had been shot in the chest.

Information that law enforcement received in the initial calls to 911 indicated that Andrew Serrano allegedly had beaten Lesa Serrano, and had her by the hair, holding a gun to her head.

Sheriff's deputies and a Lakeport Police officer immediately responded to the Serranos' residence at 3050 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville, where they encountered Andrew Serrano with a gun in his hand, the sheriff's office reported.

At the deputies' order Serrano dropped the gun and was detained on site, the sheriff's office reported.

Turner was located just inside the garage with an apparent gunshot wound to his chest, according to the sheriff's report. A REACH helicopter was called in and arrived within minutes, landing in a field near the home and transporting Turner to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

The sheriff's report said deputies found Lesa Serrano bruised and bleeding, but able to speak to deputies.

She told deputies that she had come to the residence with Turner to pick up some personal items when Andrew Serrano showed up at the residence and an argument ensued, according to the report.

Sheriff's detectives obtained a search warrant for the Big Valley Road property and arrived on site to secure the area, the report stated.

Serrano is being held at the Lake County Jail on felony charges of attempted murder, inflicting corporal punishment, assault with a firearm, committing a felony while armed, terrorizing and battery with serious bodily injury, and misdemeanor counts of violation of a domestic violence restraining order and false imprisonment.

Serrano was arrested in July after ramming his pickup into Lesa Serrano's SUV in an incident that occurred in Lakeport, as Lake County News has reported. At that point he also violated a domestic violence restraining order.

On Monday Turner was reported to be in stable condition and slowly recovering after having spent a day in Santa Rosa Memorial's intensive care unit, according to a Facebook page his family set up on Sunday in his honor, “Pray for Willy Turner,” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Pray-for-Willy-Turner/274420952585517?sk=wall.

By Monday evening nearly 650 people had “liked” the new page.

Doctors have been working to stop internal bleeding in Turner's chest before conducting surgery to remove the bullet. Family members reported that Sunday was particularly difficult for Turner due to the pain.

According to the page, on Monday Turner was doing better. He was awake, talking and joking.

Turner could possibly undergo surgery on Tuesday, the Facebook page said.

The sheriff's office asks that anyone with information on the case contact Det. Mike Curran at 707-262- 4232.

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The walk and gathering will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Austin Park, 14077 Lakeshore Drive.

The first walk starts at 10:30 a.m.

Andy Rossoff, Without A Net and gospel artist Phil McAlpin with the Clearlake Oaks Community

Methodist Choir will perform live music at the event.

Special speakers will be District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing and Dr. Marshal Kubota.

The day also will include raffles and silent auctions, homemade pulled pork sandwiches and free health screenings.

Come join Community Care HIV/AIDS Program & community partners Moran's Pharmacy, St Helena Hospital Clearlake, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lake Family Resource, Sierra Club, Clearlake Mayor Overton & City Council members, Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association, Stonewall Democratic Club and other concerned community service providers.

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Aaron Bassler, 35, of Fort Bragg, Calif., is being sought in connection with two August murders on the Mendocino County. Courtesy photo.

MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – As the search for a suspect in the murder of two North Coast men continues, authorities have announced a reward for the suspect's capture.

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office reported Tuesday that it has been contacted by private citizens as well as the U.S. Marshals' Service and the Mendocino Land Trust to provide reward funds for
information leading to the capture and arrest of 35-year-old Aaron Bassler.

The reward amount as of Tuesday morning was $30,000, the sheriff's office reported.

Aaron Bassler is the lead suspect in the August homicides of Mendocino Land Trust employee Matthew Coleman and Fort Bragg City Councilman Jere Melo, both of whom were shot while conducting management activities on forest lands near Fort Bragg.

The sheriff's office said residents of Fort Bragg and surrounding areas should remain vigilant and conscientious of their surroundings as Bassler – who is believed to still be in the area – is considered armed and dangerous.

Authorities also warn that Bassler should not be approached. Law enforcement is looking for information, not active participation in the search.

Please notify authorities at 707-463-4086 or by emailing This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with
any information you may think would be helpful.

Anonymous information can be sent via email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office thanked the many individuals and local, state and federal agencies assisting in the search and the effort to safely apprehend Bassler.

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Aaron Bassler Wanted Posted 2011

Gerald W. Galaway Jr., 38, of Santa Cruz, Calif., was placed under arrest on Friday, September 2, 2011, for the murder of Celestial Summer Dove Cassman, 35, also of Santa Cruz. Galaway is alleged to have killed Cassman while the two were visiting Maui, Hawaii, on Thursday, September 1, 2011. Photo courtesy of the Maui Police Department.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Santa Cruz man has been arrested for the murder of a former Lake County woman.

Gerald W. Galaway Jr., 38, was arrested on Friday, Sept. 9, for the murder of 35-year-old Santa Cruz attorney Celestial Summer Dove Cassman, according to Maui Police Lt. Wayne Ibarra.

Cassman, who grew up in Lake County and graduated in 1994 from Clear Lake High School, was found dead near Maui's Nakalele Point on the night of Thursday, Sept. 1, as Lake County News has reported.

Ibarra said Galaway – who has been hospitalized since the day after the murder because he was injured while jumping from a cliff to escape police – was transported on Monday afternoon from the Maui Memorial Medical Center to the Wailuku Police Station for processing without incident.

Cassman and Galaway had arrived in Maui for a visit on Wednesday, Aug. 31. The following night police said witnesses saw Cassman and Galaway arguing before he allegedly threw her body on the ground repeatedly and then drug her by the head into some bushes. Her body was found later that evening.

When police arrived on the scene in response to a report of a domestic dispute, they spotted a man, later identified as Galaway, who was wearing a t-shirt and nude from the waist down, according to a police statement.

Maui Police reported that when they tried to apprehend Galaway, he jumped down a 100-foot cliff and into the ocean.

Galaway was rescued the following morning and had been hospitalized, under armed guard, until Monday, delaying his formal arrest and booking, officials reported.

Last week the Maui County Prosecutor's Office charged Galaway with second-degree murder and kidnapping, Maui County Prosecuting Attorney John Kim said.

Ibarra reported on Monday that Galaway also was arrested on a charge of first-degree attempted sexual assault. The charging documents had indicated that Cassman's clothing had been torn and her body's orientation suggested she had been sexually assaulted.

Galaway is being held without bail. Ibarra said Galaway is scheduled to appear in court at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13.

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.

Celestial Summer Dove Cassman, 35, of Santa Cruz, Calif., was found dead in Maui, Hawaii, on Thursday, September 1, 2011. Her male companion, Gerald W. Galaway Jr., 38, also of Santa Cruz, Calif., has been arrested for her murder. Courtesy photo.

Thomas Galavitz, 37, of Tempe, Ariz., was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, on an Arizona warrant and several other felony charges. Lake County Jail photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An Arizona man was taken into custody earlier this week for an out-of-state warrant and several felonies relating to drugs and falsified documents.

Thomas Galavitz, 37, of Tempe, Ariz., was arrested on Tuesday, Sept. 13, according to Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

On Tuesday Clearlake Police officers, investigators with the Lake County District Attorney’s Office and officers from the Lake County Probation Department served a search warrant at a residence in the 16400 block of Dam Road in Clearlake, Joseph said.

Joseph said the search warrant was obtained from information provided to Lake County officials from law enforcement officials in Arizona. The information received by Lake County officials concerned the illegal trafficking of narcotics over state lines and was linked to the Clearlake residence.

During the service of the search warrant, approximately 8 grams of concentrated cannabis was located, along with approximately 1 ounce of marijuana, scales, packaging materials, false state identification and a loaded .22 caliber semi-automatic pistol, Joseph said.

Investigators also seized more than $15,000 in cash and a 2011 Harley Davidson motorcycle, pending asset forfeiture proceedings. Joseph said three large dogs from the property were taken for safekeeping by the Clearlake Animal Control officer.

Joseph said Galavitz was located inside the home and was subsequently arrested for several misdemeanor and felony charges including a felony warrant out of Arizona, possession of concentrated cannabis, possession of marijuana for sale, sales of marijuana, armed during the commission of a felony, possessing a false/forged state seal, false identification to a police officer, possession of a fictitious driver’s license and possession of more than an ounce of marijuana.

Galavitz was later booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remains on a no-bail hold.

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Daniel Ray Loyd, 50, of Nice, Calif., was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, for the murder earlier that day of 48-year-old Cindy Yvette Quiett of Upper Lake, Calif. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Northshore man has been arrested for the Tuesday morning shooting of an Upper Lake woman that allegedly resulted after a robbery attempt.

Daniel Ray Loyd, 50, of Nice was arrested and booked for murder, attempted robbery and assault with a deadly weapon, according to a Tuesday evening report from Michelle Gonzalez of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Loyd is alleged to have fatally shot 48-year-old Cindy Yvette Quiett of Upper Lake, according to the sheriff's office.

Also arrested was 35-year-old Angel Dusty Spring of Lakeport, who was alleged to have been with Loyd at the time of the shooting. Spring was arrested and booked for violation of probation and being under the influence of a controlled substance, Gonzalez said.

At 3:30 a.m. Tuesday Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Sherwood Court and Kensington Way in Lucerne on a report that a woman had been shot in the stomach during an apparent robbery attempt, according to Gonzalez.

She said rescue personnel with the Northshore Fire Protection District were staged in the area and a patrolman with the Lakeport Police Department also responded to assist in locating the suspect’s vehicle.

When deputies arrived in the area, they located several people tending to a woman lying unconscious near the roadway on Sherwood Court, Gonzalez said.

Deputies identified the shooting victim as Quiett, who Gonzalez said had sustained a gunshot wound to the abdomen.

Quiett was initially transported by medics to Lucerne Harbor Park to be flown out of county by a REACH helicopter, but due to her declining condition, she was instead rushed to Sutter Lakeside Hospital where Gonzalez said that Quiett ultimately succumbed to her injuries.

One of the people tending to Quiett when deputies arrived at the scene was 47-year-old Patrick Joseph Ryden of Lucerne. Gonzalez reported that Ryden told deputies that, prior to the shooting, he and Quiett had gotten a phone call from Spring, who said she was going to the Robinson Rancheria Casino. She told them to meet her on the corner of Sherwood Court and Country Club where she would pick them up to go along.

As Quiett and Ryden were walking to meet Spring, a van pulled up next to them and the driver, later identified as Loyd, got out, Gonzalez said.

Loyd allegedly walked up to Ryden, put a gun to Ryden’s head, and told him to “give him all of his shit.” Gonzalez said Ryden reportedly knocked the gun away from his head and as he was running away, he heard a gunshot.

When Ryden turned back to look, he saw Quiett lying on the ground and the van was speeding away, Gonzalez said.

Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives were called out to conduct an investigation, which Gonzalez said continued throughout the morning.

As the investigation unfolded detectives began developing information, including that Spring was in fact with Loyd in the van during the apparent robbery attempt and shooting, Gonzalez said.

Gonzalez said additional patrol deputies were called out to help detectives with the manhunt for Loyd and Spring.

By mid-morning, detectives were able to contact Loyd by telephone and arrange for both him and Spring to turn themselves in for questioning, Gonzalez said.

At approximately 10:15 a.m., Loyd and Spring were met by Lake County Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force Detectives on Reclamation Road in Upper Lake and detained. Gonzalez said a .357 magnum revolver was recovered at the scene.

After further investigation, Loyd and Spring were arrested.

Gonzalez said the investigation is continuing Tuesday evening.

Anyone with information concerning Quiett's homicide is encouraged to call Lake County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Detectives at 707-263-2690. Calls may be placed at any time.

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Angel Dusty Spring, 35, of Lakeport, Calif., was arrested on Tuesday, September 13, 2011, for violation of probation and being under the influence of a controlled substance. She was believed to have been with Daniel Ray Loyd, 50, of Nice, Calif., when he allegedly shot 48-year-old Cindy Yvette Quiett of Upper Lake, Calif., earlier that day. Lake County Jail photo.

Lodi resident Vincente Munoz, 19; and Stockton residents Daniel Charco Molina, 30; Jose Luis Suarez, 25; Eloy Perez Echeverria, 33; Lorenzo Diaz Juarez, 26; and Hector Ocampo, 29 all were charged with misdemeanor poaching violations, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.

Hinchcliff, who is the county's fish and game poaching prosecutor, charged the men with spotlighting violations and use of an illegal weapon for deer hunting.

He said they were convicted last Thursday, Sept. 8, following their acceptance of a plea deal.

Hinchcliff said the convictions resulted from an investigation by Lake County Game Warden John Holley and Mendocino County Game Warden Matt Manes.

Wardens had recently received reports from concerned citizens who lived on Hendricks Road in Scotts Valley that people were killing deer at night with the use of spotlights, and that several deer had recently been killed illegally at night in the area, Hinchcliff said.

The area residents also had given the wardens descriptions of vehicles being used by the poachers, including a white- or tan-colored van, according to Hinchcliff.

He said witnesses reported groups of people engaged in organized poaching activity, with a person driving the vehicle, a person shining a spotlight, a person shooting and several people quickly running from the vehicle, grabbing the poached animal, dragging it back to the vehicle, and speeding off.

Residents also were concerned with their safety because the poaching and shooting was reportedly close to houses, Hinchcliff said.

At least one of the residents found butchered carcasses of deer around pear orchards in the area with garbage used in butchering the deer left behind on the ground. Hinchcliff said the deer reportedly being killed included bucks, does and fawns.

Wardens had also received reports that last year poachers in the area were herding deer into fences and when fawns got stuck in fences the poachers were clubbing the deer to death, he said.

As a result of the reports, Holley and Manes set up surveillance in the Hendricks road area on Monday, Sept. 5, Hinchcliff said.

At approximately 9:30 p.m. Sept. 5, well after dark, the wardens observed a tan and white passenger van driving slowly on Hendricks Road with a spotlight being shined out of the passenger side of the van and onto private property on the south side of Hendricks road, according to Hinchcliff.

The wardens then detained the vehicle and the seven occupants of the vehicle. In addition to the driver and the front seat passenger, Hinchcliff said there were five individuals in the rear seats.

On the front seat of the vehicle wardens found a small amount of methamphetamine, a meth pipe, a box of .22 caliber ammunition and a spotlight that was still warm. Hinchcliff said that underneath the rear seat wardens found a loaded Marlin .22 caliber rifle.

All seven of the vehicle's occupants were arrested. Hinchcliff said it was discovered that all seven individuals did not speak English and were staying at an immigrant labor camp located in Scotts Valley with a large number of other agricultural workers.

Hinchcliff charged Munoz, Molina, Suarez, Juarez, Ocampo and Echeverria, and also charged the seventh man, 23-year-old Eugenio Munoz Gomez of Lodi was additional counts for being a felon in possession of a firearm, providing false identification to a peace officer, and four misdemeanor poaching violations including spotlighting and hunting deer with an illegal weapon.

Gomez is scheduled to appear in court with his attorney on Tuesday, Sept. 13, Hinchcliff said.

At their arraignment on Sept. 8, Munoz, Molina, Suarez, Juarez, Ocampo and Echeverria were represented by defense counsel and assisted by a Spanish interpreter, Hinchcliff said.

In an effort to get an early disposition and prevent significant costs to the court later for the cost of interpreters, Hinchcliff offered a plea that was agreed to by all six defendants, their attorney and Judge Andrew Blum.

Hinchcliff said all six of the misdemeanor defendants pleaded no contest to a violation of Fish and Game Code section 2005(b), use of an artificial light to assist in the taking or attempted taking of a game animal.

He said Judge Blum then sentenced them, placing each on three years of probation and revoking their hunting privileges for three years. Judge Blum also ordered the firearm, spotlight and ammunition to be forfeited and ordered each of the men to serve 45 days in jail.

Hinchcliff said all six individuals have Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) holds and could face deportation proceedings at the end of their jail term if federal officials pursue the cases.

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USDA Food, Nutrition and Consumer Services Under Secretary Kevin Concannon announced the results of USDA’s Household Food Security in the United States, 2010 report that found that the percentage of very low food security declined from 5.7 percent of households in 2009 to 5.4 percent in 2010.

The number of food insecure households in 2010 was relatively consistent with statistics released in 2008 and 2009.

“This report underscores the critical role that federal nutrition assistance programs play in helping struggling American families put food on the table until they can get back on their feet,” said Concannon. “Many families receive assistance not because they want to, but because they need it as a last resort to make ends meet. As the economy continues to recover and jobs are created, we hope to see the number of families in need of nutrition assistance shrink.”

The report released today indicates that 59 percent of all food-insecure households participated in one or more of the three largest nutrition assistance programs near the time of the survey.

In fiscal year 2010, these programs provided much needed food assistance to millions of individuals, children and families in need.

In an average month of fiscal year 2010 (Oct. 1, 2009, through Sept. 30, 2010), the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provided benefits to 40.3 million people in the United States.

In fiscal year 2010, the National School Lunch Program provided meals to an average of 31.6 million children each school day.

Also in fiscal year 2010, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children served an average 9.2 million participants per month.

Food insecurity rates were substantially higher than the national average for households with incomes near or below the current federal poverty line ($22,350 for a family of four), households with children headed by single women or single men, and black and Hispanic households, the report found.

Food insecurity was more common in large cities and rural areas than in suburban areas and other outlying areas around large cities, according to the report.

USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service administers 15 nutrition assistance programs including the Summer Food Service Program; Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program; National School Lunch Program; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children; and the Emergency Food Assistance Program. Together these programs make up the federal nutrition safety net. U

USDA administers these programs in partnership with state and local agencies and works with faith and community-based organizations to ensure that nutrition assistance is available to those in need.

Additional information about the programs can be found at www.fns.usda.gov.

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Household Food Security in the United States 2010

Investigators study scene of shooting Tuesday morning. Photo by John Jensen

LUCERNE, Calif. – Authorities are investigating an early morning shooting in Lucerne.
 

A sheriff's deputy, two crime scene investigators and a detective were at the scene, located at 4094 Sherwood Court, early Tuesday morning.
 

Several shots were reported to have been fired in the area at about 3:30 a.m. Tuesday. Minutes later sirens could be heard throughout the Northshore town.
 

A female victim was reported to be down, based on 911 calls.

A deputy securing the area declined to comment on any circumstances of the shooting to a Lake County News reporter, only saying that he had only recently arrived.
 

The crime scene was cordoned off with yellow tape. Crime scene investigators had labeled several items of evidence, including what appeared to be items of clothing left lying in the street.
 

There was no word on a suspect. No suspect had been shown as being booked into the Lake County Jail, according to the sheriff's Web site by 9:30 a.m.
 

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 action is being considered in the wake of confirmed reports of dead red abalone and other invertebrates on beaches and inside coves along the coast in Sonoma County.

The Department of Fish and Game is currently attempting to assess the impact of the situation and will provide the commission with information at this Thursday's meeting.

Based on the Department of Fish and Game report, the commission may take emergency action to close the abalone season along all or parts of the Sonoma coast.

There was an abalone die-off along the Sonoma coast beginning Aug. 27 as a result of a red tide-induced poisoning and/or lack of oxygen.

According to Fish and Game biologists, these abalone deaths coincided with a local red tide bloom and calm ocean conditions.

Although the exact reasons for the abalone deaths are not known, invertebrate die-offs have occurred in the past along the Northern California coast when similar weather and bloom conditions existed.

The number of dead and dying abalone is not known but Fish and Game divers are assessing the damage this week via underwater transect surveys.

Reports of dead abalone and a variety of invertebrates have come from Bodega Bay, Russian Gulch, Fort Ross, Timber Cove and Salt Point State Park.

Other Department of Fish and Game biologists and game wardens have collected abalone, mussels and water samples since the beginning and are continuing to document reports from the public.

Abalone fishermen are advised to contact a physician immediately if they feel sick, and to report symptoms to the local county health department (www.sonoma-county.org/health/about/publichealth.asp).

The latest red tide updates from the California Department of Public Health are also posted online at www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/Pages/DDWEM.aspx.

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