SAN FRANCISCO – Lake County Winery Association (LCWA) members are celebrating victories garnered at this year’s San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, with several Lake County wines taking top medals at the prestigious event.

The annual San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition is touted as the “largest competition of American wines in the world.”

The 2011 results were announced earlier this month following five days of tasting and evaluating more than 5,000 entries, a world record number, according to the event’s Web site.

“It is ultra-cool that Lake County wines and wineries stood out among the 5,000 entries,” said Monica Rosenthal, executive director of the Lake County Winery Association. “Our members’ wines are helping to distinguish Lake County as a premier winegrape producing region. It is especially nice to be recognized by the San Francisco competition’s professional judges who acknowledged our region’s excellent grapes and wine by awarding several top honors.”

Heading the list, Shannon Ridge Vineyards & Winery received a Best of Class on its single vineyard 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon and double gold on its 2008 Ranch Collection Cabernet Sauvignon. Double gold indicated unanimous gold choice by the judges.

“As we go head-to-head with top producers from other well-known wine regions in competitions such as this, Shannon Ridge’s Lake County wines are taking awards in the same varietal categories. Everyone involved in Shannon Ridge’s wine production is thrilled to have captured one of the highest awards in the competition,” said the winery's sales manager, Joey Luiz.

The victories are also a credit to the farming style at Shannon Ridge. “Our earth friendly, all-sustainable practices are producing some amazing award-winning wines.”

Shannon Ridge was awarded silver medals for its 2009 Sauvignon Blanc and its 2009 Viognier and a bronze for its 2009 Roussane.

Also garnering high honors, Gregory Graham Wines earned a double gold medal for Graham’s Red Hills 2007 Syrah.

“People are paying attention to Lake County,” said winemaker Greg Graham, who added that he is pleased with the competition results.

“Prior to purchasing vineyards in Lake County, I made a lot of wine from Napa and Carneros fruit,” said Graham. “Since setting out to produce Lake County wines about nine years ago, I've been highly impressed with the quality of the fruit and not surprised with the award-winning results. If I can borrow a comment made by James Laube, the wines of Lake County ‘are damn good.'”

A gold medal was awarded for Graham’s Red Hills 2008 Cinder Cone Reserve, and his Red Hills 2009 Rose received a silver medal. The Gregory Graham Carneros Chardonnay was also awarded a gold medal.

Association wineries taking gold medals at the competition include Brassfield Estate (2009 Pinot Grigio), Ceago Vinegarden (2009 Clear Lake Muscat Canelli), Langtry Estate and Vineyards (2008 Petite Sirah), Shed Horn Cellars (2009 Sauvignon Blanc and 2009 Chardonnay), Six Sigma Ranch and Winery (2009 Sauvignon Blancs – one with a general Lake County designation and the other from Michael's Vineyard), and Tulip Hill Winery (2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon).

In addition the LCWA wineries winning golds also earned additional medals (silver and bronze) for wines in various categories.

Other Association wineries receiving medals at the competition included Bell Hill, Dusinberre Wines, Red Lava Vineyards, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, Robledo Family Winery, and Wildhurst Vineyards.

For more information about the Lake County Winery Association, visit the association’s Web site, www.lakecountywineries.org or contact Monica Rosenthal at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Lake County's own wine competition, now in its third year, is in the planning stages, said Rosenthal.

“Watch for the 2011 springtime ‘call to action’ to enter wines in this competition located in California's high elevation wine region. This competition is open to all producers of wines made from Lake County fruit.”

For more information, call Rosenthal at 707-355-2762.

Winning entries in each category of the San Francisco Chronicle competition can be found on the Web site, www.winejudging.com. In addition, tickets for the public tasting portion of the event may be purchased online.

The public’s opportunity to taste entries from the competition is scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 19, from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Mason Center in San Francisco.

Tickets are $65 per person in advance and $80 per person at the door.

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 .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A woman was injured Monday when her vehicle struck a tree outside of Lakeport.

The California Highway Patrol said the crash occurred at around 3:30 p.m. in the 400 block of Soda Bay Road at the Finley turnoff.

Lakeport Fire Protection District responded to the scene along with the CHP and the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Lakeport Fire Capt. Bob Holbrook said firefighters transported one female patient to Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

The CHP said the woman suffered major injuries.

Specifics about the cause of the crash were not available by the end of the day Monday.

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

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED BASED ON NEW USGS DATA.

THE GEYSERS, Calif. – A 3.3-magnitude earthquake was reported early Sunday evening near The Geysers geothermal steamfield.

Originally the US Geological Survey reported that two earthquakes measuring 3.2 in magnitude occurred just eight seconds apart at 5:54 p.m.

However, the agency later upgraded one quake to 3.3 and the report of the second quake was deleted from the earthquake log.

The quake's epicenter was located two miles north of The Geysers, four miles west of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, survey data showed.

The report showed it took place at a depth of 1.7 miles.

The US Geological Survey received a total of seven shake reports from seven zip codes – Fremont, Hayward, Berkeley, Mill Valley, Saratoga, Cloverdale and Laytonville.

A 3.0-magnitude quake was reported in the Anderson Springs area on Feb. 4, as Lake County News has reported.

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

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A resident's quick thinking helped stop a fire from destroying their home earlier this week.

The fire was reported in the 16000 block of Mountain View Drive shortly before 8 p.m. on Monday evening.

South Lake County Fire Protection District Battalion Chief Scott Upton said the fire started when the resident was cooking with oil.

The oil caught fire and Upton said the individual did the right thing and put baking soda on it, but the fire still drafted up through the vent over the stove and onto the roof.

By the time firefighters arrived the fire had been extinguished. Upton said it had come close to being a full-fledged structure fire.

Two engines, one water tender and a battalion chief responded and spent an hour working at the scene, Upton said.

There were no injuries and Upton said damage to the home was minor.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A local businessman arrested last month for elder theft and related special allegations has entered not guilty pleas in the case.

Glenn Neasham, 50, of Hidden Valley Lake was in court in Lakeport for arraignment Monday, according to his attorney, Mitchell Hauptman of Lakeport.

Neasham is facing one count of theft from an elder and two special allegations, the first for taking or damaging more than $50,000 in property and the second for a theft that is alleged to have totaled more than $100,000.

Hauptman said Neasham entered not guilty pleas to the main charge and the special allegations.

Neasham was arrested Dec. 14 following the conclusion of a California Department of Insurance investigation that focused on his sale of an annuity in 2008 to an elderly female client.

Hauptman said Monday that while Neasham is alleged to have stolen funds from the woman, “There is no evidence indicating that Neasham took anything or that there was any loss.”

He added that the case “approaches a whole new level of mystification.”

Hauptman had said in an interview last month that Neasham received nothing for the transaction but his normal commission, and that the client was making money on the annuity.

Neasham is set for a preliminary hearing at 8:15 a.m. Feb. 22 in Department 3 in the Lake County Superior Court's Lakeport division, Hauptman said.

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

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Upper Lake High School edged out longtime rival Lower Lake High to win the county's Academic Decathlon competition on Saturday.

The 18^th annual event, held over two days and culminating with the Super Quiz competition Saturday afternoon, featured seven teams and dozens of students who, along with their coaches, have spent months preparing for the competition, which this year focused on the Great Depression.

Upper Lake High School Team Two will advance to the California State Academic Decathlon in Sacramento March 11 through 14.

Advancing for Mendocino County is Willits High School's team and Williams High School will represent Colusa County at the state event.

This was the first year that the competition was a regional one, according to Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook, who welcomed the large crowd of parents, grandparents, siblings, and superintendents, principals and board of education trustees.

As the crowd gathered and waited for the students to emerge from their second Saturday in a row of testing, the Lower Lake High School Blue Notes entertained and mini bios of each of the students flashed across a screen.

The students' career aspirations covered a variety of fields – molecular biologist, cardiologist, brain doctor, robotic engineer, environmental, politician, actress and U.S. Marshal.

They also shared their reasons for joining the team, including word-of-mouth recommendations from friends, interesting topics and improving study skills. One student, Tyler Warren of Upper Lake High School, replied, “My mom forced me.”

Organizing the event this year was Jamey Gill, Academic Decathlon regional coordinator for Lake, Mendocino and Colusa counties. She was assisted in the task by Tammy Serpa, Cheryl Graves and Tim Gill, and about 45 other community volunteers.

Lower Lake High School Principal Jeff Dixon hosted the Super Quiz, which included 45 questions focusing mostly on geology, and earth and planetary sciences.

First up were the Varsity students, who have grade point averages of 2.99 and below.

At the end of their three rounds, Williams led with six points, followed by Upper Lake High School Team One and Willits tied with five points, Lower Lake High School and Upper Lake High School Team Two tied with four points, and Middletown with two points. Clear Lake High School did not get on the board in those rounds.

Next were the three rounds for Scholastic students, with GPAs of between 3.0 and 3.74.

Upper Lake High School Team Two pulled to the front with 11 points, followed by Upper Lake High School Team One and Williams with 10 points each, Lower Lake with eight points, Willits with seven points, and Middletown and Clear Lake High tied with five points each.

Last were the Honors students, who have GPA of between 3.75 and 4.0.

By the end of the three Honors rounds, Upper Lake High School Team Two has 19 points, Upper Lake High School Team One and Williams were tied with 15 points, Lower Lake had 13 points, Willits had 12 points, Clear Lake had 10 points and Middletown had nine points.

Top medal winners included Upper Lake's Sarah Barnes with seven, followed by fellow Upper Lake students Christine Randall and Rebecca Swaney, each with five, Clear Lake High School's Shao-Jia Chang, also with five, and David Stansberry of Willits with four medals.

With Saturday night's win, Ana Sabalone – Upper Lake's coach and herself a former Upper Lake academic decathlete – celebrated her third win in three years coaching.

The challenge this year, said Sabalone, was the lack of students who were competition veterans.

“We only have five returners,” she said amidst hugs and congratulations after the competition.

She said that, traditionally, she has not sought out freshmen or sophomores for the team, but she's changed that outlook and now believes it's now good to begin training competitors earlier.

This year Upper Lake's first team had as a member Ian Seevers, the school's only freshman. The slender, red-haired Seevers pointed out he's also the only football player on either of the teams.

Justine Moran, one of the members of Upper Lake Team One, told Lake County News in an e-mail message late Saturday, “In the midst of all the excitement we didn't get a chance to thank our past coach Steve Harness.”

She said Harness, who was ill, was a huge help over the past few years and it wasn't the same with out him.

“We are very proud to have him be a part of our legacy,” she said. “This win was for him. We hope he gets well soon.”

The full results of the competition are listed below.

2011 ACADEMIC DECATHLON RESULTS

INDIVIDUAL MEDALS

Essay

First place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Second place: Tie – Elsa Mora, Williams High School; Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Third place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Speech

First place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Second place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Tie – Miguel Medina, Willits High School; Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Interview

First place: Jose Ruiz, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Second place: Joshua Buttke, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Josue Ramirez, Willits High School.

Language and Literature

First place: David Stansberry, Willits High School.

Second place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Arts

First place: Ian Weber, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Second place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Tie – Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two; Maria Vega, Williams High School.

Social Sciences

First place: Spence Haddan, Lower Lake High School.

Second place: Roy Hankins, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Tie – David Stansberry, Willits High School; Elizabeth Perkins, Lower Lake High School.

Mathematics

First place: Oliver Leighton, Clear Lake High School.

Second place: Stephanie Rasmussen, Clear Lake High School.

Third place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.

Music

First place: Tie – Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School; Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Second place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.

Third place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Economics

First place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.

Second place: Joshua Buttke, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Josue Ramirez, Willits High School.

Super Quiz

First place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Second place: Ian Weber, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Tie – Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two; Oscar Nieves, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Top three Varsity-level students

First place: Christine Randall, Upper Lake High School Team One.

Second place: David Stansberry, Willits High School.

Third place: Roy Hankins, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Top three Scholastic-level students

First place: Rebecca Swaney, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Second place: Sarah Barnes, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Third place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.

Top three Honors-level students

First place: Shao-Jia Chang, Clear Lake High School.

Second place: Elizabeth Perkins, Lower Lake High School.

Third place: Jordan Austin, Upper Lake High School Team Two.

Students with second-highest point totals for their school

Clear Lake High School: Oliver Leighton.

Lower Lake High School: Corey Cherrington.

Middletown High School: Nika Gibbs.

Upper Lake High School: Sarah Barnes.

Williams High School: Juanita Hernandez.

Willits High School: Siarra Bergmann.

Students with top point totals for their school

(Each student from Lake and Mendocino counties received a $250 scholarship from the Lodge at Blue Lakes; the Williams student received a $250 scholarship from a separate fund.)

Clear Lake High School: Shao-Jia Chang.

Upper Lake High School: Rebecca Swaney.

Willits High School: David Stansberry.

Middletown High School: Francisco Sandoval.

Lower Lake High School: Elizabeth Perkins.

Williams High School: Elsa Mora.

Poetry contest (new this year; not counted toward competition scores)

First place: Naomi Walker, Willits High School.

Second place: Elsa Mora, Williams High School.

Third place: Corey Cherrington, Lower Lake High School.

Poster contest (new this year; not counted toward competition scores)

First place: Cheyenne Hoffman, Lower Lake High School.

Second place: Bianey Madrigal, Lower Lake High School.

Third place: Hector Landeros, Lower Lake High School.

THE TEAMS

Listed in alphabetical order.

Clear Lake High School

Principal: Steve Gentry

Coach: Jim Rogers

The team: Shao-Jia Chang, Alice Crockett, Alyssa Hauptman, Asia Jones, Rabacca Lambert, Oliver Leighton, Philip Leighton, Stephanie Rasmussen.

Lower Lake High School

Principal: Jeff Dixon

Coach: Nancy Harby

The team: Corey Cherrington, Sara Fred, Raj Gandhi, James Haddan, Spence Haddan, Cheyenne Hoffman, Hector Landeros, Bianey Madrigal, Shawn McAlister, Elijah Orlando, Elizabeth Perkins, Carina Ruedas, Sara Sanders and Teodora Toshich

Middletown High School

Principal: Bill Roderick

Coaches: Patti Jimenez, Jennifer Pyzer and Robin Cara

The team: Donald Albright, Destiny Foxworthy, Nika Gibbs, Cole Rockwell, Francisco Sandoval and Ashley Thompson

Upper Lake High School

Principal: Patrick Iaccino

Coaches: Ana Sabalone, Angel Hayenga

Team One: Ivan Lopez, Jesus Martinez, Justine Moran, Oscar Nieves, Christine Randall, Ian Seevers, Homan Su, Mark Umalin, Daniel VanMeter and Tyler Warren.

Team Two: Jordan Austin, Sarah Barnes, Joshua Buttke, Jaqueline Estrada, Roy Hankins, Alexander Mairs, Jose Ruiz, Rebecca Swaney, Ian Weber and Shayla Wyman.

Williams High School

Principal and coach: Dan Flanigan

The team: Aron Ashbury, Samantha Coombs, Sandra Cruz, Juanita Hernandez, Erik Knight, Erica Leos, Rocio Martinez, Elsa Mora, Anna Ramirez, Maria Vega and Lisa White.

Willits High School

Principal: Gordon Oslund

Coach: Jeff Bergmann

The team: Joanna Bennett, Siarra Bergmann, Jay Hansen, Cristobel Lopez, Miguel Medina, Josue Ramirez, Aaron Ramirez, Bonnie Smith, David Stansberry and Naomi Walker.

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

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A man accused of murdering an Augusta couple last year will stand trial for the murders in May.

Robby Alan Beasley, 30, a Maine native who most recently lived in Clearlake, Calif., appeared in Lake County Superior Court's Clearlake Division before Judge Stephen Hedstrom for arraignment Tuesday morning.

Following a preliminary hearing in January that stretched over several days, Beasley was held over for trial for the shooting deaths of Frank and Yvette Maddox – who had come to California from Maine to work in Beasley's marijuana growing operation – on Jan. 22, 2010.

He's charged with two counts of murder and special allegations of committing multiple murders in the first or second degree, committing the offenses with the intent to inflict great bodily injury on the victims, using a 9 millimeter firearm and having a previous felony conviction in Maine for criminal threatening with a firearm.

Beasley's defense attorney, Stephen Carter, said Beasley entered not guilty pleas to the charges at his Tuesday morning appearance.

Carter said the trial has been set for May 16, with the judge and department still to be determined.

Beasley will have another court appearance on April 26 followed by trial readiness conferences, Carter said.

Deputy District Attorney Sharon Lerman-Hubert appeared on the case Tuesday as prosecutor Art Grothe is in trial on the attempted murder case in which a Sonoma County man, Thomas Dudney, is alleged to have attacked Lakeport resident Ronald Greiner in late 2009. That trial, which began Tuesday, is expected to last a month.

During a break from trial on Tuesday Grothe said he doesn't yet have District Attorney Don Anderson's final determination on whether or not the case will be handled as a death penalty prosecution.

Also implicated in the case is 28-year-old Elijah Bae McKay, a friend of Beasley's who also is a former Maine resident.

McKay is facing all of the same charges as Beasley with the exception of the special allegation of a previous felony conviction in Maine.

During Beasley's January preliminary hearing McKay took the stand as a prosecution witness, although he said he had not been offered a deal to testify.

On the stand McKay alleged that Beasley had concocted a story to lure the Maddoxes into a drive to the Sacramento airport and instead directing them down a remote road, shooting them to death following a confrontation on the roadside.

McKay claimed that Beasley killed the couple, in part, because he believed they had stolen marijuana from him.

McKay's preliminary hearing is yet to take place, but he is set to return to court in April. Beasley's case is moving through the system more quickly because he has not waived the statutory time restrictions.

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

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE – The California Highway Patrol said Monday that a Friday night collision in Hidden Valley injured three women, one of whom was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

The report, from CHP Officer Dan Frederick, said the crash occurred shortly before 9:30 p.m. on Northshore Drive at Northshore Court.

Arrested at the scene for DUI was 48-year-old Deborah Selna of Hidden Valley Lake, Frederick reported.

Selna was driving a red 2000 Yamaha golf cart with two fellow Hidden Valley residents – Elizabeth Sayers, 51, and Carrie Weston, 50 – riding with her, according to the report.

The three women were allegedly very intoxicated. Frederick said Selna was driving southbound on Northshore Drive at an unsafe speed when she lost control of the golf cart, which went off the roadway.

He said Selna was unable to slow or stop the golf cart as it went onto the grassy area adjacent to the roadway.

The golf cart collided with a tree, then rolled over and came to rest upside down against another tree, Frederick said.

He said all three women were transported to the hospital. Reports from the scene indicated two of them were flown out by helicopter.

Both Selna and Weston suffered major injuries – Selna having broken ribs and Weston a spinal injury and internal bleeding in her head, Frederick said. Sayer suffered moderate injuries from the impact.

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 .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A 73-year-old man convicted of shooting three unarmed men – killing one of them – in a 1989 confrontation has been denied parole by state officials.

On Feb. 7 the California Board of Parole Hearings denied parole for convicted murderer Francisco Mendoza Castillo.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff attended the lifer hearing at California State Prison in Corcoran, to argue against Castillo’s release.

Castillo was convicted of the second-degree murder of Jorge Suarez and the shooting of Francisco Parra and Ramiro Suarez, and sentenced to 26 years to life on March 2, 1990, according to a report from the District Attorney's Office.

Lake County Superior Court Judge William J. Harpham sentenced Castillo, who originally was prosecuted by then-District Attorney Stephen O. Hedstrom.

Castillo's minimum eligible parole date was July 8, 2005, the District Attorney's Office reported.

According to investigation reports by the sheriff’s office, on Sept. 15, 1989, Francisco Castillo and his brother Jose Castillo attended a party at Mariani Dryers where they worked with the three victims.

After the party, Jose Castillo got into an argument with one of the victims at 2955 Bell Hill Road in Kelseyville, where two of the victims lived.

Jose Castillo then left and returned a half-hour later with Francisco Castillo and two firearms, a shotgun and a .38 caliber revolver.

According to witnesses, Francisco Castillo, who had been drinking, shot Francisco Parra in the neck with the pistol, without provocation. When Ramiro Suarez tried to calm Castillo down, Francisco Castillo shot him in the stomach, and after Suarez fell to the ground Francisco Castillo shot him in the leg.

Francisco Castillo then shot Jorge Suarez in the hand and chest, according to the report. Jorge Suarez died at the scene.

When Francisco Castillo and his brother left the scene they drove their truck over the legs of Francisco Parra as he lay on the ground bleeding. Francisco Parra and Ramiro Suarez survived the gunshot wounds.

None of the three victims were armed at the time they were shot, based on the investigative report.

The Castillo brothers were caught when a game warden, Jim Branston, heard the gunshots and went to the scene to investigate.

Branston pursued the fleeing pickup truck and called the sheriff’s office for assistance.

Francisco Castillo was in the United States illegally at the time of the shootings, and had been previously deported by the INS in 1981, officials said.

Francisco Castillo claimed at trial to not remember the shootings due to his drinking. At sentencing Judge Harpham stated that he did not believe Castillo, and noted that the shooting was quite accurate for someone who claimed to be so intoxicated they could not remember shooting three people.

Castillo reportedly continued to claim for 15 years in prison that he could not remember the shooting, then at an evaluation in 2005 he claimed he did remember the shooting and that the victims were beating him up and he shot all of them in self defense.

At the two-and-a-half-hour-long hearing Monday, Hinchcliff asked the Board of Prison Hearings to deny Castillo's parole on the ground that he still presented an unreasonable risk of danger to the public if released, and failed to exhibit any remorse or accept responsibility for his conduct.

The Board of Parole Hearings denied parole and Castillo’s next parole hearing will be in three years, Hinchcliff reported.

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 .

Waiting for launch, R2 regards the Vehicle Assembly Building at KSC. Photo credit: Joe Bibby.

NASA's Robonaut 2 is primed and ready for launch aboard space shuttle Discovery in February. R2 is so ready, in fact, that it's going up ahead of its legs, which will follow on a later launch.

“The robot's legs aren't ready yet,” said Rob Ambrose of NASA's Johnson Space Center. “We're still testing them. But there will be plenty for R2 to do while waiting for its lower extremities.”

R2 – developed jointly by NASA and General Motors – will be the first humanoid robot to travel and work in space, so it'll be training for some big responsibilities.

“This robot will eventually become the space station crew's right-hand 'it,'” said Ambrose, who noted that R2 is neither male nor female.

Thanks to the legs and a few other upgrades, “it” has a bright future. In fact the ultimate goal is for R2 to help the astronauts with EVAs. But first, like a student in school, the robot must progress stepwise as new features – like legs – are added and it acquires new abilities.

“For its first training sessions, R2 will be placed on a fixed pedestal for lessons on a task board,” Ambrose said. “The board has switches, knobs, and connectors like the ones astronauts operate, and the crew will mock up chores for R2 to master.”

Once the legs are added, the trainee will be able to move around inside the station, wiping handrails, vacuuming air filters, and doing other mundane tasks for the crew.

“Much like those of us down here on Earth, space station astronauts spend their Saturday mornings cleaning,” said Ambrose. “R2's legs will give the crew their Saturday mornings back! It's all about making efficient use of the astronauts' time. They don't need to waste time doing simple stuff R2 can do.”

The legs have special toes that plug into the space station walls so R2 can learn to climb without using its hands.

“The hands must be free to carry cleaning supplies and tools,” explained Ambrose. “Remember, robots don't have pockets to put things in.”

But there's another reason for the climbing lessons. R2 must become an expert “no hands spiderman” before it can graduate to its most critical duties: performing EVAs.

Robonaut 2, a dexterous, humanoid astronaut helper, will fly to the International Space Station aboard space shuttle Discovery on the STS-133 mission. Photo courtesy of NASA.

“R2 will practice indoors first because if it falls off inside an astronaut can pick it back up for another try,” said Ambrose. “With a misstep outside, R2 could end up dangling helplessly out in space on a tether.”

Once the robot is climbing well, a new computer upgraded with software enhancements will be sent to station.

The crew will exchange it with the one now in the R2's chest. The ground team is also working on a battery for R2. At present, the humanoid has to plug in like a lowly toaster.

“We want to give R2 more and more freedom, so we're eliminating the need for cords and cables,” Ambrose said.

After all these upgrades, the robot will be able to set up EVA worksites. R2 even has “eyes” (two video cameras that give it three-dimensional vision) for viewing an external worksite before the crew heads out to tackle a job.

“If the crew sees a need for certain tools or for 'fine tuning' the work station, they can direct R2 to make the changes and lay it out just like they like it,” Ambrose said. “It's kind of like a nurse setting up for a surgeon. The crew can then come in and do the job quickly, and complete multiple jobs in less time.”

And in the event of an emergency, R2 can be a first responder.

“It can get outside in a hurry to check out a problem,” Ambrose said. “Astronauts have to suit up and then depressurize in the airlock for hours before venturing out.”

While they're depressurizing, the crew can view the problem through R2's “eyes” and determine the approach and tools they'll need to resolve the emergency.

“Also, R2 can stay outside working as long as necessary, while humans can stay only a limited time,” Ambrose said.

What other adventures are in store for R2?

“There are so many possibilities for the future,” said Ambrose. “For instance, we could add wheels so R2 could scout a potential landing site on a planet or an asteroid or set up a workstation or habitat there. Someday R2 may even get a jetpack! But we have to crawl before we can fly.”

Visit Robonaut 2's home page at http://robonaut.jsc.nasa.gov/default.asp .

Dauna Coulter works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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 .

Robonaut 2 is now tweeting at www.twitter.com/AstroRobonaut. Photo courtesy of NASA.