Jennifer Brown, ACSW, (left) assists EBT card users and Phara Travis answers questions about the co-op at the Friday Night Farmers' Market. Courtesy photo.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Farmers and producers at Clearlake's Friday Night Farmers' Market at Redbud Park are now accepting EBT cards (food stamps) and Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Farmers' Market Coupons.

Community members eligible for these programs may now easily purchase fresh local and regional produce and food items every Friday through September.

The USDA's effort to facilitate more purchasing of local produce at venues such as farmers' markets has risen in recent years as the local food movement continues to expand, creating more economic opportunities for small and local farmers and more opportunities for community residents to enjoy the healthy bounty of their region.

The EBT process is quite simple, according to Jennifer Brown, ACSW, who facilitates the program for the Market.

“People with EBT cards can come to the market and decide how much they would like to spend with the vendors,” she said. “We swipe their card for that amount and give them tokens equaling the same amount. They are free to shop with those vendors that sell Food Stamp eligible products such as fresh fruits and vegetables, eggs, honey, and value added products like jams, pickles, breads and other bakery items. The producers then redeem the tokens and are reimbursed by check.”

Currently, the Friday Night Farmers' Market is the only farmers' market in Lake County that accepts EBT cards.

Lorna Sue Sides, WIC representative, issued 28 packets of farmers' market coupons at the market this week.

Each packet is worth $20 towards the purchase of fresh fruits and vegetables. Most families receiving WIC are eligible for farmers' market coupons once a year. Recipients may then shop at the food vendors of their choice.

“This is the third year we've run the program at this market,” said Sides. “It's been quite successful and our clients are always pleasantly surprised with the choices and quality of food they can find here.”

The market, in its fourth year as part of a local food initiative started by the Lake County Community Co-op in 2007, also has live entertainment (this week Blind Spot perfomed and upcoming artists include Don Coffin, Michael Barrish, Blue Collar and Without A Net), prepared food from vendors such as Cactus Grill, local artisans and crafters, community organizations, such as the Lake County Time Bank (www.TimeBankLakeCo.com), and mostly – community.

Redbud Park thrives on Friday evenings thanks to the market and the shady, breeze-cooled lakeside setting.

“It's a real fun family venue where folks enjoy shopping, eating, talking,and sometimes even dancing,” Market Manager Pharalee Travis boasts. “It is really a joy to see such a festive event in our community.”

For more information on the market, including weekly musical talent, go to www.lakeco-op.org and click on the calendar of events or call Travis at 707-637-2870.

The attorneys for shooting suspects (from left) Paul Braden, Orlando Lopez and Kevin Stone were appointed at a hearing in Lake County Superior Court in Lakeport, Calif., on Friday, July 8, 2011. The men are accused of taking part part in a shooting in Clearlake, Calif., on Saturday, June 18, 2011, that left a 4-year-old boy dead and five others wounded. Lake County Jail photos.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The three suspects in a deadly June 18 shooting in Clearlake appeared in court on Friday, at which time the attorneys who will defend them were appointed.

Orlando Joseph Lopez, 23, and Paul William Braden, 21, both of Clearlake Oaks, and Kevin Ray Stone, 29, of Clearlake appeared in Lake County Superior Court's Lakeport division early Friday morning.

They are charged with murder, six counts of assault with a deadly weapon, two counts of mayhem, five counts of attempted murder and numerous special allegations for use of firearms and great bodily injury.

The charges stem from the late-night shooting at a Clearlake home in which 4-year-old Skyler Rapp was killed and five others wounded, including his mother, Desiree Kirby, 22; her boyfriend, Ross Sparks, 25; his brother, Andrew Sparks, 23; Ian Griffith, 19; and Joseph Armijo, 15.

Only Lopez and Braden had originally been scheduled for the appearance to sort out who would represent them, with Stone – who on Thursday was transported to Lake County from Sonoma County where he was arrested last week – set for a July 11 appearance.

However, District Attorney Don Anderson had indicated he wanted to move Stone up in the calendar to join his codefendants, which is what occurred on Friday.

Due to conflicts that arose for attorneys originally appointed to the men's cases, on Friday the issue was deciding who to appoint in order to move the case forward.

Attorney Doug Rhoades, who had been assigned to Lopez, will now handle the defense for Braden, who he previously represented.

Lopez's case now goes to attorney Stephen Carter, and Komnith Moth, who has acted previously as an attorney for Stone, will defend him in this case.

Judge Richard Martin was set to hear the arraignment on Friday, but Lopez invoked his right to a peremptory disqualification under California Code of Civil Procedure Section 170.6, making the request verbally and not in writing at the hearing.

While most requests to disqualify a judge require cause, CCP Section 170.6 allows the defendant to offer no factual basis to a belief that the judge has a bias in their case. A defendant can take the action only once in an entire proceeding.

Martin stepped down and the case went to presiding Judge David Herrick, who handled the remainder of the hearing and scheduled the next court appearance for 8:15 a.m. Tuesday, July 26, before Judge Stephen Hedstrom in Clearlake, Carter said.

At that time, Stone is expected to enter a plea, as he didn't enter a plea on Friday, Carter said. Both Braden and Lopez have already entered not guilty pleas.

Carter said that at the next hearing a date for a preliminary hearing for all three will be set. Braden's previously scheduled Aug. 1 preliminary hearing was vacated on Friday.

Anderson has previously said he was looking at trying all three men together, and while Carter said it appears that might be how the case is handled, that hasn't yet been finally determined.

Rhoades said Friday that since the defense attorneys haven't received all of the case's discovery evidence for review, the preliminary hearing could come as late as early October.

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From left, court officials are still determining who will be defense counsel for, from left, Paul Braden, Orlando Lopez and Kevin Stone, who are being charged with murder and a host of other charges for a deadly shooting in Clearlake, Calif., that left a 4-year-old boy dead and five others wounded. Lake County Jail photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two of the three suspects in a Clearlake shooting that killed a child and wounded several others will be in court on Friday.

Paul William Braden, 21, and Orlando Joseph Lopez, 23, both of Clearlake Oaks, are scheduled for an 8:15 a.m. hearing Friday at which the court is going to determine who will be their defense attorneys, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.

The third suspect in the case, Kevin Ray Stone, 29, of Clearlake – who was arrested last week in Sonoma County – was transported to Lake County and booked into the Hill Road Correctional Facility shortly before 4 p.m. Thursday, with bail set at $1,510,000, according to booking records.

With Stone back in Lake County, he's scheduled for a July 11 arraignment, although Anderson said Thursday that he hopes to get Stone moved up in the court calendar to coordinate with the Friday court appearances of his codefendants. He's not yet been assigned defense counsel.

The three men are charged with murder and a lengthy list of other charges – including assault with a deadly weapon, mayhem and attempted murder – for the June 18 shooting that left 4-year-old Skyler Rapp dead and five others injured.

If convicted, each of the three men could face about a dozen life sentences, according to court documents.

Stone had been on the run for almost two weeks when he was arrested in Sonoma County last week along with his 25-year-old girlfriend, Leighann Painchaud, after sheriff's deputies there acted on an anonymous tip that pointed to a Santa Rosa location, as Lake County News has reported.

The couple was found in a stolen Ford Explorer that Painchaud is alleged to have taken from Clearlake. Clearlake Police had said the vehicle was reported stolen on June 29.

Painchaud posted bail on the vehicle theft charge on July 2 and was released, according to a Sonoma County Jail staffer.

Stone was transported back to Lake County on Thursday, a day before the end of the seven-day deadline in which police indicated he had to be bring him back.

“It was my understanding he was fighting the transfer to Lake County,” said Anderson, who is personally prosecuting the case.

Court documents indicate that the men are each facing 15 principal and subordinate counts – from murder to assault with a deadly weapon. There also are numerous special allegations lodged against each.

The charges against Stone include an allegation that he was in possession of a shotgun after having been convicted in July 2010 of assault with a deadly weapon.

Braden is charged with having a previous felony conviction in October 2008 for burglary, which sent him to state prison. He was paroled in that case on June 7, less than two weeks before the shooting, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.

Defense attorney Jacob Zamora had been appointed to represent Braden, but due to a conflict left the case on Wednesday, Anderson said.

Defense attorney Doug Rhoades, assigned to Lopez, said the nature of the case – with three codefendants – has resulted in a few attorneys not being able to offer representation due to conflicts.

Rhoades, who previously represented Braden, expects to switch from Lopez to Braden on Friday as one way of handling the conflicts that have arisen due to the intertwining prosecutions.

“It's just logistics,” Rhoades explained.

Anderson said parts of the investigation continue to come into his office from the Clearlake Police Department.

“The majority of the hard part is done,” he said, adding that some “technical aspects” remain unfinished on the case.

The following is a list of charges for the defendants in the case based on the initial June 22 filing – which Anderson provided on Thursday – which specifically names Braden and Stone. The District Attorney's Office has indicated that Lopez will be similarly charged.

Count one: Murder, for death of Skyler Rapp

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a firearm causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing a serious and violent felony.

Count two: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Skyler Rapp)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury on a child under age 5.

Count three: Attempted murder with premeditation (victim, Desiree Kirby)

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing count three to become a serious and violent felony.

Count four: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Desiree Kirby)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury, causing count four to become a serious felony.

Count five: Mayhem (victim, Desiree Kirby)

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Count six: Attempted murder with premeditation (victim, Andrew Sparks)

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing count six to become a serious and violent felony.

Count seven: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Andrew Sparks)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury, causing count seven to become a serious felony.

Count eight: Mayhem (victim, Andrew Sparks)

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Count nine: Attempted murder with premeditation (victim, Joseph Armijo)

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing count nine to become a serious and violent felony.

Count 10: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Joseph Armijo)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury, causing count 10 to become a serious felony.

Count 11: Attempted murder with premeditation (victim, Ian Griffith)

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing count 11 to become a serious and violent felony.

Count 12: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Ian Griffith)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury, causing count 12 to become a serious felony.

Count 13: Attempted murder with premeditation (victim, Ross Sparks)

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun, causing great bodily injury.

Special allegation: Use of a firearm causing count 13 to become a serious and violent felony.

Count 14: Assault with a deadly weapon, a firearm (victim, Ross Sparks)

Special allegation: Personally using a firearm.

Special allegation: Personally inflicting great bodily injury, causing count 14 to become a serious felony.

Count 15: Discharge of a firearm at an inhabited dwelling at 14034 Lakeshore Drive, Clearlake.

Special allegation: Personally and intentionally discharging a shotgun which proximately caused great bodily injury to Skyler Rapp, Desiree Kirby, Andrew Sparks, Joseph Armijo, Ian Griffith and Ross Sparks.

Stone only

Count 16: Felon in possession of a firearm after having been convicted within 10 years of assault with a deadly weapon.

Braden only

Prior prison term: That subject had served a prison term for burglary within five years of the June 18 shooting incident.

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 .

WASHINGTON, DC – Deputy Agriculture Secretary Kathleen Merrigan has announced that applications are being accepted for grants to provide economic assistance to independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives and agricultural producer groups through the Value-Added Producer Grant Program.

"By creating value-added products, farmers and ranchers can expand economic opportunities, create jobs and keep wealth in rural communities," Merrigan said. "These funding opportunities will promote business expansion and entrepreneurship by helping local businesses get access to capital, technical assistance and new markets for their products and services."

For example, in Caroline County, Md., Richard and Wenfei Uva owners of Seaberry Farm received a Value-Added Producer Grant to expand their processing capacity to produce beach plum jams and jellies, juice, and puree for retail and wholesale markets.

The Beach plum, Prunus maritime, is a native fruiting shrub that grows in coastal sand dunes from southern Maine to Maryland. Seaberry Farm planted three acres of Beach plum in 2006 and will double the acreage in 2011.

Located in Oxnard, Calif., San Miguel Produce is owned by Roy Nishimori and Jan Berk, independent producers of organic and conventional cooking greens.

In 2009, they received a Value-Added Producer Grant for socially disadvantaged farmers and ranchers. With this grant, San Miguel Produce has been able to expand markets for their "Cut 'n Clean Green" products and increase revenues.

Application deadline is Aug. 29. For further details about eligibility rules and application procedures, see the June 28, 2011, Federal Register.

Value-Added Producer Grants may be used for feasibility studies or business plans, working capital for marketing value-added agricultural products and for farm-based renewable energy projects.

Eligible applicants include independent producers, farmer and rancher cooperatives, and agricultural producer groups.

Value-added products are created when a producer increases the consumer value of an agricultural commodity in the production or processing stage.

In June, the President signed an Executive Order establishing the first WHRC chaired by Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.

To better coordinate federal programs and maximize the impact of Federal investment, the White House Rural Council will work throughout government to create policies to promote economic prosperity and a high quality of life in our rural communities.

USDA, through its Rural Development mission area, administers and manages housing, business and community infrastructure and facility programs through a national network of state and local offices. Rural Development has an existing portfolio of more than $150 billion in loans and loan guarantees. These programs are designed to improve the economic stability of rural communities, businesses, residents, farmers and ranchers and improve the quality of life in rural America.

Visit http://www.rurdev.usda.gov for additional information about the agency's programs or to locate the USDA Rural Development office nearest you.

WASHINGTON, DC – Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack on Friday announced appointments to the reactivated Advisory Committee on Biotechnology and 21st Century Agriculture, or AC21.

Appointees will initially serve one or two-year terms, and may be reappointed to serve up to six consecutive years.

“This advisory committee will come together to continue investigating the challenges of coexistence among different forms of agricultural production,” said Vilsack. “I hope this committee will recommend workable solutions that will enhance the ability of all farmers to grow the crops they want in order to effectively meet the needs of their customers.”

The AC21 is composed of 22 members from 16 states. The members represent the biotechnology industry, the organic food industry, farming communities, the seed industry, food manufacturers, state government, consumer and community development groups, the medical profession, and academic researchers.

Russell C. Redding, Interim Dean of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Delaware Valley College, in Aspers, Penn., will serve as Chair of the AC21.

The other members of the AC21 are:

– Isaura Andaluz, executive director, Cuatro Puertas, Albuquerque, N.M.;

– Paul C. Anderson, executive director, International Programs, Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, St. Louis, Mo.;

– Laura L. Batcha, chief of policy and external relations, Organic Trade Association, Putney, Vt.;

– Charles M. Benbrook, chief scientist, The Organic Center, Enterprise, Ore.;

– Barry R. Bushue, farmer, vice-president of the American Farm Bureau Federation and President of the Oregon Farm Bureau, Boring, Ore.;

– Daryl D. Buss, Dean, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Wisconsin, Madison, Wis.;

– Lynn E. Clarkson, farmer and president, Clarkson Grain Co., Cerro Gordo, Ill.;

– Leon C. Corzine, farmer, Assumption, Ill.;

– Michael S. Funk, chairman, United Natural Foods, Inc., Nevada City, Calif.;

– Douglas C. Goehring, North Dakota Commissioner of Agriculture, Menoken, N.D.;

– Melissa L. Hughes, corporate counsel and director, Government Affairs, CROPP Cooperative/ Organic Valley Family of Farms, Viroqua, Wis.;

– Darrin Ihnen, farmer and chair, National Corn Growers Association, Hurley, S.D.;

– Gregory A. Jaffe, director, Biotechnology Project, Center for Science in the Public Interest, McLean, Va.;

– David W. Johnson, assistant director of research, Cal/West Seeds, La Crosse, Wis.;

– Keith F. Kisling, farmer and chairman, Oklahoma Wheat Commission, Burlington, Okla.;

– Josephine O. (Josette) Lewis, director, Agricultural Development, Arcadia Biosciences, Davis, Calif.;

– Mary-Howell R. Martens, farmer and manager, Lakeview Organic Grain LLC, Penn Yan, N.Y.;

– Marty D. Matlock, professor of Ecological Engineering, Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Ark.;

– Angela M. Olsen, senior advisor and associate general counsel, DuPont Co. and Pioneer Hi-Bred, Arlington, Va.;

– Jerome B. Slocum, farmer and president, North Mississippi Grain Co., Coldwater, Miss.;

– Latresia A. Wilson, Vice-President, Black Farmers and Agriculturalists Association, Florida Chapter, farmer, and physician, Ocala, Fla.

Containment is based on the fact that California has gone more than 14 days from the last clinical case onset date without a confirmed clinical case of EHV-1.

“I want to thank California’s horse owners and veterinarians for their prompt and thorough actions to isolate and monitor exposed animals and contain this outbreak of EHV-1,” said State Veterinarian Dr. Annette Whiteford. “We also owe the success of this project in part to the outstanding isolation biosecurity measures implemented by horse facility managers, show/event managers and other professionals who work with and care for horses.”

California horse owners are urged to remain vigilant as there is always risk of disease when horses of unknown health status are commingled at one location.

Consistent, basic biosecurity practices play an important role in reducing risk of exposure to diseases such as influenza, strangles, pigeon fever, or equine herpes virus.

By implementing the biosecurity measures below, you can minimize disease risk:

• Minimize horse nose-to-nose contact with horses of unknown disease status.

• Don’t share equipment including buckets, tack and grooming equipment.

• Avoid using communal water troughs.

• Fill water buckets directly from the faucet to eliminate potential hose contamination.

• Limit human contact between horses or wash hands or use hand sanitizer between horse contacts.

• Prior to returning home from an event, clean and disinfect all equipment, including trailer, clothing and tack grooming supplies.

• Isolate all new horses or horses returning home for a minimum of three weeks. Isolation means no direct contact with other horses or humans and no indirect contact via shared equipment.

• Consult your veterinarian to establish appropriate vaccination for your horse(s).

Horse owners are strongly encouraged to consult their veterinarian regarding these steps and others to determine how best to reduce the risk of your horse acquiring an infectious disease.

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