How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
LAKEPORT – Five of Lake County's new favorite sons rocked more than 220 of their biggest fans Saturday night, just 10 days before they're scheduled to participate in a huge battle of the bands showdown in Los Angeles.
The result of that competition is worth a million bucks – and a recording contract.
Nearly a fabled group, Faded at Four – Jon Foutch, Chris Murphy, Brian Kenner, Martin “Martan” Scheel and Chris “Pencil” Sanders – have managed during the past year or so to best more than 4,000 other bands invited to the Bodog Battle of the Bands, competition covering the entire country, Canada and Europe.
Their competition, now reduced to a dozen or so, continues in LA with the final eight bands participating in a reality-based TV show that will have the bands competing for national exposure as well as a recording contract and a cash prize of $1 million.
The band, together for more than five years, has yet to score big on the money side of the business. But they have multitudes of fans who crisscross all age groups.
They have a heavy metal sound that includes dynamic lyrics, and timely social and political statements.
I can’t wait to remind people ... I knew them when!
E-mail Harold LaBonte at
{mos_sb_discuss:5}
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Ivan Garcia Oliver, 30, charged with the Nov. 20 murder of 67-year-old Michael Dodele, was in court Monday, said Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.
The Monday court appearance was to set the preliminary trial date, which Hinchcliff reported will be May 13.
Oliver is accused of stabbing Dodele multiple times in the chest with a knife, as Lake County News has reported. The two men lived at the Western Hills Mobile Home Park in the unincorporated area of Lakeport.
The May court date will follow Oliver's next appearance in federal court in Southern California, where he has been indicted for an illegal dumping case.
Melanie Pierson, an assistant attorney with the US Department of Justice, said Oliver was arraigned in Southern California on the illegal dumping charges on Feb. 15, and will return in April for motions and trial setting.
Pierson said the process in the federal court should be fairly rapid; typically, a trial is scheduled within a month of the trial setting and motions. “It's not a long story, it's a short story,” she said.
Oliver and his half-brother are accused of dumping toxic materials into a San Diego County creek in the spring of 2005, not long after Oliver was released from state prison.
He had spent two years in prison for a 2003 conviction for felony assault with a deadly weapon with force likely to cause great bodily injury. Oliver had stabbed a security guard at a restaurant where he and some friends had attempted to skip out on the bill, as Lake County News has reported.
Pierson said the federal trial and any possible sentencing that might result won't interfere with Oliver's murder trial in Lake County.
“He would complete his proceedings in Lake County before he would be sent anywhere,” she said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Lake County’s January 2008 unemployment rate was 10.4 percent, up 0.8 percent from December, and 0.7 percent above the year-ago, January 2007 rate, according to Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's North Coast region Labor Market Information Division.
The comparable California and U.S. rates were 6.3 and 5.4 percent respectively, Mullins reported.
Some surrounding county rates included 7.2 percent for Mendocino, and 5.2 percent for Sonoma. Marin had the lowest rate in the State with 4.0 percent and Colusa had the highest at 19.6 percent.
Lake County's unemployment rate ranked it at 40th out of the state's 58 counties.
Total industry employment increased 940 jobs (7.1 percent) between January 2007 and January 2008, ending the year-over period with 14,270, according to Mullins.
Mullins noted that year-over job growth occurred in farm; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; private educational and health services; other services; and government.
Year-over job losses occurred in natural resources, mining, and construction; professional and business services; and leisure and hospitality, Mullins reported.
The information industry was the only sector with no change over the year, Mullins added.
The government sector led industry gainers adding 760 jobs over the year, Mullins said. Farm and private educational and health services were up 220 and 110, respectively. Trade, transportation and utilities increased 40. Manufacturing and financial activities each gained 20 and other services added 10.
Natural resources, mining and construction led decliners, dropping 100 jobs, according to Mullins. Professional and business services and leisure and hospitality were down 90 and 50, respectively.
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The Gang Awareness Town Hall meeting will take place from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, 5430 Third St.
The meeting is sponsored by the Lake County Gang Task Force, which is made up of individuals from the Lakeport Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Lake County Sheriffs Office and the Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission, according to Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention Commission chairperson Kathleen Sheckells.
CHP Officers Adam Garcia and Mike Humble, Lakeport Police Detective Norm Taylor, as well as a former gang members and other gang experts are scheduled to address the participants.
Topics will include a basic gang lifestyle orientation; a history lesson on Lake County gang activity, with an emphasis on ways to recognize when youngsters may be most influenced by the gang lifestyle;
current activities of various local gangs; and how to recognize true gang members by their clothing, behavior and communication techniques.
Event coordinator Katherine Rose encourages non-English speaking parents and families to attend as wireless headphones will be available through which English-to-Spanish translation will be available.
Pizza and soft drinks are provided for guests at no cost.
For more information about the event, contact Kathleen Sheckells, 262-1611, Extension 111.
E-mail Harold LaBonte at
{mos_sb_discuss:2}
