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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY – For an intrepid band of Lake County musicians, stardom could be just around the corner.
For the last seven months, Faded At Four has been among thousands of bands across the United States, Canada and Europe battling to win a $1 million recording contract.
Band members include guitarists Brian Kenner of Lakeport and Chris Murphy of Kelseyville, bass guitarist Martin Scheel of Lower Lake, drummer Chris “Pencil” Sanders of Clearlake, and lead singer and Upper Lake native Jon Foutch.
Foutch said the band got into the Bodog Battle of the Bands last June, a competition that he said started with 4,500 bands.
Faded At Four submitted a profile, a picture and a single to join the competition, much of which has taken place through Internet voting, he explained.
In the San Francisco region, where Faded At Four is competing, Internet voting quickly took the band to a No. 1 ranking.
“We were absolutely floored,” said Foutch.
The band, which has an “aggressive” rock/metal sound, soon finished third nationwide in the online voting, said Foutch.
The competition then moved into live performances. During the third round of the competition, held Sunday at San Francisco's Great American Music Hall for the western region, Faded At Four placed second overall, said Foutch.
The performance was witnessed by three busloads of fans who made the trip to San Francisco, said Foutch.
“The energy level was through the roof,” he said.
It's been a year of hard work and success for Faded At Four, whose original members joined forces five years ago, said Foutch. The band in its current form has been together for two years.
Foutch, who attended American River College and Sonoma State, met Scheel while in college.
Eventually, they decided that they wanted to form a band.
“I'd figured out at some point after I'd gotten out of school that I could sing,” said Foutch, who was born and raised in Lake County and works as the facility administrator of the local dialysis clinic.
Besides singing he played drums for the band in the beginning. “It wasn't pretty,” he laughed.
Then the band met up at a party with Sanders, who joined as their drummer.
Last summer, opportunities began coming together for Faded At Four, which had been playing at Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa, said Foutch.
After regular appearances at the resort – playing in its clubs, showroom and amphitheater – Faded At Four was asked to open for Kid Rock during X.S. Weekend, an important accomplishment for the band, Foutch said.
Faded At Four is one of 48 U.S. bands now poised for the next round in the Bodog Battle of the Bands competition, which Foutch said will be televised on the Fuse Network.
On March 12, the band is set to compete with other 11 West Coast bands at The Avalon Club in Hollywood, said Foutch. From that performance, one winning band will emerge.
The West Coast winner will then advance to a final round of 10 bands – one from each of the four U.S. regions – based in San Francisco, Oklahoma, Denver and New York – plus five bands chosen from Europe and Canada.
There also will be one wild card spot. The 44 U.S. bands that are left after the top four are chosen will compete for that spot through online voting, said Foutch.
The competition – which he said has been likened to “Survivor” for bands – will then move into a reality television format.
“It's getting unbelievably competitive,” he said, adding that there are many great bands in the competition.
Faded At Four's members practice individually all the time, and get together twice a week to practice together, Foutch said.
Besides the hard work and talent, the band credits its network of fans and supporters for helping it advance this far.
“The fans have been so important to us,” said Foutch.
They're hoping to organize a trip for fans to Hollywood for March's phase of the competition, he said.
The farther along they advance, the more real it all gets, said Foutch. “This can really, really happen.”
Winning, he added, isn't necessary to benefit from the competition. The visibility it generates brings with it other chances. “It affords us a really, really good opportunity.”
Most of the band members have wives and children, and Foutch – a dad himself – said the decision to compete and take a shot at fame wasn't made lightly.
Ultimately, he said, they want to offer better lives for their families.
Foutch said friends of the band are joking about someday being able to say they “knew them when.” But for Foutch, Lake County will always be home.
“There's no place that I'd rather live than I live right now,” said Foutch, who lives in a home built by his ancestors.
If fame comes his way, Foutch said, “You take anybody and everyone you love with you.”
To learn more about Faded At Four, how to support the group in the Bodog Battle of the Bands or to hear the band's music, visit www.fadedatfour.com. You can also visit the band's MySpace page at www.myspace.com/fadedatfour.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The California Victim Compensation Board and Government Claims Board has released its annual report compiling various statistics regarding victims throughout California.
Also contained in the report is a tally of claims submitted by all 58 counties regarding victims of violent crime.
Lake County ranks 28th of all 58 counties for applications received from the District Attorney's Victim-Witness Division, which submitted 358 for fiscal year 2006-07, according to the report.
Napa ranked 26th, submitting 223; Mendocino ranked 41st with 136 applications; and Sonoma was listed at 14th, with 860 applications, the report noted.
Claims are submitted through local Victim-Witness centers for crimes including child abuse, elder abuse, domestic violence, drunk driving with injuries and any crime committed against a person.
Applicants submit claims to receive reimbursement from the Restitution Fund that defendants are ordered to pay into upon any conviction.
“Restitution fines are ordered for all defendants upon conviction of a misdemeanor or felony and vary in amount – the limit being $10,000 for felonies, $1,000 for misdemeanors,” explained Lake County Victim-Witness Director Sam Laird in a statement from his office. “This is not ‘taxpayers' dollars’ in the traditional sense of the word.”
Reimbursements to victims include costs associated with medical/dental bills, mental health therapy and relocation, Laird explained.
“I know our staff is doing everything possible to make sure that all victims are offered compensation through the board, some counties are just not as active as Lake because of lack of funding or staff,” said Laird. “The support we receive from our District Attorney and all members of the DA’s Office and local law enforcement makes this possible.”
The number is just a small fraction of the new victims that Lake County Victim-Witness helps, said Laird.
Laird says the office helps between 1,000 and 1,300 new victims annually. When Laird joined Victim-Witness in 2001, he said the office was serving between 800 and 1,000 victims annually.
Not all victims qualify for the program and some decline to apply, he added.
In the 2006-07 fiscal year, $299,026 was reimbursed to people who were victimized in Lake County, Laird reported. In comparison, victim reimbursement was $186,282 in 2005-06; $93,614 for2004-05; and $181,813 for 2003-04.
“I am very pleased with the report,” said District Attorney Jon Hopkins. “Our Victim-Witness Division is so active, doing everything possible to ensure that victims are not left behind or fall through the cracks of the criminal justice system, and our entire office is organized to maximize the benefits to the victims.”
For more information about the Victim Compensation Board and Government Claims Board visit www.boc.ca.gov.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Jes Shoaf, 36, of Lucerne and Grant Murray, 73, of Upper Lake were hurt in the crash, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia.
Garcia said that Shoaf was walking from south to north across Highway 20 at the intersection with the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff at 5:49 p.m. when he was hit by a 2002 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Murray, who was traveling westbound.
Murray – who was ejected from the motorcycle and sustained moderate injuries – was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital by Northshore Fire Protection District's Nice ambulance, Garcia reported.
Northshore Fire personnel also transported Shoaf to Sutter Lakeside, said Garcia. Shoaf sustained major injuries.
Garcia said Shoaf is believed to have been under the influence of alcohol at the time of collision.
Officer Mark Barnes is investigating the incident, Garcia reported.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The Clearlake Oaks Community Town Hall meeting will take place beginning at 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 20 at the Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge, 15900 E. Highway 20 (near the intersection of Highway 20 and 53).
County staff will provide updates on the redevelopment process; local projects, including The Plaza, community parks, Clark's Island and progress on the trail system; and other issues.
The agenda includes an open forum to discuss issues of interest to the community of Clearlake Oaks.
Rushing also will deliver the a “State of the County” report for District 3.
Free tables will be set up for local groups, businesses or organizations wishing to distribute informational literature.
Parking at the Moose lodge is limited, so carpooling is encouraged.
Many thanks to the moose lodge for donating the space for this community meeting!
Upcoming town halls along the Northshore are scheduled for 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 27, at Pine Acres Resort in Blue Lakes; and 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, at the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center.
For more information contact District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing, telephone 263-2368 or e-mail
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