2013 Local News Archive Stories

Cellphones are usually banned in school, but now they are replacing classrooms. The seats will remain empty in Colusa High School English teacher Rebecca Changus's classroom as she facilitates summer school to about 70 students through a digital learning platform. RedHawk attendees are three weeks in to the school's first all-onl

Community organizations and crafters outnumbered the produce vendors at the opening Farmers Market in Colusa on Monday — but participants believe things will pick up. Shela Lee and her sister, Nancy Lee, both of Marysville, made enough money at the market last year to return for a second season in Colusa. And despite the lo

A pile of almond shells that caught fire Saturday is still burning this week, creating billows of smoke at the base of the western foothills between Arbuckle and Williams. The cause of the fire is listed as spontaneous combustion, Arbuckle Fire Chief Casey Cox said. Almond shell or hull piles are a common threat in Colusa County,

Results from various Colusa County Fair competitions continue to trickle in more than a week after the 74th annual expo closed its gates on another four-day run. Among the winners are Pamela Griffith, sweepstakes quilts; Beverly Morgan, sweepstakes preserved foods; Alma Hickel, sweepstakes baked goods and confections; John Vafis, floricu

Contributions for this year's Fourth of July fireworks display are needed. It costs about $12,000 to put on the event each year, and that is with a lot of volunteer time, including Ralph Keeley, who is in charge of setting off the fireworks. Businesses and individuals are encouraged to contribute. The event is held under

Fire restrictions have been imposed in the Mendocino National Forest "due to dry conditions and increased risk of wildfires," the U.S. Forest Service announced Tuesday. "The rugged terrain that makes the Mendocino such a remarkable place can be very conducive to the rapid spread of wildfire, especially this year when the forest is exceed

To the thousands of Portuguese people living in the Sacramento Valley, Sunday's festa in Orland was a celebration of thanksgiving, faith and keeping alive the traditions that have survived for more than 700 years. The 70th annual event was also all about the queens — including the 1952 queen from Maxwell. "The dinner was so

A man led California Highway Patrol on an hour-long car chase that took them through two counties on Tuesday morning. Alerted to a report that a 2001 Dodge Ram pickup had been stolen from the ACE Hardware store in Cottonwood about 9:15 a.m., a CHP patrol unit in Tehama County spotted a pickup matching the description of the stolen truck

The agency that oversees special education programs in Colusa County was one vote shy this week of approving a budget that does not include funding to cover expenses at the Education Village. The amended Special Education Local Plan Area 2013-14 budget removes $70,000 from the operations and maintenance category, which would hav

Sgt. Mike Bradwell stood on the shore of East Park Reservoir with the family and friends of drowning victim Joey Saephan in 2009 as they waited four hours for the Yuba County Dive Team to retrieve the body. That incident emphasized the need for Colusa County Sheriff's Department to re-establish its own team. That same year, the d

As two suspected gang members face murder charges in Colusa County, the District Attorney's Office said gang activity is increasing in the last few years. Earlier this week, Tyler Edward Stirling, 19, of Colusa, was arrested on suspicion of threatening a female witness in a case in which Stirling has been charged with beating up a juveni

Two plans to transfer groundwater out of Colusa County to the San Joaquin Valley have received tentative approval, but one raised concerns about potential impacts to the water table. The Colusa County Groundwater Commission had a final vote scheduled for this week, but it was canceled due to a lack of a quorum. A new meeting will be sche

Davis Mayor pro Tem Dan Wolk announced he will seek the District 4 Assembly seat in 2014. The official announcement actually will come today at a 10 a.m. event in Sycamore Park in Davis, where he will outline his campaign and policy goals. "I look forward to launching my campaign (today) at Willett Elementary surrounded by friend

The Sportsman Club on Fifth Street in Colusa was burglarized in the early morning hours Monday, continuing a trend of break-ins and thefts at the business. Around 4 a.m., a man broke into the bar and took a game machine off the bar, said Colusa police Officer Sara Martin. The police have video footage of the event, but the suspec

Shifting winds and dry conditions continue to hamper firefighter efforts to beat down a blaze that has consumed more than 300 acres of Mendocino National Forest lands. No structures are threatened in the remote terrain. As of Friday morning, the U.S. Forest Service said the fire is 30 percent contained. "The fire is burning in de

Jerry and Irmalee Schumacher of Colusa will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends at a barbecue the park on Saturday. She is the former Irmalee Wiggins. They met while students at Cal Poly, San Luis Obispo. They were married at the Mission San Luis Obispo on June 16, 1963. The first year of their marrie

If you think grass is just that green stuff you mow, you have not met the ornamental grasses. Their rustling leaves, waving flower heads, and soft billowy shapes give gardens a grace and liveliness few other plants can match. Because of it durability and versatility, ornamental grass is being used more and more frequently in home and bus

The state has allocated $2 million to repave 4.6 miles of Highway 20 from east of the Colusa Basin bridge to Sioc Street, the California Transportation Commission announced this week. The project will be going out to bid over the summer, with a contract expected to be in place by early September, Caltrans said. The work is expect

It's been several years since the curtain came down at the Glenn County Theatre Company. The Laurel Street theater doors have been closed since "Alibis" in 2009. But Madelyn Coffman and Adam Carter hope to breathe new life into the troupe, when they present "Oz the Musical" beginning on Friday. "We hope this will be the f

Davis Mayor pro Tem Dan Wolk announced he will seek the District 4 Assembly seat in 2014. The official announcement actually will come Saturday at a 10 a.m. event in Sycamore Park in Davis, where he will outline his campaign and policy goals. “I look forward to launching my campaign on Saturday at Willett Elementary surroun

CalFire and other fire crews are battling a blaze in the Daves Ridge area of the Mendocino National Forest, about 40 miles west of Orland. The blaze had consumed close to 300 acres as of Thursday afternoon, but no structures are threatened in the remote terrain. “Visitors are asked to avoid the area for both firefighter and

Adding to Saturday's heat, buyers at the Junior Livestock Auction were on fire, setting a record in total sales at $941,125. That is a 25 percent increase over last year's total of $757,298 with just 40 more animals, said Colusa County Fair CEO Susan Clark. "Something about ag people or maybe just ag people around here, they say,

Beating the heat was the name of the game at the Colusa County Fair — and for some, that meant staying away. Fair attendance was down 16 percent, with admissions at 16,700 this year. Last year, fair admissions were 18,500. "It was a tough fair," said CEO Susan Clark. Clark said the temperature was so unbearable Satu

She is known for her strong singing voice fronting cover songs from the 1960s, '70s, '80s and new country in her Taylor Swift cover band, but Colusa native Kaylee Starr Poppinga is blossoming with her own music. Poppinga, whose performance name is Kaylee Starr, recently came out with her first four-song album, called "Ten Feet off the Sa