2013 Local News Archive Stories

Full-time fishing guide Kevin Brock spends eight hours a day, 300 days a year on the water. "Wherever the fish are biting, that's where I go," Brock said. He arrived in Colusa about two weeks ago and will be leading striper trips on the Sacramento and Feather rivers for another month. "If the water gets too warm here, or

The camaraderie between the female characters in "Steel Magnolias" is one reason some local women chose to audition for the play, which is this season's Stagehands Theater production. The camaraderie backstage between cast members is another. "Steel Magnolias" is a story of a group of women who support each other through the wedd

Students of Pierce High School in Arbuckle intimately witnessed a mock crash scene of a drunk driving accident in front of their school today as part of the "Every 15 Minutes" program organized by the California Highway Patrol. The purpose of the two-day event is to, "take a proactive step educating local high school students about makin

The first of five elm trees marked for removal along 10th Street in Colusa started to come down Wednesday morning — and the work was scheduled to be done Friday. Traffic on 10th Street, which is part of Highway 20 and therefore falls under the state's jurisdiction, was limited to one lane during the work. The trees were dec

Those attending the Sacramento Valley Museum's 50th anniversary ceremony this Saturday will get the first views of the new research and reading room — and a new garden. The anniversary ceremony will include Supervisor Mark Marshall, Williams City Councilman John Troughton and a presentation by the Colusa County Chamber of Commerce.

They are coming from as far away as Texas, Montana and New Mexico to Tehama County with big hopes of big sales and big dollars. Hundreds of people in the cattle, horse and livestock dog business will gather at the Tehama District Fairground next week for the 72nd Red Bluff Bull and Gelding Sale. They come to see old friends, talk

An ad-hoc committee of the Colusa County Board of Supervisors will be appointed to review the county's animal shelter needs and coordinate that project with the plans for a new juvenile detention center. The two projects are linked by a piece of land. The animal shelter sits on property that will be the likely location of the new

With the global population projected to be 9 billion people by 2050, and a mass movement from rural to urban areas across the globe, food producers in California can expect a growing demand for their products. Vernon Crowder, the senior vice president and agricultural economist at Robobank’s Food and Agribusiness Research and Advis

Students planning to pursue careers as farmers, ranchers or in other agricultural occupations may apply for 2013 California Farm Bureau Scholarship Foundation scholarships. The deadline to submit an application is March 1. Applications are available at www.cfbf.com/programs /scholar. Applicants must be students who are Farm Burea

Large shading elm trees lining the broad streets in front of grand old homes give Colusa a special character. But five of those elms will be removed this month for hazard and liability reasons. Caltrans is scheduled to remove the trees on 10th Street near Oak Street on Feb. 19-21. Drivers can expect delays and possible ro

One man has been arrested and allegedly stolen vehicles, guns, trailers and other equipment were seized this week after Tehama County sheriff's deputies busted a suspected chop shop near the Glenn and Tehama counties border. Jesse Allan Janto, 31, who investigators believe ran the chop shop, was arrested without incident by Chico police

Robert "Bobby" Alvernaz was named Williams Firefighter of the Year on Saturday, one of three awards handed out during the annual Ladies Night at the fire station. Keenan Jorge received Senior Firefighter of the Year, and Sal Covarrubias received the Fire Chief's Award. New firefighters were also recognized by Fire Chief Jeff Gilbert.

A vast collection of photographs inspires the work of Cheryl Caldwell whose equine and canine artwork comes out looking like the real thing. The Durham artist says she has been enamored with horses her whole life, but painting them on site is difficult. So she paints them from photographs taken in her back yard or at her neighbor

By Missy Beavers For Tri-County Newspapers Millions of people have a love affair with diet soda. The cold, bubbly, beverage is a scheduled event in many of our days. We have been led to believe that it is better to drink a diet soda over a regular version to avoid the calories and enjoy a guilt free pleasure, but many of

I have always had deep love for butter. As a child, I was often found hiding under the table snacking on a stick of the oily delicacy. When I was 10 years old, the margarine craze hit the media, demonizing my beloved butter as a cause of heart disease. Overnight, the butter that I loved so dearly was swept from our table and replaced wit

Colusa County Supervisors Mark Marshall and Kim Dolbow Vann will head up an ad-hoc committee that will coordinate the development of a new animal shelter with related issues. The committee will also include representatives from the county Sheriff's and Probation departments. "I had supported a more central location, possibly in W

An increase of burglaries in Arbuckle was the main focus of an active community meeting with the Colusa County Sheriff's Department on Thursday night. In the last six months, 29 burglaries in Arbuckle have been reported, according to department records. Thirteen of those occurred since Jan. 1. The thefts occurred mostly a

An Arbuckle Bible study group is assembling care packages to send to military men and women who are serving overseas. Donna Phelan and Mike Croxson, members of the First Presbyterian Church, are heading the effort to gather items that the soldiers can share with their fellow troops. In addition to items like cards and gum, they a

Arbuckle residents are on high alert due to an increase in burglaries — and are using social media as a platform for a new kind of neighborhood watch. Curtis Gravance was upstairs in his rural Arbuckle home on Wednesday afternoon when he saw a late-model blue Chevrolet pickup in the driveway. He and his wife, Shelly Sax-Gra

Dane Nissen was critical of all the solar company representatives in Priuses approaching Strain Ranch in Arbuckle where he is the warehouse manager. "I've seen 25 of these guys in a month. Almost all of these guys are selling contracts to larger companies," said Nissen. His boss, Rick Strain, had been equally frustrated.

The Chico man who is the primary suspect in the armed robbery of the US Bank in Colusa in August, has pleaded guilty to two counts of second-degree burglary in Tehama County. Gary Dean Belcher, 57, a former Willows resident, entered the pleas as part of a deal with the Tehama District Attorney's Office. A special allegation of us

The two teens accused in the murder of a 14-year-old Colusa boy in August had three counts of attempted murder and other felony charges added against them in Colusa County Superior Court on Wednesday. Judge Jeffrey Thompson granted the district attorney's amended complaint over the objections of the defense attorneys. "This chang

Last year it was sea lions that entertained the Colusa County Fair crowds. This year kangaroos and others native to Australia will be the stars. "They are so unique to any other animal in the world, from their reproduction to how they hop," said Carolyn Lantz, who brings her show, "Aussie Kingdom," to the Colusa County Fair for the first

The Tehama County Sheriff's Department is investigating the deaths of a 7-month-old who died Sunday, and a 13-month-old who died in September. Lt. Dave Greer said the September death has been confirmed as a homicide, while the cause of the more recent death is still unknown. It is being called "suspicious," Greer said. Tw

With the close of a late white goose hunting season last week and the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge postseason hunt meeting on Friday, the sun has set on the waterfowl season until October. The season seemed to be hit or miss due to unfavorable weather and increased habitat, and while there was a low bird harvest ratio, there was a