2013 Top Story Archive Stories

Volunteers in the Stonyford community are keeping the East Park Resevoir open for recreation after the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation closed the lake due to automatic budget cuts from federal sequestration. Colusa County Supervisor Gary Evans found out East Park Resevoir was closed while driving by on May 10 and called the bureau to confirm.

After anticipating speaking at the 12th annual Stamp Out Stigma Wellness & Recovery Rally for months, Rob Wilson stood in front of a large crowd to tell his personal story of depression on Monday night. "It felt good to get it out. I didn't have any qualms. I'm not ashamed or embarrassed at all," he said after the event. Wils

The influence of environmental interests and state regulations on farmers in California were discussed in a joint town hall meeting with Assemblyman Dan Logue and Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada at the Colusa Theatre Thursday night. The event may have been the only bipartisan town hall of state legislators in California in five years, accord

Shirley Maupin had barely pinned up one quilt, when another was flapping loose in the stiff wind that greeted the May Surprise crowd on Saturday. But the wind did little to upset the good mood of the crowd that attended the event, which in addition to the Pacific Flyway Quilters show, also featured the annual wine tasting by the Friends

Fifth-generation rice farmer Derrick Ash depends on a lot of people and negotiates a lot of decisions to get his rice in the ground. And every year, there is a hitch. On Monday he sowed his fields — west of the Colusa National Wildlife Refuge — just ahead of the wind. "I did seed on Monday to beat the wind, bu

A group of Colusa High School aerospace students took to the tarmac Saturday to paint a compass rose next to the airstrip at the Colusa County Airport as part of a community service project. The students were joined by the director and members of The Ninety-Nines, an international organization of women pilots, of which Amelia Earhart was

Nevermore Farm in Arbuckle produces more than 50 kinds of fruits in addition to nuts, row crops and the same variety of wheat said to be grown by Joseph of Egypt 1,000 years ago. The farm, covering just over 9 acres, is Colusa County's only Community Supported Agriculture program. CSA is a program many small farms use to guarante

John Troughton was a member of the Williams Community Recreation Project when Lue "Lulu" Salter approached the group in the early 1960s about restoring the 1911 Williams Union High School building as a museum. Fifty years later, and hundreds of hours of volunteer time and ongoing restoration work, the Sacramento Valley Museum celebrated

The Williams City Council is considering an ordinance prohibiting feeding or providing water to feral cats. The ordinance introduced Wednesday would ban the feeding of the cats unless part of an approved program to trap the cats to be neutered or spayed. They would then be released. It would be the first such ordinance in Colusa

Tom Indrieri, owner of Tommy's Market Street Grill in downtown Colusa, is outraged that a state bill might require restaurants to conduct public health risk-assessments of products. "Even if just a portion of this were to go through, restaurants would go under because they can't pay the fees," Indrieri said. Sen. Mark DeSaulnier,

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

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

Colusa fire Capt. David Harbison lead a young boy and his mother into a smoke-filled room. "You're in the bedroom. It's the middle of the night. All of the sudden the smoke alarm goes off. What do you do?" he asked. The room was in the back of a mobile trailer borrowed from the Glenn County fire departments and is used for basic

Before the days that four-wheelers and helicopters could aid in search and rescue, the Colusa County Mounted Sheriff's Posse did the job on horseback. The organization has a rich history, and Manuel Barrett Jr. has been a member since the group's inception in 1958. Barrett, 85, of Princeton, recalled a search for three missing ch

After a short hiatus, developers of the Walker Ridge Wind Park are again moving forward with the project. AltaGas — a Calgary-based business — has filed a new plan with the US Bureau of Land Management in Ukiah to construct a wind park saddling Lake and Colusa counties on Walker Ridge. The plan includes 29 turbines, r

Leonardo Velazquez was 19 when he lost control of his vehicle after choosing to drive drunk. When his van rolled, his good friend, Jose Luis Vera Mendoza - who was not wearing a seat belt - was ejected from the vehicle and killed. "I found him face down in the roadway," Velazquez said. "I called his name, but he never responded."

Leonardo Velazquez was 19 when he lost control of his vehicle after choosing to drive drunk. When his van rolled, his good friend, Jose Luis Vera Mendoza - who was not wearing a seat belt - was ejected from the vehicle and killed. "I found him face down in the roadway," Velazquez said. "I called his name, but he never responded."

A circle of chairs created a center stage in the grass for performances of Samoan fire knife dancing, California Native American dancers representing the Grindstone Rancheria, and perhaps the first-ever performance by Cachil DeHe Band of Wintum Indians within the Colusa city limits. The crowd, about 200 people throughout the day, was lar

The Colusa City Council adopted a development plan on Tuesday for a river-centric downtown. "This is the most comprehensive study we've had. It fits the character of Colusa and it fits what our downtown is now," said Councilman Greg Ponciano. The outreach section of the plan suggests the city focus on riverfront development and l

A hunt for the oldest items at the Williams Antique Show & Sale revealed rich stories of English courtship rituals and home goods made of re-purposed pirate booty. Bill Shelton, owner of Stagecoach Antiques in Durham, said his 15th great-grandparents traveled to America on the Mayflower, giving birth to a son while aboard. Sh

Students and parents spoke through tears as they gave personal testimony in defense of a popular teacher and coach at Princeton High School who has not been retained for next school year. Protests of the decision were felt on campus throughout the week and three students were suspended due to activities related to the protests. &

About 9,430 feet below Colusa County's valley floor lies a hidden range of buttes. "Drilling in the valley has discovered some 'poor relatives' of the Buttes that never emerged from the thick valley sediments," said Walt Anderson in his 2004 book, "Inland Island: The Sutter Buttes." The range is thought to be about 4 miles west o

The Colusa City Council voted 3-2 to appoint Acting City Manager Randy Dunn to a one-year term as interim city manager on Tuesday. He will continue in his role as fire chief, as well. Dunn's appointment was a break from the ongoing recruitment process for the position, which included a list of criteria and qualifications for pote

About 30 people gathered at the Williams Farmers Market and Bazaar last Friday evening to discuss, among other things, the need to organize and gain Hispanic representation on the Williams City Council. Councilman John Troughton Jr. attended the meeting and addressed the crowd after leaders spoke about the need for people to come togethe

The Grimes Library seems to be sinking. Thick weight-bearing beams in the 30-year-old building appear to be rotting, as the plaster around the beams is cracking and crumbling. "You look at something like this and you think it'll hold up the Earth. But really, the Earth will swallow it," said County Librarian Wendy Burke.