Colusa County: 2008 in review

The headlines in 2008 were marked by tragedy, scandal and controversy - a bus crash along a country road that killed 10 people, the sentencing of a high-profile, local official on theft charges and the changing of a time-honored tradition at a local high school.

Yet the year saw its fair share of joy and jubilation - the reopening of a landmark and the celebration of historical events.

JANUARY

Wind whipped through Colusa County, earning it the name “Storm of the Year.” Winds up to 70 mph knocked out power for Stonyford residents for more than 10 days, forcing many to flee their homes. Although the damage was extensive and many local sports contests were canceled,  no injuries or deaths were reported.

In the midst of the storm, Saul Martinez was the first 2008 Colusa County baby born at Colusa Regional Medical Center on Jan. 5.

Also in January, Colusa resident Patrick Foster was hailed a hero for saving a drowning victim, Tom Indrieri was selected to serve as chairman of the Colusa County Board of Supervisors, groundbreaking began on a new Granzella’s in Williams to replace the popular eatery lost to fire in 2007 and state budget woes began to frustrate local officials.

FEBRUARY

February got off to a better start as perfect weather resulted in a jam-packed Colusa Farm Show. On the  downside, many Colusa homeowners began slipping into foreclosure at a never-before-seen pace.

By mid-February, gusty winds returned to knock out power for thousands of Colusa County residents, a serial robber made off with cash from several businesses and builders of the proposed Cortina landfill tried to use the power of eminent domain to condemn property belonging to a long-established farming family.

MARCH

Gas prices reached an all-time high this month, averaging 60 cents more than in 2007. The jump to more than $3.50 a gallon had consumers feeling the impact on their household budgets.

“I’m hoping to get more hours of work so I can afford it,” Courtney Nix said in an interview. “Right now, I’m just putting a little bit in at a time. I don’t know what I will do if it gets higher.”

Also this month, a fire that broke out in a sheep barn was ruled arson, the state energy commission approved a proposal for a power plant near Maxwell, Williams was hit with a $2 million penalty for wastewater violations and the fate of the Redskins name became the hottest topic in town.

“It’s like trying to dismantle the heritage of a very proud school,” said 1977 graduate Larry Garrison in an interview. “We’ve become so neutral as a society that we’re becoming very bland. Our identity is getting neutralized so as to have no personal identity at all.”

APRIL

The month rang in with a time-honored cattle drive through the streets of Colusa to kick off the 11th annual Colusa Western Days. The joyous occasion was followed by the suspension of Daniel C. Yerxa from the Colusa County Board of Supervisors after being caught up in an embezzlement case while serving as chief financial officer for the Sacramento Valley Museum.

Also in April, Colusa lawmakers banned truck parking within city limits, two people - one an infant - died in an Arbuckle trailer fire, Colusa High School’s Katie Kittle added to her long list of achievements by being named to the Cal-Hi Sports Division 5 All-State Team and Colusa High School officially drops the Redskins mascot.

MAY

Colusa was gearing up for the seasonal battle against West Nile virus-carrying mosquitoes, the Colusa County Sun-Herald had returned to its old Market Street home and the Williams police began cracking down on seat-belt violators.

Also in May, Maxwell celebrated “Rodeo Day the American Way” at the 78th annual high school rodeo, Redskins coach Mike West was named Tri-County “Coach of the Year” and a veteran’s memorial ceremony in Maxwell honored the war dead.

JUNE

With the year 2008 nearly half over, June got underway with high school graduations, the Colusa County Fair, and Williams’ Mark Marshall securing a third term on the Colusa County Board of Supervisors.

“I think my record has served me well,” Marshall said in an interview shortly after the June primary. “The board cares about its constituents and people realize that we’re doing a good job.”

On June 15, an Arbuckle man with a lengthy criminal history was arrested for shooting and killing a young Yolo County Sheriff’s deputy following a traffic stop. Marco Topete was arrested at an Interstate 5 rest area at Dunnigan after allegedly fleeing from the scene and leaving his infant in his vehicle.

Also in June, skies over Colusa County and surrounding area turned gray with smoke after a powerful series of thunderstorms rolled across the North State, sparking hundreds of fires along the Sierra Nevada and Coast Range Mountains. The month, however, ended brightly when Mallory Alves reigned as queen over the annual Portuguese festa in Princeton

JULY

It was a fine, fit Fourth of July for participants in the annual Colusa Triathlon and a 20th floating of the rubber ducky derby. However, smoke continued to hang over the valley, dampening firework displays and purchases.

In July, Colusa lawmakers unveiled plans for a new downtown entryway and traffic signal project at the intersection of 10th and Market streets.

“We were thinking of something more than ugly steel poles and more pavement,” project designer Erik Smith told the city council. “All the suggested features are intended to build upon existing characteristics of the city.”

Also in July, a Williams man was charged with shooting three people in a drive-by shooting, the Colusa County Sports Hall of Fame induced Frank Cloak, Mike Randless, Steve Dennis, Don Killian, Ben Wilkins, Jim Vossler, Donald Traynham, and Dave Dennis, and former Supervisors Daniel Yerxa was sentenced to 90 days house arrest for embezzling more than 6,000 from the Sacramento Valley Museum.

By the end of the month, Colusa County played host to more than 85 pilot who flew in for the 12th annual fly-in; Richard Marez was arrested for shooting Colusa County Deputy Mark Troughton, following a domestic disturbance; and a federal judge ruled to keep irrigation water flowing, despite reports that it was harming fish.

July was highlighted by the long-awaited reopening of Granzella’s. Swarms of customers were greeted at the new establishment, built to replicate the 1976 structure that burned to the ground the previous fall.

 AUGUST

The month got underway with clearer skies, as the smoke from forest fires began to dissipate - good news to the many police and firefighters who came together for the annual Colusa Bash Softball Tournament.

Also in August, the first case of West Nile virus was reported in a bird, football season officially kicked off at local schools and the Sacramento Valley Museum got a major overhaul.

“We’re giving the place a facelift,” archive director, Emily Conrado said in an interview.

By August’s end, Colusa readied for back to school; the filing period for the November election ended without long-time Colusa councilman John Rogers declaring candidacy; Maxwell resident Brandon Middleton came home from the war in Iraq on leave; new home sales plummeted to an all-time high; the county prepared for biohazardous waste disposal; a burglary at the Sportsman’s Club in Colusa was caught on tape, immediately followed by an unrelated burglary at Close’s lumber, also caught on tape; and the county mourned the death of 13-year-old Edgar Ibarra, who was slain by another boy.

SEPTEMBER

Just after Labor Day ended a fun-filled summer  for most in Colusa County, September marked a belated reunion for a Southern California family with grandma Bell Roemer, whose ashes were held at the Colusa Police Department for 17 years, following a vehicle impound.

Seeing the ashes returned to Reomers family was one of the last jobs for Colusa Police Officer Adrian Perez, who left for the Sutter County Sheriff’s Department after nearly two decades of service in Colusa.

In September, West Nile virus turned the life of Colusa resident Jeneane Wilsey, a longtime Colusa school teacher, upside down. The mosquitos that passed the virus to Wilsey were believed to have bred in a pond behind her house on the city’s east side.

Also in September, Maxwell students remembered the tragedy of 9/11, a Maxwell man was arrested on animal abuse charges, Judge John Tiernan declared the 25-year-old shooter of Deputy Mark Troughton unfit to stand trial; hundreds attended the annual Colusa Crawdad Festival; the city of Colusa adopted a balanced budget; rice harvest was stalled by cool weather; Williams fugitive Alfredo Navarro was in court after a year-long manhunt for the accused stabber; and Hollywood producers Lang Elliott and Hugh Kelley came to Arbuckle for a book signing and  location for a possible movie studio.

The month of September ended with a bomb threat at the historic Colusa courthouse, shooter Richard Marez was confined to a mental hospital, and the much-beleaguered South County project to build thousands of homes near the South County line collapsed after years of promotion.

OCTOBER

The month was marked by significant changes in the county.

The new Colusa wastewater treatment plant got up and running with new, eco-friendly technology at a huge price tag, the county’s groundwater plan neared completion, and the county said no to countryside ranchettes.

“It’s a constant management issue,” Supervisor Kim Vann said at a public hearing. “We can’t provide urban services in a rural environment.”

Historic events in October that will not be forgotten included the tragic bus crash that killed 10 people headed for a evening at the Colusa Casino and the first gay couple to legally wed in a small civil ceremony at the Colusa courthouse.

In October, a mushroom plant worker, Donald Bookout, 41, was killed while doing electrical work on a cold-storage unit; prosecutors announced they would seek the death penalty on accused cop-killer Marco Antonio Topete; cops and firefighters began advocating a sales-tax measure that would boost city coffers for their retirement plans and pay raises; Colusa candidates began jostling for votes; and drive-by shooters Ibaldo Ambriz-Ruiz and Christapher Dillon were each sentenced to seven years and eight months in state prison,

October was marked by the long-awaited opening of the new North View Park in Williams, the rejection of a countywide mosquito abatement district and the first ever Harvest Festival, sponsored by the Colusa Soroptimists.

NOVEMBER

November rang in a general election that marked an upset for incumbents is several races. New faces included Lincoln Forry to the Colusa school board; Lance Glassgow and Cindy Campbell to the Princeton school board; Michelle Troughton on the Maxwell school board; Ben Pearson on the Yuba College school board; Kirk Kelleher to the Colusa City Council ;and John Troughton Jr. to the Williams City Council.

Voters also rejected increasing sales taxes in Colusa and doing away with the city clerk as an elected positions.

In November, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger appointed Jeffrey A. Thomspon to Colusa County Superior Court and Denise Carter to the Colusa County Board of Supervisors.

Honoring all veterans, local posts of the VFW and American Legion participated in a solemn ceremony in Colusa on Veterans Day.

“On this day we stand a free society in observance of those whose valor, dedication and sacrifice made such a day possible,” said H.L. Peterson during the event.

Also in November, the Williams City Council voted 4-1 to raise sewer rates to pay for a mandated wastewater treatment facility; Sporty’s burglars James Vessels and Eugene Talley pleaded guilty to a crime caught on surveillance camera; the Richmond Hunting Club invited youngsters to hunt; and the Williams City Council recognized  Williams police and fire personnel for their heroic deeds during the aftermath of a bus crash that killed 10.

The month of November wrapped up with the groundbreaking of a new Pacific Gas & Electric Company power plant at Delevan, Maxwell High School students taking a stand against cancer, a rock n’ roll Family Water Alliance dinner and high unemployment breaking the bank.

DECEMBER

The last month of the year saw the welcoming of new Tri-County Newspapers publisher Dave Schmall and the name “RedHawks” was chosen as the new mascot for Colusa High, after the nearly decade-long controversy over using a Native American-themed logo.

“For me, it’s part of the process of change,” said Larry Yeghoian, superintendent of Colusa Unified School District. “I’m satisfied we got through this in a smooth manner, and I’m happy for the support we’ve had to get to this point.”

In December, Colusa Boy Scouts gathered at the wildlife refuge Packer Unit to restore native oak trees and the events of Pearl Harbor in 1941 were remembered at an early-morning ceremony on the courthouse lawn.

“For those of us who have served our country in uniform, we must ensure that we not permit this day to be forgotten by our young citizens,” said John H. Tiernan. “History forgotten is bound to repeat itself.”

Also in December, Colusa was awarded a grant for a new fire truck and assault charges were dropped against Maxwell native Mike Perry and county residents and locals flocked to downtown Williams for the first-ever Festival of Lights. A light parade was followed by a holiday bash at the Sacramento Valley Museum. 

Before the month and year ended, Maxwell native Bob Immoos was awarded the Medal of Valor for bravery from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, the downtown intersection and Colusa entryway project got a green light from the city council, the Cortina landfill project hit a series of setbacks and unsafe drivers were warned by the California Highway Patrol to have a safe holiday season.