3 taken here clear up auto thefts, 1 jailed
January 28, 1932
The mystery of Healdsburg’s auto thefts was solved last week when Sheriff Taylor Day took three youths into custody Thursday and found a number of articles in their car which were later identified as those having been stolen from cars in Healdsburg.
The three, Walter Genardini, 16, of San Rafael, Neal Johnson, 17, of San Francisco and Milton Grant, 18, of Petaluma, were apprehended after Genardini’s mother came to Lakeport and reported her son had taken her car without permission, from their home in San Rafael and had picked up two other boys. She traced them as far as Scotts Valley, where one of the youths is said to have relatives.
Sheriff Day went to Scotts Valley to investigate and while there the three youths drove in with the stolen car. Genardini was brought into Lakeport and while he was being questioned by the sheriff he revealed the fact that they had stolen articles from a car in Healdsburg. Then the other two were brought in and questions and the car searched. After communicating with authorities in Healdsburg it was learned that cars bad been stripped of the articles found on Genardini and in his car.
The three were placed in jail here until officers arrived from Sonoma to take them back to Healdsburg where they appeared before Justice Edward Quinn, who sentenced Grant to 60 days in the Sonoma county jail. Johnson was certified to the juvenile court and Genardini was turned over to the Marin county probation officer. Genardini was out on probation when he committed these thefts.
Fire destroys Ukiah resort
January 28, 1932
Vichy Springs, famous old resort, three miles east of Ukiah was destroyed Tuesday night by fire, believed to have started in the roof from defective wiring. The main structure, which included offices, dining room, kitchens and garage, was completely burned. Vichy Springs was built about forty years ago, and for the last thirty years was owned and operated by J. A. Redemeyer.
Lake Theater is showing fine bill here next week
January 30, 1941
Lower Lake >> The important and sparkling screen version of a Broadway musical comedy sensation, will be seen at the Lake Theater, Sunday and Monday, in a hilarious theme of “Too Many Girls.” The story deals with the plight of four husky all-American football stars who enroll at a hick college where there are ten girls to every male student.
Richard Arien and Andy Devine take the ring spotlight in their latest adventure as “The Leather Pushers.” On the same program, “Wagon Train” is action crammed and a six gun, outdoor thriller, bringing Tim Hold as a new western star. Showing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.
“Laddie” is a grand and delightful entertainment, with all the fragrance, beauty, humor and soul touching romance of Gene Stratton Portor’s world renowned classic, here Friday and Saturday.
Co. quota is 19 men, Feb. 17 call
January 30, 1941
Lakeport >> Nineteen men have been set as the draft quota for Lake county to answer the third draft call on February 17, for the third corps area, according to information received here by the local draft board.
This is the largest quota yet called, and area commander Maj. Gen. Ernest D. Peck, reports, will bring a total of 26,375 new soldiers to the Pacific coast training points.
Board raises elected officials salaries $600 year — for 4 years
January 27, 1966
Lakeport >> Salaries of four elected county officials were raised $600 per year from 1967 through 1970 by the Board of Supervisors Monday when they approved a motion made by Supervisor Earle Wrieden, Middletown. Supervisor Wesley Lampson voted no.
The raises will net officers an increase of $2400 over the four year period. The increase, although the same overall raises in the long run will be some $6400 below the cash income they would have received had the county administrator’s proposal been adopted.
The offices include tax-collector-treasurer; assessor; sheriff-coroner and clerk recorder.
Supervisor Wrieden commented before making the motion that he had talked with people in his district and found them opposed to a $2000 increase effective Jan. 1, 1967 as proposed by the board’s administrative officer. The proposal also included a step increase in 1969 of $400.
Had the administrator’s proposal been adopted the officers would have received a total increased income of $8800 by 1970. Under the salary raise voted by the board, the officers will receive only $2400 additional income over the next five years.
Supervisor A.D. Shipley, who seconded Mr. Wrieden’s motion, later tried to amend it to provide a $1200 raise in 1967 and $600 per year through 1970. His amendment died for lack of a second.
Supervisor Wesley Lampson, said he believed a 10 percent raise was sufficient and more in line with the county’s ability to pay.
Supervisor Lilburn Kirkpatrick, during the discussion, said he thought the administrator’s proposal was fair and he was in favor of it.
Chairman Donald Griner said he wanted to raise the salaries but felt that it should be done gradually over a four year period.
Salary of the auditor was set at $8,000.
The board was advised by District Attorney Wilfred Harpham that the legislative council had ruled that this salary could be paid effective Jan. 1, 1967, despite the clause in the state law which reads that the auditor’s salary shall be $6800 if the offices of the clerk-auditor are separated.
These offices were separated in 1962 and the law was not changed when amended in 1965 by the legislature when the auditor’s salary was set at $8000.
One local soldier returns from the front
January 26, 1991
Nice >> On Jan. 12 Army Sgt. Pete Dorsett injured his lower back in a truck accident while serving in Operation Desert Shield – just four days before the war began.
Jane Barnes, Dorsett’s mother, spoke with her son on Jan. 22 for the first time since the accident. “He was calling from a USO in Germany,” she said. “He had just arrived from Saudi Arabia.
“I didn’t even know he was in an accident until he called,” Barnes said. “My son said he was not driving when the truck was rear-ended.”
Dorsett told his mother the military wanted to keep the hospitals in Germany as clear as possible so he did not expect to be in Germany very long.
Barnes was convinced after speaking with her son that his orders would bring him back to the United States.
“I wanted to thank everyone for all the nice letters and cards they sent him,” Barnes said. “He must of received over 250 since he went to Saudi Arabia. I felt it was important to let people know he was coming home so they don’t continue sending letters to him in Saudi Arabia.”
Dorsett told his mother the injury to his lower back is possibly a herniated disk, but he could still stand and walk.
Barnes was not sure when her son would be returning.
County loses retrial bid
January 29, 1991
Lakeport >> The county’s request for a new trial in a geothermal power company’s lawsuit that could cost the county more than $6 million was denied in a terse order issued by a visiting Superior Court judge last week.
The motion for a new trial came shortly after visiting Superior Court Judge Bert B. Bailey slapped the county with a $3.6 million judgment last October when he ruled that Phillips Petroleum Co. had paid too much property tax on a geothermal power plant in The Geysers.
The county was also ordered to pay an as yet undetermined amount of interest which County Counsel Cameron Reeves estimated at “several million dollars.”
In an unusual development, Bailey disqualified himself form the case about three weeks after entering his judgment, citing his knowledge of information that led to an unspecified “bias or prejudice” in the case.
In addition to Bailey’s post-judgment disqualification, Reeves motion for a new trial outlined numerous irregularities during the trial and argued that Bailey was biased against counties in matters involving disputes with tax payers.
But Visiting Superior Court Judge Steven R. McNelis denied the motion for a new trial in a one paragraph order which stated that all of the arguments and documents for the motion had been considered and offered no analysis of the arguments.
“I’m perplexed, because given his comments at the hearing I felt sure that if he didn’t grant a new trial he would vacate the judgment (throw it out),” Reeves said Monday. “I’m speculating that the judge felt that the disqualification did not affect the judgment or decision in the case.”
Reeves will appeal Bailey’s decision in the case, which stemmed from Phillip’s claim that under Proposition 13 the county should have established a base year value when the former owner of the plant, Aminoil U.S.A., began construction of the plant in 1978.
Once a base year value is established Proposition 13 only allows the assessment on the property to increase by two percent a year and a new base year value cannot be established unless the property is sold, or major improvements are undertaken.
Instead, county assessors reestablished a base year value each year between 1978 and 1984 as new construction added to the value of the plant.
Many California counties are watching the case, because it could set a precedent on the way resource properties are assessed during the time they are under construction.
The case could affect the assessment of facilities for any resource that is taken from the earth, not only geothermal power plants which use steam to create electricity.
Sonoma County is waiting to see how the Lake County case turns out before it makes a decision on how to handle $219 million worth of appealed assessments that the county levied on geothermal power companies while they were building their plants.
