WEDNESDAY, MARCH 20, 2019 | COLUSACOUNTYNEWS.COM
Williams school board member guilty of voter fraud
Pet of the Week
SUSAN MEEKER susan@colusacountynews.net
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"Cali" Cali is a 2 1/2 year-old spayed, female, Boxer/Pitbull Terrier mix. She is affectionate and friendly. She is well house trained and responds reliably to the commands sit, shake, lie down, off, and come. She has energy to play ball and hike, but also loves a good rest in a comfy bed. She is microchipped and current on vaccinations. For more information or to visit Cali, please contact the Colusa County Animal Shelter (530-458-0229). Adoptions are $10. All dogs must be licensed in their county of residence.
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osa Orozco-Lopez, a member of the Williams Unified School District Board of Trustees, pleaded guilty last Wednesday to a series of misdemeanor charges in connection to lying about where she lived and voted when she ran for public office. Orozco-Lopez, 62, of Yuba City, pleaded guilty to one count of voter fraud and two counts of fraudulent voting in a deal worked out with the Colusa County District Attorney’s Office to exclude
serving time in jail. Colusa County Superior Court Judge Jeffrey A. Thompson sentenced Orozco-Lopez to three years of formal probation and 100 hours of community service, along with fines and restitution. Thompson also ordered Orozco-Lopez to immediately resign from the Williams Unified School District board and prohibited her from attending or participating in school board meetings while on probation. Orozco-Lopez is also not to complete her community
of filing false nomination service obligation at any papers. school in Colusa County or Because the misdein any activity meanor charges esconnected with the sentially carried the Williams Unified or same punishment (up Williams Unified to three years in jail) Superintendent as their felony counEdgar Lampkin, terparts, Beauchamp Thompson said. said the deal keeps In exchange for basically the same pleading guilty, sanctions in place, District Attorney Matthew BeauRosa Orozco-Lopez while saving Colusa County taxpayers champ dropped a thousands of dollars number of felony on a jury trial. charges, including one count of voter fraud, two counts of See OROZCO-LOPEZ | PG 4 fraudulent voting, two counts of perjury, and one count
Fourth Wildland Firefighter academy graduates
Williams Police Chief resigns amid controversy SUSAN MEEKER susan@colusacountynews.new
Williams Police Chief Ed Anderson resigned as the department’s top cop on Monday, officially stepping away from the position he has held for two years. Anderson was officially sworn in as the Chief of Police in the City of Williams in February 2017, having been groomed for the position by former Interim Chief Randy Ulibarri. ED. ANDERSON Anderson had been promoted from the rank of Sergeant to Lieutenant in November of 2016. Anderson and three other Williams PD staffers have been embroiled in an internal affairs investigation since January, after City Administrator Frank Kennedy placed him, Sgt. Steve Woldanski, and records technician Eileen Niblack on administrative leave. A fourth member of the department, K-9 handler Sgt. Jennifer Parker, was placed on administrative leave a few weeks later. City officials have been mum on the internal affairs investigation, citing employee confidentially. Kennedy would say only that Anderson cited “personal reasons” as the motivation for his departure. Kennedy said he is actively recruiting police staff, and has an idea who he would like at the helm, which could mean the position could be filled in as much time as it takes to complete a background check. Meanwhile, Kennedy said the investigation will likely continue for a few more weeks, with Woldanski, Niblack, and Parker remaining on administrative leave until the investigation is completed. Investigator Chris Miller is currently the officer in charge of the department. ■
MARCH 20, 2019 VOLUME: 12 ■ ISSUE: 12 ■ NO 408 OBITUARIES .......... PG 4 CALENDAR ............ PG 2 CLASSIFIEDS ...... PG 10
PUBLIC NOTICES . PG 10 OPINIONS .............. PG 9 SPORTS ................. PG 6
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Shawn McKay, of Colusa, graduated from the fourth annual Basic Wildland Firefighter Academy at the Colusa County Office of Education Village, in Williams, on March 17, 2019. SUSAN MEEKER susan@colusacountynews.net
The Colusa County Office of Education graduated 16 men and women on Sunday from the fourth annual Basic Wildland Firefighter Academy. The Class of 2019, cadets of all ages from counties across California, will now be able to pursue careers fighting wildland fires with Cal Fire, the U.S. Forest Service, the Federal Bureau of Land Management, and local fire agencies. “This is a very intense 220-hour program that takes place over 10 weekends,” said Mike West, Colusa County Superintendent of Schools. Joel Berrelleza, Rebecca Campbell, Miguel Diaz-Bernal, Shylo Fults, Hunter
Gonzales, Shawn (Green) McKay, Kassidy Harms, Agustus Laws, Cosme Munuoz, Harrison Prince, Matthew Price, Ryan Puckett, Tanner Puckett, Keenan Salaices, Kevin Suttmoeller, Justin Tordesillas, and Joshua Tripp spent the past 10 weeks preparing for a career in fire services. Cadets received instruction on basic wildland fire operations, communication, hazardous materials, confined space awareness, fire rescue, CPR, and First Aid, among other training. Jeremiah Karlonas, program coordinator, said he was impressed with this group of new firefighters, who underwent intense classroom instruction in addition to extreme physical training. “The mental training is harder than the physical,” Karlonas said.
Although some graduates hope to return home and take positions with their local fire departments, either as career firefighters or volunteers, others plan to pursue careers with Cal Fire, which responds to about 7,000 wildfires a year, and employs nearly 8,000 permanent and seasonal firefighters. “I hope to see many of them this summer helping out on the Cal Fire team,” said Cal Fire Battalion Chief Tom Knecht. Shawn McKay, 24, has been building fences and doing other jobs since he graduated from Colusa High School. With his training behind him, McKay a Colusa Fire Department volunteer, is now ready to secure a permanent job with Cal Fire or fire department.
See WILDLAND | PG 3
Master Gardeners plotting a new program SUSAN MEEKER susan@colusacountynews.net
Colusa County Master Gardeners are doing what they do best: getting their hands into some soil in order to launch new educational programs. The tree and garden experts, who are trained in science-based research from the University of California Cooperative Extension Service, cleared a number of garden plots at the Colusa Visitors Center off Highway 20, on Friday, in order to create a demonstration garden that will be used to teach others how to properly grow and care for herbs and ornamental plants. The demonstration garden is located in the community garden area adjacent the Colusa County Chamber of Commerce office. “The whole place is not ours,” said Gerry Hernandez, coordinator of the Colusa County Master Gardeners
SUSAN MEEKER / PIONEER REVIEW
Master Gardeners work to prepare garden plots at Colusa Visitors Center on Friday. Standing: Patti Tausher and Chamber of Commerce Manager Jennifer Diaz. Weeding: Gerry Hernandez, Carolyn Froelich and Peggy Townzen.
program. “We are starting with just three plots. We are going to plant herbs and flowers and give them away at the Colusa Farmers Market, just as long as they are not something that people are selling.”
The Master Gardeners have been cleaning the area and preparing their plots for a few weeks, and plan to begin planting herbs like dill and basil this week, said Carolyn Froelich, demonstration garden project leader.
“If we are successful at the Colusa Farmers Market, we can also do this at the Arbuckle Farmers Market,” Froelich said. “We don’t want to compete with any of our vendors, but we want something to have as a give-away.” One plot at the Visitors Center will be dedicated to growing milkweed, an essential habitat for the endangered Monarch butterfly. The Master Gardeners plan to also make cuttings and milkweed seed available to those who want to help the Monarch population. Volunteers are invited to help out at the demonstration garden or come and ask questions about gardening. The group plans to be at Visitor's Center, 2963 Davison Court, from 10 AM to noon each Friday. “Our goal is to use all the tested and improved methods that the UCCE have developed,” Froelich said.
See GARDENERS | PG 6