Fort Bragg councilman killed while investigating pot operation

A Northern California city councilman was shot and killed while investigating a marijuana-growing operation, authorities said, and a SWAT team was scouring the remote woods for a suspect Sunday night.

Jere Melo, a member of the Fort Bragg City Council since 1996, was shot and killed on Saturday in a rugged area near the Noyo River, according to the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office. Fort Bragg Mayor Dave Turner said the small city was in shock and said Melo’s service would resonate for years to come.

“Jere is probably the hardest-working councilman ever,” Turner said. “He’s a guy that gets along with everybody. He brought civility to the council."

Melo and his wife, Madeleine, had two children, Turner said. For a portion of Melo’s time on the council, he served as mayor.

Melo, who had a degree in forestry and moved to the area in the 1960s to work as a forester, was working as a private security contractor for a timber company. He had received a report of a marijuana-growing operation, Turner said, and went with another man to investigate. Turner said that someone who appeared to have been guarding the marijuana operation “jumped up and opened fire.”

The man who accompanied Melo escaped and called authorities on his cellphone.

On Sunday, authorities said Aaron Bassler, a transient from Fort Bragg who is in his 30s, is a suspect.

Bassler “has had some skirmishes with the police over the years,” Turner said.

According to local media reports, earlier this year Bassler was arrested after crashing a truck into a school’s tennis courts. In 2009, Bassler faced federal charges after allegedly throwing packages containing strange drawings and writings into the Chinese consulate in San Francisco four times. Bassler completed a pretrial diversion program, and the charges were dropped, local media reported.

Fort Bragg, which has a population of about 7,300, is about 160 miles north of San Francisco.

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L.A. County sheriff's volunteer killed in Whittier shooting

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

-- Scott Gold

One dead, five hurt in shooting after party in Victorville

A teenage girl was shot to death and five others were wounded early Sunday after a party in Victorville.

The victims were part of a large crowd that had left a birthday party in the 15000 block of Kitfox Lane.

About 2:30 a.m., shots were fired in the street.

A 16-year-old girl was pronounced dead at one area hospital. Five other people were wounded, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening, said San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller. The victims were not identified.

No arrests had been made by Sunday afternoon. Deputies did not know how many shooters there were, Miller said.

ALSO:

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

Cyclists struck by van during group ride in Lancaster

-- Scott Gold

 

Woman, 76, killed in duplex fire in San Diego

A 76-year-old woman was killed in a fire at her duplex apartment in the Normal Heights neighborhood of San Diego, officials said.

The fire broke out about 2 a.m. Sunday. The woman, a widow, was believed to have lived alone. An untended cigarette is suspected of starting the fire in the two-story building.

ALSO:

One dead, five hurt after party in Victorville

Two dead in separate gang-related shootings in South L.A.

L.A. County sheriff's volunteer killed in Whittier shooting

-- Tony Perry in San Diego

Two dead in separate gang-related shootings in South Los Angeles

Los Angeles police investigating the death of a 19-year-old man in the Jordan Downs housing project in Watts early Sunday heard gunfire and discovered a second shooting victim slumped in a car a few blocks away.

The first victim, Deshon Rasberry was standing with about 20 people in the 2100 block of East 103rd Street when a person fired several shots at him at 8:45 p.m. Rasberry was taken to a hospital, where he died a short time later, police said.

Just after midnight, while homicide investigators were still on the scene, they discovered the second victim, Reginald McDaniel, 28, in the 10500 block of South Grape Street. McDaniel was slumped in the driver’s seat of a car that had slammed into a tree. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Two passengers who had been in the car and had run away were questioned and released, officials said. McDaniel is believed to have been shot by a someone standing on the sidewalk. Both shootings are believed to be gang-related, officials said.
  
Anyone with information about the shootings is asked to contact the Los Angeles Police Department's Criminal Gang Homicide Division at (213) 485-4341.

ALSO:

L.A. County sheriff's volunteer killed in Whittier shooting

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

-- Carla Rivera

 

One dead, five hurt in Victorville

A teenage girl was shot to death and five others were wounded early Sunday after a party in Victorville.

The victims were part of a large crowd that had left a birthday party in the 15000 block of Kitfox Lane.

About 2:30 a.m., shots were fired in the street.

A 16-year-old girl was pronounced dead at one area hospital. Five other people were wounded, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening, said San Bernardino County sheriff’s spokeswoman Jodi Miller. The victims were not identified.

No arrests had been made by Sunday afternoon. Deputies did not know how many shooters there were, Miller said.

--Scott Gold

ALSO:

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

Cyclists struck by van during group ride in Lancaster

 

 

Reader photos: Southern California Moments, Day 240

To live and die: Bullet Salvador captures his friend Chloe's city pride in silhouette in a Union Station tunnel on July 26.

Every day of 2011, we're featuring reader-submitted photos of Southern California Moments. Follow us on Twitter and visit the Southern California Moments homepage for more on this series.

Suspect questioned in latest attack on LAPD

Los Angeles police on Sunday were questioning a man suspected of firing multiple rounds at an unmarked patrol car in the Westlake area west of downtown.

The two officers in the car were not injured, but it was the fifth time in 10 days that police have come under fire or been physically assaulted, said Officer Karen Rayner.

The incidents represent a disturbing trend in Los Angeles and nationally, according to police Chief Charlie Beck. Speaking to Patt Morrison on KPCC-FM (89.3) last week, Beck reported a 29% increase in violent attacks on Los Angeles police, with 125 so far this year.

In the latest incident, police responded to reports of a disturbance and a man with a gun near South Park View Street and West 2nd Street just after 1 a.m. Sunday. The unmarked car was patrolling the area when a suspect shouted at the officers and began firing.

The officers did not return fire but moved to a safe location, Rayner said. Police using canine units conducted an extensive search within a 12-block perimeter. About 6 a.m., one suspect was detained. He has not yet been booked, and the investigation was continuing, officials said.

On Aug. 25, an officer in the department’s 77th Street Division was wounded while investigating car burglaries in South Los Angeles. The wounded officer and a colleague had approached two pedestrians near 66th Street and Western Avenue when one pulled out a gun and began firing, police say.

The attack prompted a city-wide tactical alert and door-to-door searches; no arrests have been made.

Later that day, a man wielding a sharp cane attacked and stabbed an officer who had responded to calls of a disturbance at a Wilmington-area apartment just after 11 p.m. Police shot and killed the suspect, whose name has not been released. The wounded officer was expected to recover, officials said. 

On Aug. 21 in Encino, Brent Zubek, who is suspected of killing a Chatsworth couple, shot at undercover officers as they attempted to arrest him, police said. No officers were injured.

In another incident on Aug. 19, a man who had been stopped for questioning by gang officers near Century Boulevard and Main Street in South L.A., pulled a gun and fired as he ran away. Again, no one was injured.

Officials are unsure why attacks on police have spiked, but their quicker response may be a factor.

"One of the things that's happened in Los Angeles is that police, because we've been able to reduce crime and because our information systems are better and our analysis of those are better, we make contact with a lot of people who are intent on committing violent crime and the means to do that,"  Beck said on KPCC. "When you engage people at the enforcement level at a greater frequency, then you increase the number of forceful contacts that you have."

ALSO:

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

Cyclists struck by van during group ride in Lancaster

--Carla Rivera 

Time Warner Cable customers report intermittent Internet outages

Internet and phone service has been sporadic Sunday for thousands of Southern California homes and businesses after one of the area's largest providers, Time Warner Cable, experienced outages.

The problem began just before 7 a.m., according to Jim Gordon, a Time Warner spokesman.

"Our engineers are working to deploy a fix," Gordon said. The company's television service did not appear to be affected.

Gordon said Time Warner was still investigating the problem.

“It’s an intermittent issue affecting several thousand customers,” he said.

“We’re encouraging people not to reboot their modem," he added. "That’s not the way to fix their issue.”

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Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old Fresno County man [Video]

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger in California

Husband and wife cyclists hit by van during group ride in Lancaster

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Time Warner phone and Internet service restored

Time Warner Cable Inc. telephone and Internet service was restored to Southern California customers Sunday afternoon after an hours-long outage.

Thousands of Southland residents lost service just after 7 a.m. Sunday, a Time Warner spokesman said.

"In the last few hours TWC engineers deployed a fix that has restored an intermittent service issue in SoCal," spokesman Jim Gordon said. "Customers can reboot their modems but that step is only necessary if they continue to experience an issue. We apologize for any inconvenience."

ALSO:

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

Cyclists struck by van during group ride in Lancaster

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Alhambra burglars pose as cable TV repairmen, police say

Two Southland men were in jail Sunday after they apparently dressed as Time-Warner Cable repairmen to break into a Los Angeles County home.

Alhambra police arrested Perre Michael Chang, 30, of Laguna Niguel and Daniel Wardming Quon, 26, of Pasadena on suspicion of burglary Friday after responding to a report of a possible break-in from a resident in the 2000 block of South Stoneman Avenue at about 4 p.m., according to a statement released by police Sunday.

Watts driver fatally shot by sniper

A man driving in Watts was fatally Sunday by a gunman with a rifle, police said.

A bullet hit the driver in the head as he was driving south on Grape Street near 105th Street shortly after midnight and the vehicle into a fence, according to Los Angeles Police Sgt. Val Valenti at the Southeast Station.

It was unclear where the shot came from, Valenti said.

The name of the victim, believed to be in his 30s, had not been released. Homicide detectives were investigating, he said.

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Mexican drug tunnel found in grocery store

Skydivers collide in midair, sustain serious injuries

Hollywood producer must pay $800,000 in sex harassment case

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Accidents on the 5 and 405 freeways kill two

A woman was killed and several people were injured Sunday when a car driven by a 15-year-old boy crashed on the 5 Freeway in Sun Valley.

The car, a 2003 Honda, was traveling south at about 70 mph when it rolled over and struck a utility pole near the Sunland Boulevard exit ramp at 12:15 a.m., the California Highway Patrol reported.

A 41-year-old woman who was thrown from the vehicle was taken to Holy Cross Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead.

Another passenger, a 72-year-old woman, was taken to Northridge Hospital Medical Center with moderate injuries. Two other people, a 21-year-old woman and 21-year-old man, received minor injuries, the CHP said.

The driver, from Lynwood, also suffered minor injuries. The circumstances of the accident were under investigation, authorities said. No names were released.

Also on Sunday, a 42-year-old West Hollywood man died when his 1998 Volkswagon Beetle veered off the northbound 405 Freeway and struck a concrete pillar.

The 4 a.m. accident occurred at the Howard Hughes Parkway exit near Culver City. The driver, whose identity was not released, was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of the accident is under investigation, the CHP said.  

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Pacoima collision injures four; drunk driver suspected

Angeles Crest Highway: CHP blames drivers for fatalities

Two bike riders struck by minivan in Lancaster; witnesses sought

-- Carla Rivera

 

Two bike riders struck by minivan in Lancaster; witnesses sought

A Valencia man was in critical condition with head injuries and his wife was in stable condition after they were struck by a minivan during a group bicycle ride in Lancaster on Saturday, authorities said.

The ride had been organized by a Lancaster bike shop, according to the L.A. County Sheriff's Department. All of the riders were wearing helmets.

Authorities said they were still trying to sort out what happened. They encouraged witnesses to call the sheriff's department at (661) 948-8466.

The crash occurred about 8 p.m. as about 20 cyclists were attempting to cross the intersection of Avenue L and 4th Street West in Lancaster, according to a news release.

The driver of the minivan was also trying to cross the intersection when it was hit by another vehicle and pushed into the cyclists' path, deputies said.

ALSO:

Mexican drug tunnel found in grocery store

Skydivers collide in midair, sustain serious injuries

Hollywood producer must pay $800,000 in sex harassment case

-- Scott Glover

Double homicide reported in Whittier

Homicide detectives with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department are investigating the shooting death of two Latino men in unincorporated Whittier early Sunday.

The shooting occurred about 3:10 a.m. in the 11800 block of Painter Avenue, Sgt. Michael Thomas of the sheriff's headquarters bureau said.

No suspect description was available and no one had been arrested in connection with the shooting, Thomas said.

ALSO:

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old man

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger

Cyclists struck by van during group ride in Lancaster

-- Molly Hennessy-Fiske

Extreme heat, lightning heighten fire danger in California

Another broiling day is on tap for large swaths of Southern California as the National Weather Service issued an excessive heat warning.

The hottest temperatures are expected Sunday afternoon and evening. The San Fernando Valley could reach 106 degrees and the Antelope Valley could top 110 degrees. Palm Springs could hit 115.

Mountain and desert areas could see lightning and thunderstorms, raising concerns about brush fires. A lightning strike caused a fire in Piñon Hills on Saturday that destroyed a mobile home and burned 335 acres.

On Saturday it was 106 degrees in Lancaster, 103 in Burbank and a refreshing 78 in Avalon on Catalina Island.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration recommended that those subject to excessive heat  schedule rest breaks in shaded or air-conditioned environments, such as libraries or shopping malls.

Cooling centers are open at community facilities across Los Angeles and can be located by dialing 211.

If you plan to be outdoors, the Los Angeles Fire Department recommends you avoid alcohol and wear sunscreen and loose-fitting clothing. Children, pets and the elderly should be checked often.

Symptoms of dehydration and heat cramps include dizziness, fatigue, faintness, headaches, muscle cramps and increased thirst, and they should be addressed immediately.

ALSO:

Mexican drug tunnel found in grocery store

Skydivers collide in midair, sustain serious injuries

Hollywood producer must pay $800,000 in sex harassment case

-- Corina Knoll and Shelby Grad

Photo: Pinon Hills fire. Credit: KTLA News

Which electric car is the most green?

The Times business section is taking a look at a new crop of electric cars.

The Times' Jerry Hirsch found there are significant difference in how these cars fare when it comes to carbon emissions:

Is it worth the added expense to reduce your dependence on oil? What are you willing to pay to reduce carbon emissions in your neighborhood? The Nissan Leaf creates about 1.8 tons of carbon emissions in a year's driving, or about 13,500 miles, according to federal estimates. A Honda Accord spews 6.2 tons of carbon emissions traveling the same distance. If you can keep a Chevy Volt — which has a gas engine to kick in and make electricity when the battery runs out — on mostly electric power, you will put up carbon numbers closer to the Leaf.

Also:

Yellowstone grizzly bear euthanized for 'predatory behaviors'

Southwestern pond turtle making a comeback in San Diego County

Agency seeks to end sea otter relocations, to allow them off SoCal

Photo: Chevy Volt. Credit: L.A. Times

Police hunt for killer of 100-year-old Fresno County man [Video]

Fresno County authorities are trying to determine who killed a 100-year-old man at his senior living facility.

The victim, Joseph Fischer, was attacked Aug. 8 when someone broke into his room in the town of Sanger and viciously attacked him.

He survived for several days, telling authorities he was attacked by someone he allowed inside his room, according to the Associated Press. He died Aug. 11.

Fischer's slaying has outraged the town. More than 80 people attended a memorial service Friday.

Students help damaged forest

The Wildwood Picnic Area, located about five miles into the Angeles National Forest along Big Tujunga Canyon Road, is starting to look like its old self again. A dozen freshly painted picnic benches are neatly positioned in the shade, and thick green vegetation lines Big Tujunga Creek.

The scene here now stands in stark contrast to two years ago, after the popular spot was consumed by the Station fire.

The revitalization is due, in part, to collaboration between the U.S. Forest Service and the Student Conservation Assn., the nonprofit group that taps youth for paid summer jobs to protect and restore national parks.

Last summer, the organization deployed one team of college-age workers and two teams of local high school students to the Angeles National Forest to restore recreational facilities such as picnic areas, campgrounds and trails, said Western Regional Manager Jay Watson.

This summer, a single four-person team focused primarily on removing invasive plants and improving wildlife habitats, according to the Burbank Leader.

Also:

Yellowstone grizzly bear euthanized for 'predatory behaviors'

Southwestern pond turtle making a comeback in San Diego County

Agency seeks to end sea otter relocations, to allow them off SoCal

--Megan O'Neil, Times Community News.