James “Monty” Millard of Willows died in Chico on Wednesday, April 17, 2024.
He was born in Nebraska to Guy and Vivian Millard on October 19, 1942.
A Celebration of Life is set for 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, at the Willows Christian Church, 200 South Plumas Street. A reception is to follow.
Arrangements are under the direction of the F.D. Sweet and Son Funeral Home, Willows.
By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
“Daisy’s News Briefs: The Long and Short of It” is dedicated to the memory of Daisy, the official newshound of The Glenn County Observer, who died on Jan. 22.
Telepathic Harassment: Submitted for your consideration, at about 7:13 a.m. on Monday, April 22, Fabian Cano of Willows contacted the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office to report being harassed by his neighbor, telepathically.
Deputy Chavez responded and contacted Cano. The deputy learned he was hearing voices and believed it was his neighbor.
Deputy Chavez conducted a mental health evaluation and determined Cano did not meet the criteria for a mental health hold. Cano was provided options and resources to help him handle the matter.
HCPO has reopened: The Hamilton City Post Office is open again, according to messages placed in the Orland Post Office.
It has been closed for several days while workers cleaned and repaired the floor. Hamilton City residents have apparently had to drive all the way to Orland to get their mail, but that should come to an end on Thursday, April 25.
Graffiti Makes Unwelcomed Appearance in Orland: At about 9 a.m. on Wednesday, April 24, the Orland Police Department received a report of a large amount of gang graffiti in the area of County Roads 12 and HH (Commerce Lane).
Lots of Fights Lately: There have been a lot of fights recently, not a few of which have involved large numbers of young people.
Most recently, shortly after noon on Tuesday, April 23, the Orland Police Department said, “OPD responded to the report of a large group of juveniles fighting [in the 90 block of Yolo Street]. Officers initiated an investigation and a report was taken.”
The next day, administrators at Orland High School requested law enforcement to patrol the areas of the school and Vinsonhaler Park because reports had been received that a fight would take place during the lunch period. No fight occurred.
More trouble at the Paigewood Apartments: At about 3 p.m. on Sunday, April 21, Orland police officers responded to the Paigewood Village Apartments for a report of vandalism.
Officers contacted Christopher Dunn, 38, who alleged Ryan McKee, 46, and Tammi Dennis, 59, had tried to light his truck on fire. According to the OPD log, the incident is under investigation.
At about 4 p.m., Christopher Borden, 62, of Orland, reported his 2019 BMW motorcycle was allegedly stolen by Ryan McKee of Orland.
At about 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 23, Orland police officers contacted Tammi Jo Dennis, 59, of Orland. She was arrested and booked into the Glenn County Jail on charges alleging arson, conspiracy to commit a crime, and possession of destructive devices or explosives (all felonies).
She was taken into custody at 817 Newport Avenue, apt. #35. Her bail was set at $110,000.
No word regarding Ryan McKee.
Alice Louise Schuhart Bird died in Dallas, Ore., on Saturday, April 6, 2024. She was born in Hermosa Beach, Calif., on March 31, 1928.
She grew up following her late parents, Melanie and Rudolph Schuhart, to the various dam camps in the west, including Hoover and Shasta Dams. She eventually moved to Orland, and received her degree from Chico State.
She met Donald Bird and they married in 1949, starting their family on a dairy farm. Besides working on the farm and raising a family, she worked full time at Orland’s JC Penney store for 25-plus years, until they closed.
They sold the cattle and planted almond orchards until life changes warranted selling the farm and downsizing to a one-acre lot in Orland, where they had many fruit trees and a garden. She enjoyed sharing the extras with her neighbors, friends, and family.
She was a woman who kept busy. She was a religious person and active at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, where she was a member of the Ladies of the Altar Society.
She was a leader for 4H while her children were growing up. She was also a member of the Moose Club, the Orland Women’s Improvement Club, and she regularly volunteered at the Senior Center and the Senior Thrift Shop.
She enjoyed bowling, playing cards and helping others by offering rides to those in need until well into her 80s. She loved watching football, baseball games and soap operas.
Survivors include her children, Greg Bird (Patti) of Worley Idaho, Larry Bird (Cindy) of Orland, and Sandi Bird Bogue (Walt) of Grand Ronde, Ore.; nephew Eric Allred (Ingrid) of Washington; grandchildren John Bird Royce (Shauna) of Alaska, Loren Bird (Madeline) of Chico, Nicole Bird Ramirez (Matias) of Chile, and Daniella Bird Mas (Javier) of Chile; 11 great-grandchildren; and extended family members Ruth Kremer (Don Bird) and Carolyn Kelly Eden (her “second” daughter of 50-plus years). She was predeceased by her husband, Donald Bird; son, Don Bird; and sister, Lora Allred.
Visitation is scheduled from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24, at Sweet-Olsen Family Mortuary, 825 A Street, Orland. A Funeral Mass is planned for celebration at 11 a.m. on Thursday, April 25, at St. Dominic’s Catholic Church, 822 A Street, Orland.
Services are under the direction of Sweet-Olsen Family Mortuary.
A lunch is to be served at the parish hall by the Ladies of the Altar Society. Stories and pictures will be shared.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Dominic’s Catholic Church or to Jefferson Lodge Memory Care, 664 SE Jefferson Street, Dallas, OR 97338, in appreciation for their wonderful care of Alice.
Robert “Bob” Alvin Schmidt died in Orland on Friday, July 7, 2023. He was born in Chico to R.A. “Bub” Schmidt and Genevieve “Jenny” Schmidt on June 4, 1951.
He attended Orland schools and graduated from Orland High School in 1969. He lived most of his life in Orland.
He worked for Duché Nut Company and Orland Napa Auto Parts. After retiring, he could be found in his wood shop, creating beautiful patio furniture and planter boxes.
He is survived by his son, Swade Schmidt; stepson Gannon Burks; sister Patty Korn; niece Carol Kalpakoff; brother Jimmy Drown; and sister Kathy Drown. He was preceded in death by his parents and his niece Shawn Kalpakoff.
A Celebration of Life is scheduled from noon to 4 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, at the Orland Moose Lodge, 605 Fifth Street. A taco bar will be available.
Please bring a favorite dish and a memory to share.
By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
The lights flickered a few times on the east side of Orland following a 7:30 p.m. Wednesday vehicle accident, but they never went out completely.
The situation on the west side of town was a different matter altogether, however. Some businesses and many residences were without power for hours.
The Pilot/Flying J Travel Center simply closed up for the night. On the other hand, just across Commerce Lane, the Maverik fueling station stayed open (perhaps thanks to a good generator?).
According to the Orland police log, at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 17, Orland police officers responded to a report of a traffic collision at the intersection of Commerce Lane and Newville Road.
Officers determined that Bryan McClain, 40, of Orland, was driving a white 2003 Ford F250 south on Commerce Lane, failed to stop at the red light at Newville Road, and collided with a 2022 Dodge Amazon van driven by Trisha Crawford, 38.
The F250 continued through the intersection and collided with a PG&E transformer pole. No injuries were reported, and a traffic collision investigation was initiated.
Traffic from the off-ramps of Interstate 5, as well as traffic on Newville Road, had to be stopped and diverted.
And, yes, the new traffic signals at Commerce Lane and Newville Road went dark.
One person on Facebook commented, “Wow! Took longer than I thought it would to have an accident there!”
The Orland Volunteer Fire Department, Volunteers In Police Service (VIPS), PG&E, and AT&T responded to the scene as well.
With family members by her side, lifelong Glenn County resident Evelyn Judith Mendes died at her home near Glenn on Tuesday, April 9, 2024. She was born to John and Frances Leonardo on August 16, 1932.
She devoted her whole adult life to her family and church. She was a breast cancer survivor at the age of 85, was a volunteer at the United Way Thrift store, and was a member of St. Monica’s YLI for more than 50 years.
Some readers may recall the fun they had on one of the many Reno bus trips she organized, or received a greeting card from her during her time as Ms. Sunshine. Her devotion to her faith was a strong part of her daily life, all the way to the end.
She always made time for what is important. She made time to raise and support her children and guide them to their goals and dreams as adults.
She felt blessed to watch her children become grandparents themselves.
She is survived by her children Diana (spouse, Clint) Millsaps, Ron (Doreen) Mendes, LaLa (Chuck) Edwards, John Mendes, Steven (Michelle) Mendes, Jody (Donna) Mendes, Francine Ferreira (Lester Calvert), and Rhonda (Joel) Snow; 21 grandchildren; 27 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; sister Delores Amaro; and many nieces, nephews and godchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband of 48 years, Elmer Mendes; parents John and Frances Leonardo; sisters Frances, Mary, and Loutinea; brothers John, Frank, and Michael; and great-grandchild Sloane Renee Mendes.
A viewing is scheduled from 2 to 4 p.m on Sunday, April 21 at F.D. Sweet and Son Mortuary, 114 North Shasta Street, Willows. A Rosary is planned for recitation at 6 p.m. Sunday, with a 10 a.m. Mass to follow on Monday, April 22, at St. Monica’s Catholic Church, 1129 West Wood Street, Willows.
By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
Someone tried to kill himself (or, conceivably, herself) at the Glenn County Jail early Tuesday evening.
At about 6 p.m. on April 16, emergency medical responders were dispatched to the jail for a suicide attempt.
A moment later, the Glenn County Sheriff’s dispatcher specified that it was an attempted suicide by hanging.
At about 6:20 p.m., the person was transported to Glenn Medical Center.
Seven minutes later, a sheriff’s lieutenant responded to Glenn Medical Center.
And that is all that is currently known. There was not so much as a hint regarding the incident in the Glenn County Sheriff’s logs that were released Wednesday at 7:44 a.m.
A call was made to the jail late Wednesday morning, and The Observer’s request for information was transferred to Sgt. Sonia Melgarejo.
She was in the jail’s “tower” at the time, and was unavailable for the call.
A message was left on her voicemail, but the call was not returned.
Unanswered are the following questions:
Did the person survive the suicide attempt?
If he or she survived, is he or she expected to make a full recovery?
What is the name of the person?
Had the person previously attempted suicide?
Was the person on suicide watch of some kind?
What did the person use to hang him- or herself?
Where did the person hang him- or herself?
How was the person discovered?
Who discovered the person?
How long is it thought the person had been hanging before he or she was discovered?
Hopefully, at least some of these questions will be answered in the near future.
Jack Laverne Cook died in Chico on Friday, April 5, 2024. He was born in Willows to Jack and Lorinda Cook on March 24, 1962.
As a boy, with his brothers, he was a member of Boy Scout Troop 46 in Butte City. He had a great time.
He graduated from Princeton Senior High School in 1980, where he played football. After graduation, he worked in the area before enlisting in the Navy.
His basic training was in San Diego, and then he was stationed at Lemoore, Calif., where his medical training began. He worked in the hospital delivering babies, which he loved. He met his wife, Dawn, when he was there.
After serving there, he was discharged and moved back to Princeton. A couple of years later he re-enlisted.
He went to Florida for training and was later stationed in Hawaii. He drove ambulance and worked in clinics and the Army hospital.
He was later deployed on the USS Brutin and ended up in the Gulf where he helped set up Medivac units. He served as a Navy Corpsman for 12 years.
After his discharge, he worked at Enloe Prompt Care for 14 years. He also worked at Northern California Indian Health.
In 2018, he won the lottery and was very generous! Two of his sons lost everything in the Camp Fire in Paradise. He was happy to be able to help them.
He was a very loving, caring person who would help anyone.
A Rosary is set for 6 p.m. on Friday, April 19, at F.D. Sweet and Son, 114 North Shasta Street, Willows. Graveside services are scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Marvin Chapel Cemetery in Afton.
Glenn County Observer
Monday afternoon, April 15, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office issued a press release concerning the shooting in Hamilton City early Sunday morning, April 14. According to the release:
“On Sunday April 14, 2024 [Editor’s Note: The press release incorrectly says April 12], at 0212 hours [2:12 a.m.], the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office received an anonymous report of approximately 15 gunshots heard in the area of 280 Shasta Street, in Hamilton City.
“While enroute to the call for service, a second caller reported her friend had been shot outside of the hockey rink in Hamilton City.
“While enroute to the scene, deputies learned the reported victim self-transported himself to Enloe hospital in Chico to receive treatment for injuries.
“Deputies arrived on scene and conducted a thorough search of the area outside the hockey rink at 250 Walsh Avenue in Hamilton City.
“While on-scene, deputies were unable to locate anyone else in the surrounding area.
“Deputy Goodwin was later able to contact both the victim and reporting party at Enloe hospital and interviewed and obtained statements from both parties.
“While at the hospital, Deputy Goodwin learned the bullet did not penetrate the victim’s skin. It was later located inside the victim’s vehicle.
“The bullet was recovered by investigators, and later booked into the GCSO evidence vault. Photographs of the interior and exterior of the victim’s vehicle were taken.
“At this time, the other involved party has not been identified, and the investigation is ongoing.
“Anyone with knowledge about the crimes, or any witnesses, are urged to contact Deputy Goodwin at the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office at 530-934-6431.”
The sheriff’s log item for this incident included no information that wasn’t already known, except that the victim was from Oroville. The woman who was a witness was apparently from Hamilton City.
Names and addresses were all blacked out.
Later in the sheriff’s log, for 12:02 p.m. on April 14, was this item:
“Marisela Ruiz is the manager of the Ashland apartment complex (208 Main Street, Hamilton City), and she called GCSO Dispatch to report there was a bullet in one of the tenant’s windows.
“Marisela believed the bullet was from the shooting that occurred during the night. Refer to call 24-005368 for details.
“Deputy Gonzalez was detailed to the complex, and he retrieved the bullet from the glass window. There were no witnesses that flagged down Deputy Gonzalez nor video surveillance that captured the incident, per Marisela.
“The bullet was logged into evidence.”
By Larry Judkins
Glenn County Observer
A man was shot in Hamilton City in the early morning hours of Sunday, April 14.
At about 2 a.m., the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office received word that a resident on Shasta Avenue (the first street to the east of the railroad tracks that run north and south through the middle of town) had just heard several gunshots from somewhere in the vicinity of the skating rink.
A deputy began heading to Hamilton City.
At about 2:15 a.m., another call was received, this one from a woman who said a gunshot victim was transporting himself to Enloe hospital.
The woman was driving to Enloe also.
Additional law enforcement units (more deputies, California Highway Patrol officers, and Orland police officers) began responding to Hamilton City.
A deputy asked if the victims knew who the suspects were, and if it was known what kind of firearm was used.
The dispatcher replied, “They don’t know who was the involved parties,” then added, “The male who was shot is driving as well, conscious, talking to me.”
The man “was shot in the lower-right back.” The dispatcher said the incident occurred “behind the Ampla [Medical Clinic, 278 Main Street], at the ice hockey rink [250 Walsh Avenue, the first street to the west of the railroad tracks].”
The first deputy to arrive at the scene reported that there was no one else there. He asked the dispatcher if there were any other victims.
After speaking with the victims, the dispatcher told the deputy that they had arrived at Enloe hospital. The dispatcher said, “They said there was just two involved.”
The dispatcher added, “They were sitting in the car, or by the car, by the hockey rink, and two males in all black walked up, asked where they are from, and that’s when they opened fire.”
A deputy said he was enroute to Enloe. The dispatcher responded, “[The male victim] is already checked in.”
The dispatcher “advised [the hospital] we would like updates.”
A little later, the dispatcher told the deputy she had the “male victim info”.
The deputy informed Glenn County Communications that he had arrived at Enloe, and the dispatcher told him that the victim’s name was “Rex [unintelligible last name].”
Sometime after 3 a.m., law enforcement officers began to leave the scene in Hamilton City. However, at about 12:10 p.m. on Sunday, the manager of the Ashland Apartments, 208 Main Street, called the sheriff’s office to report that there was a hole in a window of one of the units. The manager thought it was related to the early morning shooting.
The Glenn County Observer 