Santa Maria Times from Santa Maria, California • B3

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Times B3 Central Coast California New wildfires erupt in SoCal area of her home with a single bullet wound to her head around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday. Rosenthal was 75-years old. Investigators say she lived alone in the house Police have not identified any possible suspects or determined amotive for the killing. Modesto Fresno Canes, walkers used as weapons at prison A California prison was under lockdown Tuesday as administrators investigated a riot involving rival Latino gangs that sent 24 inmates to hospitals, one in serious condition.

Inmates at Avenal State Prison usedcanes, walkers and foot rests from wheelchairs to beat each other Monday night. It took 16 ambulances responding from four counties to carry the injured to five hospitals. The melee came about six weeks after 175 inmates were injured at the alif ornia Institution for Men in Chino in a racially motivated riot that left seven housing areas un -inhabitable andforcedthe transfer of 1,100 inmates. TlBURON Tuesday, at the Rustic Canyon Golf Course as a wildfire burns in Evacuations ordered for ranches and homes ASSOCIATED PRESS MOORPARK New wildfires threatened homes in Southern California on Tuesday as hot and dry Santa Ana winds turned the region into a tinder box. A blaze in rural hills of Ven -tura County northwest of Los Angeles spread over 6,000 acres more than nine square miles threatening the northwestern area of the city of Moorpark, said county fire spokesman Bill Nash.

Evacuations were ordered for scattered ranches and homes. Fire Capt. Ron Oat-man couldn't provide a specific number but said numerous homes and electrical infrastructure were threat -ened. One small building was seen ablaze. "Don't wait for an evacuation order if you feel like you're in danger," he said.

The fire was believed to have been ignitedby spontaneous combustion of manure at a ranch, a Sheriff's Department statement said. Temperatures topped 100 andhumidity fell to single digits while winds gusted to 30 mph, Nash said. Air tankers including a DC -10 jumbo jet and big he -litankers bombarded the flames with retardant and water, while hundreds of firefighters worked on the ground. Two minor injuries to firefighters were reported. City spokesman Hugh Riley said the water district authorized avocado growers to Associated Press arson on Aug.

26. At its peak it destroyed 89 homes and caused two firefighter deaths. The fire remained 94 per -cent surroundedTuesday, and fire commanders again pushed back the projected date for full containment this time from Tuesday evening to Thursday morning, due to the weather. About 600 firefighters watched for flare-ups. The weather service also issued "red flag" warnings of fire weather conditions in other parts of California due to a combination of low humidity, high temperatures and wind.

Those areas includedthe hills east of San Francisco Bay and mountains to the north, the northern Sierra andnorthern Sacramento Valley and a large swath of the state farther north. Jim Crawford practices putting the hills of Moorpark. turn on irrigation sprinklers in their orchards. He noted that the fire was following the path of ablaze several years ago. Another fire broke out in Riverside County, 40 miles east of Los Angeles, and burned from the city of Riverside into the city of Norco and toward adjacent Corona.

Norco Fire Chief Jack Frye said the 120 to 150 acre fire was up to 60 percent contained andno homes hadbeenlost despite gusts up to 45 mph. In neighboring San Bernardino County, al7-acre blaze damagedunidentified structures in Redlands. City spokesman Carl Baker said a dozen homes were evacuated. Containment was esti-matedat 50 percent. The fires were whipped by the region's notorious Santa Ana winds which blow from the northeast, speedingup and warming as they de -scend through mountain passes and canyons and push seaward.

The air is extremely dry, lowering humidity levels and making brush easier to burn. The Santa Anas also whipped up clouds of ash north and east of Los Ange -les in the vast area of the San Gabriel Mountains burned over by a gigantic wildfire that continues to smolder a month after it began. The winds caused some increased fire activity on ridgetops in the San Gabriels but the haze was from blowing ash, not smoke columns, said Carol Underhills, apub-lic information officer for the U.S.Forest Service. The fire burned across 160,557 acres 251 square miles of Angeles National Forest after it was ignitedby Man pleads no contest in case A registered sex offender is expected to be sentenced to 50 years in prison after pleading no contest to kidnapping a 14 -year old girl. Jared Conway is scheduled to be sentenced Oct.

19. for kidnapping for the pur -pose of rape, false imprisonment and other charges. Prosecutors say Conway was living with the girl's family when he kidnapped her on July 5, 2008, bound and blindfolded her, and placed her in the trunk of a car. Duringahigh-speed chase afew hours later, Conway crashedhis car. He was arrested after a violent struggle with police Stanislaus County Deputy District Attorney says while Conway was in custody, he also admitted to the murder of a girl in Tennessee in 2007.

From wire reports flood control and watershed projects in Santa Barbara County. However, its important contributions to the community would have been nearly impossible if not for its board members' respect and credibility in the community, according to dis -trict staff. At the Board of Supervisors, Sept. 1 meeting, a representative from the Environmental Defense Center said that the Cachuma RCD could benefit by having members who are experts in envi-ronmentalism or soil erosion. None of the supervisors agreed with the EDC 's suggestion, but the board voted to return to the issue later with more information.

Supervisor Joe Centeno, representing the 5th District, commended the special district board members for their dedication to conservation and their work with the agricultural community to preserve water resources. 1949 in Las Minas de Herrera, Elderly woman shot and killed Authorities have released more information after an elderly woman was found shot to death outside her Tiburonhome. Police say Joan Rosenthal was found in the front patio RCD: Continued from page B2 majority of the district's $422,125 operating budget comes from winning competitive grants. The district is governed by a nine -member board of directors, who are appointed to four-year terms by the Board of Supervisors. It partners with the U.S.

Department of Agriculture's Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), allowing the district to assist the county and residents in conservation practices, wildlife habitat protection and erosion reduction. For example, the Cachu-ma RCD used the NRCS's Emergency Watershed Protection program to get approximately $8.5 million to address damage caused by the Gap and Jesusita fires on the South Coast. In the past 20 years, the Cachuma RCD has been instrumental in assembling millions of dollars for COUNTY: Continued from page B2 Unit 1 at Diablo Canyon was taken offline Sunday for repairs to the heater, one of six in each reactor at the power plant. The feedwater heaters are part of a system that supplies water to the steam generators that help power the reactors. All six heaters must be operable for the reactor to operate continuously at full power, according to Unit 2 at the nuclear power plant on the coast near Avila Beach continued to operate at full power during the out charge George said.

That's in addition to the initial charges of assault with a deadly weapon and suspicion of criminal conspiracy from his arrest Monday, George said. The arrests stem from an incident about 12:20 a.m. Monday when acar-load of men confronted a victim outside his home at Orcutt View Court and Pinal Avenue in Orcutt, George said. The men were looking to damage the victim's vehicle after a prior incident he added. While the victim was struggling with a baseball-bat -wielding Almaguer, aman in the vehicle reportedly fired a shot over the victim's head, hitting the back window of the vehicle and the suspects fled.

From staff reports Orcutt 2 more men arrested in Monday morning shooting Sheriff's deputies have arrested two additional Santa Mariamen in connection with an early Monday morning shooting in Orcutt, officials said Tuesday. Arturo Escobar, 20, and Gabriel Ramos, 18, were taken to Santa Barbara County Jailfor suspicion of attempted murder. Escobar also hada $30,000 vehicle theft warrant out of Los Angeles, said Sgt. Clyde George, Also, Armando Almaguer, 37, of Santa Maria, faces an attempted murder 6i itua vies DOROTHY JEAN I Following a Dorothy Jean I of her Lord and Jean was born OMAIRA B. BROWN lOmaira B.

Brown, 60 of Santa Maria, CA, McKEAN four-month battle with cancer, McKean passed into the presence Savior on September 20, 2009. October 18, 1922 in Hamburg, passed away Friday, September 1 8, 2009 at her home with her loving family by her side. Omaira was born May 1, I Iowa to Doran and Helen Brown. She met Lloyd McKean in Hamburg and began their courtship in late high school. They were married in Los Panama, and was raised and educated there.

She married Thomas A. Brown, Sr. on September 12, 1970 in Panama and moved to Santa Maria in 1978. She was employed as a Angeles, California on June 13, 1941. Two daughters were born to them: Mary Helen Icaregiver at Marian Residence for many years.

DOROTHY McDOLE Dorothy McDole, beloved mother, grandmother, and friend to many, left us unexpectedly on Sept. 13, 2009 at age 87. She was a proud third generation Californian. She and Bill, her husband of 60 years, were married in 1947 and lived in Santa Maria for 20 years until Bill's passing last year As the wife of a career military man, Dorothy learned quickly to adapt to unusual living situations and frequent moves. In her younger days, Dorothy worked as a bookkeeper and secretary.

After retirement, she thoroughly enjoyed traveling with Bill, being with her grandsons, socializing with her many friends, and volunteering with charitable organizations. She also found time to create many beautiful craft projects. Family and friends were the center of her universe. If anyone needed a helping hand, a warm smile or a hug, Dorothy was always there for them. Our very special mother and grandmother is survived by a daughter Patricia (Arthur), grandsons Andrew and Chris (Elaine), and great-granddaughter Savannah.

Friends of Dorothy are welcome to celebrate her life at the Rancho Buena Vista Mobile Estates clubhouse, 2135 N. Railroad on Sun. Sept. 27 at 12:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the American Cancer Society or to Woods Humane Society in San Luis Obispo.

LULUMAE FRANCES BRECKER She was also a homemaker. Omaira enjoyed spending time with her family and friends and loved traveling, gardening and cooking. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. Omaira is survived by her husband of 39 years, Thomas A. Brown daughter Maelyn Brown, and son Thomas A.

Brown, all of Santa Maria, brothers Arestides, Climaco, Humberto, and Adonais Bosquez, all of Panama, sister Raquel Bosquez of Santa Maria, and grandchildren Analyssa Brown and Diogenes Pardo, both of Santa Maria. She was preceded in death by her parents Diogenes and Juliana Bosquez, brothers Bolivar and Jeremias Bosquez, and sisters Juana B. de Beitia and Enilda B. de Carreno. A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Friday, September 25, 2009 at 10:00 A.M.

at St. John Neumann Catholic Church. Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory. Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary Crematory (805) 922-8463 www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com (1942) and Kathy Lou (1945). In 1958, the family moved to Santa Maria.

She was an active member of First Baptist Church of Santa Maria and served as a Sunday School teacher and AWANA Sparks Club secretary. Jean was preceded in death by her mother, Helen, father, Doran and brother, Keith. She is survived by her husband, Lloyd McKean, daughters Mary Houser (Don), of Santa Maria and Kathy Purcell (Ron) of Rohnert Park plus five grandchildren; Kathy Miller, Kevin Houser, Kerry Houser, Dan Purcell and David Purcell and seven greatgrandchildren. The family sorrows in her absence but rejoices that she is experiencing joy in the presence of her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. A memorial service will be held September 25, 2009 at 10 a.m.

at First Baptist Church with graveside service to follow at 2 p.m. at the Los Osos Valley Cemetery, Lot 383 in the Garden of Hope. Call the church for details. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in her memory to First Baptist Church of Santa Maria, designate "AWANA." Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory. Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary Crematory (805) 922-8463 www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com 1921-2009 Lulumae Frances Brecker, 88, known as "Lou" passed away on September 20, 2009.

Lou was born in Wyoming in 1921 to Nellie and John. She married Francis Brecker in 1940. Lou is survived by her daughter, Charlotte Ochoa and her grandsons, Alex and Max Ochoa. After retiring from the Sunnyvale School District and the Sunnyvale moved to Santa Teachers Credit Union, she Maria to be closer to her family. DEATH NOTICES For information on placing an obituary, please She was a fifty-four year member of the Order of the Eastern Star, volunteered at May Grisham School, honored twice as Sunnyvale School District Employee and volunteer of the year in the Temecula School District.

Lou is remembered by her family and friends as "always entertaining, often inspiring and totally fun." In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in memory of Lou to your charity of choice. A memorial service will be held 3:00 pm Friday, September 25, 2009 at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary. Arrangements are under the direction of Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory. Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary Crematory (805) 922-8463 www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com MR. PABLO REYES, 32, resident of Santa Maria.

Passed Away September 21, 2009. Arrangements under the direction of Moreno Mortuary. MRS. LULUMAE F. BRECKER, age 88, passed away September 20, 2009.

Resident of Santa Maria, CA. Arrangements pending at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory. www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com MR. JOSE HERNANDEZ, age 42, passed away September 21, 2009. Resident of Santa Maria, CA.

Arrangements pending at Dudley-Hoffman Mortuary and Crematory. www.dudleyhoffmanmortuary.com JAMES MOORE, 79, of Arroyo Grande, passed away Tuesday, September 22, 2009. Arrangements are under the direction of Marshall-Spoo Sunset Funeral Chapel in Grover Beach..