Suisun Halloween Parade marks its 69th year A3
Rodriguez water polo gets edged out by Sonora B1
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Fairfield PD releases name of man killed in weekend stabbing Daily Republic Staff
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Landowner Russ Lester speaks at an event celebrating the preservation of farmland near Winters, Monday. A
perpetual conservation easement was conveyed on the 913-acre farm to the Solano Land Trust.
Land Trust adds nearly 1,100 more acres into ag easements Todd R. Hansen
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WINTERS — Russ Lester was about 5 years old, maybe 6, when he climbed up into a tree fort nested in an apple tree growing on the family farm in Santa Clara County. From there he could see the agricultural expanse of the orchard-rich valley, and despite his age, he could also see his father’s vision for a future that would be quite different; a place where silicon chips would be grown instead of cherries and apricots and almonds. It was in that tree fort where Lester vowed to join his father’s fight to preserve agriculture as the “highest and best use” of prime farmland. Some 60 years later, Lester became quite emotional as he paid tribute to his father’s efforts to stem the evolutionary wave that crashed onto California ag land, washing over fertile soil with houses and factories and pavement. Lester, on Monday, joined the Solano Land Trust and state conservation officials in celebrating the end of a nearly six-year journey to place his 913-acre Dixon Ridge Farms into a lifetime easement. “It’s a lifetime dream come true,” Lester said. The Winters-area walnut grower will be paid $4.075 million to keep his farm in agricultural production, protecting what is described as “prime farmland,” from this time forward.
Supes set federal, state legislative priorities for 2023 Todd R. Hansen
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A walnut orchard is seen on the Lester family property near Winters, Monday. The easement funds come from the state Sustainable Agricultural Land Conservation Program. “It’s a tribute to our history and also planting our seeds for the future,” said Lynne von KochLiebert, executive director of the California Strategic Growth Council, which runs the program. David Shabazian, director of the state Department of Conservation, said that with climate change and other pressures on agriculture, the time has come to consider farmland the “highest and best use” in order to feed the state, the nation and the world. He noted the other benefits of
conserving ag land: wildlife habitat and groundwater recharge among the listed items. Lester also contributed $1.375 million to the project with the potential of some tax benefits. Solano Land Trust received $50,000 as the easement holder and for other administrative charges. The total project is $5.5 million. “We all know we are losing (farm land) faster than we’re keeping it, so these project are huge,” Nicole Braddock, the executive director of the Solano Land Trust, said at the event held in one of Lester’s walnut orchards. Some of the trees See Land, Page A9
DePape planned attacks on others besides Pelosi, prosecutors allege Tribune Content Agency Prosecutors say David DePape, who was charged with attempted murder and other crimes in connection with a violent attack against Paul Pelosi, was on a suicide mission and had other targets in mind when he broke into the Pelosis’ San Francisco home last week. DePape, 42, appeared briefly in court Tuesday afternoon and pleaded not guilty to a host of charges in connection with Friday’s hammer attack on Pelosi. Federal authorities
FAIRFIELD — Police released the name Tuesday of a man who was stabbed to death Saturday in the city. Roderick Darnell Harris, 48, of Suisun City, was critically injured in a stabbing reported at approximately 2:45 p.m. Saturday on the 300 block of Jefferson Street. Harris was transported to a local hospital and died as a result of his injuries, police report. His name had been withheld pending notification of his family. Police, it appeared Tuesday, were continuing their search for a person of interest in the case, identified as Milton O’Neal, 40. Police in a press release Saturday said they believe O’Neal and the victim knew one another and that the incident was isolated, with no additional threat to the community. O’Neal, whose city of residence was unknown, goes by the nickname “Porkchop,” police report. Police spokeswoman Jennifer Brantley, in a response Tuesday to a request for updated information about the case, said no other information was being released, to include whether O’Neal had been found. The DR has also requested a physical description and a photo of O’Neal. The death of Harris is the city’s eighth reported homicide of 2022 and the first since late September. Anyone with information about the stabbing Saturday or about O’Neal’s whereabouts is asked to call police investigators at 707-428-7600.
said DePape had plotted to take Pelosi’s wife, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, hostage and break her kneecaps. Before his court appearance, where he wore a sling to support his arm, DePape was transferred to the county jail system from a hospital. Adam Lipson, a veteran deputy public defender, said DePape suffered a dislocated shoulder during his arrest at the Pelosis’ Pacific Heights home. Lipson said he has yet to see the police reports.
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“We are going to look into Mr. DePape’s mental state,” said Lipson, who added that he has not examined the prosecution’s motion to deny bail and said it was moot as there is also federal hold on him. Besides attempted murder, DePape has been charged with residential burglary, assault with a deadly weapon, elder abuse, false imprisonment of an elder and threats to a public official and their family. He faces See DePape, Page A9
FAIRFIELD — Solano County supervisors on Tuesday approved the 2023 federal and state legislative platforms. The Legislative Committee endorsed the platforms. The board, prior to the platform votes, was told that legislation that would prohibit the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to issue a permit for a Delta tunnel project has been introduced. Supervisor Monica Brown went beyond the platform boundaries by asking if there is any likelihood the U.S. will stop support of Ukraine, especially with a new Congress in January. She was told it is a hot topic in Washington, D.C., but there is no clear answer at this time. Supervisor Erin Hannigan wanted to know if funding for in-home support services is likely to get additional federal funding, and the answer was there has been no discussion on that. “I found it interesting that our congressmen are asking the state for more money,” Hannigan said. On the state level, the board was told there will be change in the Legislature and there is a fight ongoing about who will be the next Assembly speaker. The platforms specify the issues the Board of Supervisors want followed and addressed. The federal priorities are funding for key water infrastructure projects; health and human services; as well as housing, economic development and transportation programs. Additionally, military presence, public safety, emergency preparedness and response, and the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and Suisun Marsh are listed platform priorities. In the state platform, the priorities are continuation of expanded MediCal for the uninsured; children, youth and families; county revenue sources and authority; the county strategic plan; See Supes, Page A9
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U.S. Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, left, and her husband Paul Pelosi, pose for the media in London, Sept. 16, 2021.
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