It's Christmas time in the city, but if all the bright lights and busy streets (or maybe that marathon series of “It's a Wonderful Life” you couldn't pass up) have you yearning for a small-town Christmas, there's no better destination than Nevada City, California, and its annual Victorian Christmas celebration. This gingerbread-decorated hamlet in the Sierra foothills, about a 2 ½-hour drive from San Francisco, is like a portal back in time. Read on to find out where to stay, eat, and play.

Before Christmas, two WednesdayFor the three Sundays in December, most of downtown is closed to through traffic and opened to a bustling activity. Carolers, wandering minstrels, jugglers, costumed characters, horse-drawn carriage rides, local musicians, including many children, and other local talent perform in the streets while families stroll from vendor to vendor sampling, sipping, snacking and purchasing their wares. The atmosphere is warm and inviting as locals and tourists alike are there.

SantaBaby
At the bottom of Broad Street (the main drag), Santa will be available for photo ops. For $5, children and groups can have their picture taken with Santa. The money goes to a local charity – and photos are not required. If your little ones are camera shy or want to cross seeing Santa twice off their list, any child can chat with old Santa.

Bonus: There's also balloon art and a bouncy castle for the kids. Also, keep an eye out for jugglers and magicians.

Roasting chestnuts over an open fire
In addition to spiced cider, mulled wine and barbecued food, there will be chestnuts roasted over a real open fire every night. Cecil Snow, the city's favourite Victorian chimney sweep, will be stoking the fire and selling the chestnuts. This is not to be missed.

Decorate the halls
In addition to the unique gifts sold throughout the streets by local artists and artisans, the United Methodist Church at the top of Broad Street hosts an open house and craft market. It's the perfect place to escape the cold, enjoy the festive atmosphere with Santa, apple cider, cookies and music, beautiful decorations, and use the restroom! Or visit the Nevada City Craft Fair on Sunday, December 11 In the historic Miners Foundry you will find a wide selection of artisan gifts.

Photo by Erin Thiem, outsideinn.com

Park your car
Parking is very limited and it can be frustrating when a whole troupe of carolers is ready to hit the road, so drop them off and park your car at the Nevada County Government Center, then take the shuttle back to town. There is a $5 fee on the ride into town, but it's free on the way back to the car! Check out the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce website for more information.

Good night everyone
There are many bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels in this area. The Outside Inn is a family and pet friendly motel style accommodation that is within walking distance of all of downtown Nevada City. Or if you'If you're looking for something unique, rent an RV and try the new Inn Town Campground, less than two miles from downtown Nevada City.

The Northern Queen Inn offers reasonable rates and its own Christmas lights – plus you can choose between traditional rooms or little cabins in the pines! It's a little further away than the Outside Inn, but it's still within walking distance of downtown.

What to wear
Dress for the occasion, but wear your warmest clothes. It's not unusual for snow to fall this time of year! Wool coats and capes and top hats are also appropriate! Bring gloves, hats and scarves for the kids, and wear good walking shoes. Most activities are outdoors, and Nevada City is hilly. The main street, Broad Street, is a long, rolling hill, so wear comfortable shoes.

When: Sundays, December 411th and 18th of 1:30 p.m.–6:00 p.m. and Wednesdays 14 and 21 December out of 5pm-9pm

A fairy tale about two cities
The neighboring town of Grass Valley, which is equally charming, celebrates a similar Cornish Christmas that begins the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs through December 20th. Mill Street and Main Street are closed off and the cool mountain air is filled with the scent of roasted chestnuts, kettle corn and pasties. Make it a weekend of super-retro Christmas celebrations and have the best time – experience both events in one weekend. For more information on Cornish Christmas, visit the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce website.

Have you ever celebrated the season in Nevada City? Tell us about it in the comments below!

–Erin Thiem and Amber Guetebier

All photos courtesy of Nevada City Chamber of Commerce unless otherwise noted

The post Victorian Christmas Celebration in Nevada Metropolis, CA appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

It's Christmas time in the city, but if all the bright lights and busy streets (or maybe that marathon of It's a Wonderful Life you couldn't resist) make you want a small town Christmas, there's no better destination than Nevada City, California and its annual Victorian Christmas celebration. This gingerbread-adorned hamlet in the Sierra foothills, about a 2½-hour drive from San Francisco, is like a portal into the past. Read on to find out where to stay, eat and play.

Two before Christmas WednesdayOn public holidays and the three Sundays in December, most of the city center is closed to through traffic and offers a lot of activity. Christmas carolers, roving minstrels, jugglers, costumed characters, horse-drawn carriage rides, local musicians, including many children, and other local talent perform in the streets as families move from vendor to vendor sampling, sipping, sniffing and sipping their wares buy. The atmosphere is warm and inviting and is frequented by locals and tourists alike.

Santa Claus baby
At the bottom of Broad Street (the main street), Santa Claus is available for photo ops. For $5, children and groups can take a photo with Santa. The money goes to a local charity – photos are not required. If your little ones are camera shy or want to check seeing Santa twice off their list, every child can talk to Ol' Saint Nick about it.

Bonus: There's also balloon art and a bouncy house for the kids. Also keep an eye out for jugglers and magicians.

Chestnuts roast on an open fire
In addition to spiced cider, mulled wine and grilled delicacies, there are chestnuts roasted over a real open fire every evening. Cecil Snow, the town's favorite Victorian chimney sweep, will tend the fire and sell the chestnuts. Not to be missed.

Deck the halls
In addition to unique gifts for sale from local artists and craftsmen on the streets, the United Methodist Church at the top of Broad Street hosts an open house that includes a craft market. It's the perfect place to escape the cold, enjoy the festive atmosphere with Santa, cider, cookies and music, beautiful decorations, and use the restroom! Or stop by the Nevada City Craft Fair Sunday December 11th Find a wide selection of artisan gifts at the historic Miners Foundry.

Photo by Erin Thiem, Outsideinn.com

Park your car
The number of parking spaces is very limited and can be frustrating when the group full of carolers takes to the streets. So drop them off, park your car at the Nevada County Government Center, and then take the shuttle back into town. There is a $5 fee to drive into town, but the ride back to the car is free for everyone! For more information, visit the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce website.

Have a good night's sleep everyone
There are many bed and breakfasts, hotels and motels in this area. Family and pet friendly, The Outside Inn is a motel-style property located within walking distance of all of downtown Nevada City. Or if you'If you're looking for something unique, rent an RV and check out the new Inn Town Campground, less than 2 miles from downtown Nevada City.

The Northern Queen Inn offers affordable rates and its own light show – plus you can choose between traditional rooms or small cabins in the pines! Although it is a little further away than the Outside Inn, the city center is still within walking distance.

What to wear
Dress festively, but wear your warmest clothing. It's not uncommon for snow to fall this time of year! Wool coats, capes and top hats are also appropriate! Bring mittens, hats and scarves for the children and wear good walking shoes. Most of the activities take place outside and Nevada City is hilly. The main street, Broad Street, is a long, rolling hill. Therefore, wear comfortable shoes.

When: Sundays, December 4th11th and 18th of 1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m and Wednesdays December 14th and 21st out of 5-9 p.m

A fairy tale about two cities
The neighboring town of Grass Valley, which is equally charming, has a similar Cornish Christmas festival that begins the Friday after Thanksgiving and runs until December 20th. Mill Street and Main Street are closed and the cool mountain air is filled with the smell of roasting chestnuts, corn on the cob and pies. Make it a weekend full of super retro Christmas parties and enjoy the best moments – attend both events in one weekend. For more information about Cornish Christmas, visit the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce website.

Have you ever celebrated the season in Nevada City? Tell us about it in the comments below!

–Erin Thiem and Amber Guetebier

All photos courtesy of the Nevada City Chamber of Commerce unless otherwise noted

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A Nevada handyman convicted of strangling to death an 81-year-old man in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home was sentenced Monday, May 23, to 25 years to life in prison.

Anthony Thomas Garcia, 63, continued to profess his innocence during his sentencing hearing in a Santa Ana courtroom, a little more than a year after an Orange County Superior Court jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for the April 11, 2015, slaying of Abelardo Lopez Station.

Garcia’s conviction came at the end of his second trial; an earlier jury did not reach a verdict. The second jury found the killing was not carried out for financial gain, which had been alleged by prosecutors and could have led to a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

On Monday, Garcia told Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson that his conviction was a “failure of the justice system. …

“I have been wrongly convicted of a crime I did not commit,” Garcia said. “I am an innocent man. I have always been an innocent man.”

Estacion’s killing came in the midst of an ugly fight over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife who has since died. Garcia is the former boyfriend of Lamb’s granddaughter and two of Garcia’s daughters are Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

Lamb was a self-made woman who owned valuable real estate in Newport Beach, San Clemente and Costa Mesa. She had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, marrying him shortly before his death. At the time, Lamb was dying from terminal cancer and suffering from dementia.

Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives apparently believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health issues to siphon money from her accounts. According to testimony during the trials, Garcia had told others he wanted to kill Estacion.

Lamb’s family got her out of the Newport Beach home she shared with Estacion, and went to court to try to get Estacion kicked out of the residence.

A judge delayed a decision on whether to approve a temporary restraining order against Estacion. Hours later, someone entered the Newport Beach home, cut the power and smothered, struck and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors accused Garcia of driving from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion, alleging he then immediately drove back to Nevada. They also alleged he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he had stayed in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators she had her father’s cell phone the night of the killing and sent fake text conversations between his cell phone and hers. But during both trials the daughter recanted those earlier claims, alleging detectives pressured her to lie about having the cell phone.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described him as a non-violent, devoted family man who lived a simple life. The defense attorney denied the allegations by prosecutors that Garcia believed his daughter’s were entitled to Lamb’s money. She said Garcia wasn’t even in California the night of the killings.

During the sentencing, Clara Sanchez, Garcia’s sister, described him as funny, kind and unselfish, adding that he is “generous and giving to a fault.” She denied that he has ever been “a violent or aggressive human being. …

“We are all so proud that he has been able to survive in an unfair and prejudiced judicial system,” Sanchez told the judge.

The defense attorney unsuccessfully requested a new trial, alleging, among other things, that some jurors had fallen asleep during the second trial and that a juror had cited their own medical experience to claim the death could only have been a homicide.

The judge described the allegations of jurors falling asleep as “not credible” and said the discussion about the cause of death appears to have been based on opinions formed from courtroom testimony, not outside evidence

“Nothing I say will make this feel better for Mr Garcia or Mr Garcia’s family,” Judge Hanson said. “But make no mistake, I would not proceed with sentencing if in the court’s view Mr. Garcia was an innocent man.”

The post Nevada handyman will get life for killing 81-year-old man in Newport Seaside – Orange County Register appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

A Nevada handyman was convicted Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled six years ago in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Anthony Thomas Garcia, 62, guilty of first degree murder for the April 11, 2015 slaying of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.

The jury, however, found the killing was not carried out for financial gain. Such a determination would have made it a special circumstances murder, which would have led to a likely sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury was unable to reach a verdict, leading to a mistrial and a second trial. The second trial was delayed several times mid-testimony after Garcia was placed in temporary quarantine due to being exposed to other jail inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The killing came in the midst of an ugly fight over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was the former boyfriend of Lamb’s granddaughter, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Deputy District Attorney Seton Hunt told jurors that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable real estate in Newport Beach, San Clemente and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, but only married him shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s slaying, Lamb was dying from terminal cancer and suffering from dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed that Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health issues to siphon money from her accounts. Garcia had told others that he wanted to kill Estacion, according to testimony.

A legal battle broke out, with Lamb’s family taking her from her Newport Beach home and trying to get Estacion kicked out of the residence and barred from contacting Lamb. A judge delayed a decision on whether to approve a temporary restraining order against Estacion.

Hours later, someone entered the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and then smothered, struck, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege that Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion, then immediately drove back. They say he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators that she had her father’s cell phone the night of Estacion’s killing and carried out a fake text conversation between the two of them. But during both trials the daughter recanted those claims, alleging detectives pressured her to lie and saying she didn’t have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who lived a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money, and told jurors that Garcia wasn’t even in California the night of the killing.

Garcia is scheduled to return to court for sentencing on April 28. He faces up to 25 years to life in prison.

The post Nevada handyman convicted of 2015 killing of 81-year-old California man – East Bay Occasions appeared first on Los Gatos News And Events.

In 2019, more than 20,000 Native American community members in Nevada lacked complete indoor plumbing, a condition known as “plumbing poverty.” That’s according to a new study by researchers at the Desert Research Institute and the Guinn Center for Policy Priorities.

The two Nevada-based organizations analyzed data from 1990 to 2019. Over that span, an average of 0.67% of Native American households in Nevada were without either piped water, a shower or a flush toilet. The national average over those 30 years was 0.4%.

Erick Bandala, assistant research professor of environmental science at DRI and lead author of the study, says water security is an issue of many tribal communities face across the Mountain West.

“There has been a historical lack of investment in Native American communities related with investment on infrastructure,” he said.

Bandala says other factors adding to the problem are population growth, climate change and water rights.

The study also showed a significant increase in the number of Safe Drinking Water Act violations in water facilities serving Nevada’s tribal communities from 2005 to 2020.

This story was produced by the Mountain West News Bureau, a collaboration between Wyoming Public Media, Nevada Public Radio, Boise State Public Radio in Idaho, KUNR in Nevada, the O’Connor Center for the Rocky Mountain West in Montana, KUNC in Colorado, KUNM in New Mexico, with support from affiliate stations across the region. Funding for the Mountain West News Bureau is provided in part by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

Copyright 2022 KUNR Public Radio. To see more, visit KUNR Public Radio.

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A Nevada handyman convicted of strangling to death an 81-year-old man in the bedroom of a Newport Beach home was sentenced Monday, May 23, to 25 years to life in prison.

Anthony Thomas Garcia, 63, continued to profess his innocence during his sentencing hearing in a Santa Ana courtroom, a little more than a year after an Orange County Superior Court jury found him guilty of first-degree murder for the April 11, 2015, slaying of Abelardo Lopez Station.

Garcia’s conviction came at the end of his second trial; an earlier jury did not reach a verdict. The second jury found the killing was not carried out for financial gain, which had been alleged by prosecutors and could have led to a sentence of life without the possibility of parole.

On Monday, Garcia told Orange County Superior Court Judge Sheila Hanson that his conviction was a “failure of the justice system. …

“I have been wrongly convicted of a crime I did not commit,” Garcia said. “I am an innocent man. I have always been an innocent man.”

Estacion’s killing came in the midst of an ugly fight over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife who has since died. Garcia is the former boyfriend of Lamb’s granddaughter and two of Garcia’s daughters are Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

Lamb was a self-made woman who owned valuable real estate in Newport Beach, San Clemente and Costa Mesa. She had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, marrying him shortly before his death. At the time, Lamb was dying from terminal cancer and suffering from dementia.

Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives apparently believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health issues to siphon money from her accounts. According to testimony during the trials, Garcia had told others he wanted to kill Estacion.

Lamb’s family got her out of the Newport Beach home she shared with Estacion, and went to court to try to get Estacion kicked out of the residence.

A judge delayed a decision on whether to approve a temporary restraining order against Estacion. Hours later, someone entered the Newport Beach home, cut the power and smothered, struck and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors accused Garcia of driving from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion, alleging he then immediately drove back to Nevada. They also alleged he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he had stayed in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators she had her father’s cell phone the night of the killing and sent fake text conversations between his cell phone and hers. But during both trials the daughter recanted those earlier claims, alleging detectives pressured her to lie about having the cell phone.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described him as a non-violent, devoted family man who lived a simple life. The defense attorney denied the allegations by prosecutors that Garcia believed his daughter’s were entitled to Lamb’s money. She said Garcia wasn’t even in California the night of the killings.

During the sentencing, Clara Sanchez, Garcia’s sister, described him as funny, kind and unselfish, adding that he is “generous and giving to a fault.” She denied that he has ever been “a violent or aggressive human being. …

“We are all so proud that he has been able to survive in an unfair and prejudiced judicial system,” Sanchez told the judge.

The defense attorney unsuccessfully requested a new trial, alleging, among other things, that some jurors had fallen asleep during the second trial and that a juror had cited their own medical experience to claim the death could only have been a homicide.

The judge described the allegations of jurors falling asleep as “not credible” and said the discussion about the cause of death appears to have been based on opinions formed from courtroom testimony, not outside evidence

“Nothing I say will make this feel better for Mr Garcia or Mr Garcia’s family,” Judge Hanson said. “But make no mistake, I would not proceed with sentencing if in the court’s view Mr. Garcia was an innocent man.”

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Funding will support 7 non-profit organizations

SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 19, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco made $ 175,000 in grants to seven Nevada nonprofits as part of its AHEAD 2021 program. The grants, which are made available through FHLBank San Francisco’s local financial institutions, are designed to advance innovative business and community development initiatives that provide greater opportunities for underserved populations.

Through the AHEAD program, the members of the bank promote local programs and projects that address urgent needs. The fellows support various priority beneficiaries, including those looking for accommodation; Services for people affected by homelessness; Educational programs for schools, students and teachers; and training programs for workers in a variety of sectors including childcare, construction and healthcare.

“Communities across Nevada have faced an onslaught of challenges in the past 18 months, many of which will have long-term economic implications,” said Teresa Bazemore, president and CEO of FHLBank San Francisco. “Our AHEAD program was launched in 2004 to provide valuable resources to help our communities address such challenges. The need for innovative initiatives and services has never been so important, and we are proud to be able to offer this support. “

This year, nine applications were received from Nevada nonprofits, and seven successful applicants were awarded grants of $ 25,000 each through six participating local lender members.

“From job creation to employee training, from financial literacy to providing resources to underserved populations, this year’s grant recipients exemplify the intent of the AHEAD program,” said Marietta Núñez, senior vice president and community investment officer at FHLBank San Francisco. “The winners stand for innovative, targeted initiatives that create economic opportunities by expanding proven development models or trying out new interventions.”

AHEAD Program Winner 2021 with $ 25,000:

The story goes on

• Safe Nest (funded by the Bank of George), the largest provider of shelter, advocacy, and counseling for domestic violence victims in southern Nevada. AHEAD will provide direct financial support to survivors for rent, deposits, utilities, childcare costs and transit passes.

• The Foundation for Public Education (Sponsored by Wells Fargo National Bank West), which provides programs and resources to serve students, families, and educators in public schools in southern Nevada. The scholarship provides operational support and grants for program participants who wish to become teachers.

• St. Jude’s Ranch for Children (sponsored by Toyota Financial Savings Bank), an inpatient care facility that provides accommodation and services to foster children and foster children of transition age who are at risk of homelessness. The AHEAD scholarship supports a project that helps young people acquire valuable professional skills such as customer service, inventory control and cash management in a thrift store on campus.

• Chicanos Por La Causa Nevada Inc. (sponsored by Western Alliance Bank), which provides housing, financial education and empowerment programs, and social services to underserved Nevada residents. The AHEAD grant will support a project that will provide education and human resource development to people affected by homelessness in Las Vegas, including professional skills in construction or other in-demand industries, career guidance, and employment support services.

• Nevada Partners Inc. (sponsored by Toyota Financial Savings Bank), providing education, human resource development, financial literacy, and housing programs and services to low- and middle-income children, families, and others in West Las Vegas. The grant will help provide operational support and allow the organization to recruit additional staff focused on health care professions, as well as the cost of paid work experience or professional training for the participants.

• Andson Inc. (sponsored by Silver State Schools Credit Union), which provides mentoring, tutoring, and financial education to students in southern Nevada. Funds from the AHEAD scholarship will be used to pay for staff, curriculum expenses, organizational expenses, and materials for a project providing 400 low-income elementary school students in Clark County with financial literacy lessons that focus on money management, financial goal setting, and the benefits of a college savings account .

• Southern Nevada Catholic Charities (sponsored by Meadows Bank)providing food, shelter, and comprehensive services to vulnerable community members. The AHEAD grant will help cover the cost of staff and administrative support for a program that helps homeless men achieve and maintain self-sufficiency by providing housing, life skills courses, access to free nutrition programs, and intensive case management.

A full list of this year’s AHEAD scholarship holders and more information about the program can be found at fhlbsf.com.

Since 2004, the bank has awarded $ 20 million in AHEAD program grants to support over 660 community projects and programs in Arizona, California and Nevada.

Via the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco

The Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco is a member-operated cooperative that helps local lenders in Arizona, California, and Nevada empower communities, create opportunities, and change lives for the better. The tools and resources we make available to our member financial institutions – commercial banks, credit unions, industrial credit companies, savings institutions, insurance companies, and community development financial institutions – promote home ownership, expand access to quality housing, and promote economic development. Together with our members and other partners, we make the communities we serve more alive, fairer and more resilient.

CONTACT: Media contact: Mary Long, longm@fhlbsf.com, (415) 572-6717

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A Nevada craftsman was found guilty Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled in the bedroom of a Newport Beach house six years ago.

An Orange County Superior Court jury found Anthony Thomas Garcia, 62, guilty of first degree murder for the April 11, 2015 murder of Abelardo Lopez Estacion.

However, the jury found that the killing was not carried out for financial reasons. Such a finding would have made it a murder in special circumstances that would have resulted in a likely life sentence with no parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury failed to pass a verdict, resulting in one miscarriage and a second trial. The second trial was postponed several times during testimony after Garcia was placed in temporary quarantine for exposure to other prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The murder occurred amid an ugly battle for the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was Lamb’s granddaughter’s ex-boyfriend, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-grandchildren.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt told the jury that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable properties in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for over 20 years but only married him shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s murder, Lamb died of terminal cancer and suffered from dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health problems to siphon money from her accounts. According to witness statements, Garcia had told others that he wanted to kill Estacion.

A lawsuit broke out when Lamb’s family took her from their Newport Beach home and tried to kick Estacion out of the residence and prevent her from contacting Lamb. A judge delayed a decision approving an injunction against Estacion.

Hours later, someone walked into the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and suffocated, beat, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion and then immediately drove back. It is said that he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, so it would look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia initially told investigators that she owned her father’s cell phone and had a fake text message between the two of them the night Estacion was murdered. But during both trials, the daughter retracted these claims, claiming detectives pressured her to lie, claiming she did not have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who led a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money, telling jurors that Garcia wasn’t even in California on the night of the murder.

Garcia is due to return for trial on April 28. He faces up to 25 years in prison.

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RENO, Nevada (KOLO) – As temperatures cool in northern Nevada, more people will be warming their homes. The Reno Fire Department (RFD) wants to make sure you are ready to prevent any potential fire in your home.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), one in seven reported home fires involves a heater. One in five of them leads to death.

“Unfortunately it is very common. We get a lot of house fires. We get a lot of activated carbon monoxide calls, ”said Willie Seirer, fire safety captain at RFD.

Inspecting your heating equipment before using it can mean the difference between life and death.

Seirer added, “If you haven’t looked at it in a couple of years, it’s a good idea to have a professional come out and clean it and make sure everything is tuned and ready to use.”

According to Seirer, if you use space heating, you should keep anything that could burn at least three feet away and make sure the device is plugged directly into an electrical outlet, not a power strip or extension cord.

“Take the device and tilt it about 45 degrees. You should feel like it’s turned off. You will usually hear an audible click. If not, it should be replaced with a modern device with a toggle switch. Said Seirer.

Fireplaces are another area that needs maintenance to safely warm your home.

Seirer added, “Have a qualified technician, a chimney sweep, clean your chimney before burning a fire in it. Don’t burn rubbish or dirt there, just clean firewood. “

If any of these devices are not operated properly, carbon monoxide poisoning can result. According to Seirer, a simple solution is to install your own CO detector.

“If we can help even one person understand the danger and avoid a fire or burn, that’s a good thing,” said Seirer.

Firefighters say now is a good time to check the batteries in your smoke alarm as well.

Further information on heating safety can be found here. For carbon monoxide safety tips, click here.

Copyright 2020 KOLO. All rights reserved.

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A Nevada craftsman was convicted Tuesday of killing an 81-year-old man who was strangled six years ago in the bedroom of a Newport Beach house.

An Orange County Supreme Court jury found 62-year-old Anthony Thomas Garcia guilty of the murder of Abelardo Lopez Estacion on April 11, 2015.

However, the jury found that the killing was not carried out for financial reasons. Such determination would have made it a murder in special circumstances that would have resulted in a likely life sentence with no parole.

The conviction comes less than a year after another jury failed to pass judgment, resulting in a trial and a second trial. The second trial was postponed several times in the middle of the testimony after Garcia was temporarily quarantined for exposure to other prison inmates who tested positive for COVID-19.

The murder came amid an ugly battle over the estate of Dortha Lamb, Estacion’s dying wife. Garcia was Lamb’s granddaughter’s ex-boyfriend, and two of Garcia’s daughters were Lamb’s great-granddaughters.

At the beginning of Garcia’s latest trial, Assistant District Attorney Seton Hunt told the jury that the case was about “family, greed, hatred and deception.”

Lamb – a self-made woman who owned valuable properties in Newport Beach, San Clemente, and Costa Mesa – had been with Estacion for more than 20 years, but didn’t marry him until shortly before his death. At the time of Estacion’s murder, Lamb died of terminal cancer and dementia.

According to testimony during the trials, Garcia and some of Lamb’s relatives believed Estacion was abusing Lamb and taking advantage of her health problems to suck money from their accounts. Garcia had told others that he reportedly wanted to kill Estacion.

A lawsuit broke out in which Lamb’s family took her from their Newport Beach home and tried to kick Estacion out of the residence and not be allowed to contact Lamb. A judge delayed a decision approving an injunction against Estacion.

Hours later, someone walked into the Newport Beach home, cut power to the residence, and suffocated, beat, and strangled Estacion.

Prosecutors allege Garcia drove from Carson City to Newport Beach to kill Estacion and then drove back immediately. It is said that he left his cell phone with his adult daughter, Samantha Garcia, to make it look like he was still in Nevada.

Samantha Garcia first told investigators that she had her father’s cell phone the night Estacion was murdered, and led a fake text conversation between the two. But during both trials, the daughter retracted these claims because she was pressured by detectives to lie and said she did not have her father’s cell phone that night.

During the trials, Garcia’s attorney, Alisha Montoro, described Garcia as a non-violent, devoted family man who led a simple life. The defense attorney denied that Garcia believed his daughters were entitled to Lamb’s money and told jurors that Garcia was not even in California on the night of the murder.

Garcia is due to return for trial on April 28. He faces a life sentence of up to 25 years.

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