Police Chase, Suspect Flees

A parolee was chased around north Chico until he drove into an orchard and abandoned his vehicle. The suspect was spotted as fled as cops tried to pull him over. He was driving at excessive speeds and headed out in the county. He led officers across a levee and then abandoned his vehicle in an orchard as he continued on foot. He also abandoned a female passenger.

I headed out to try and see if I could get a image of the chase. It was a very exciting event. Chico Police had created a pretty huge perimeter around the suspect as the chase was going on. I couldn't see exactly were the suspect's vehicle was located. Being that the vehicle had been abandoned on private property on an orchard, I couldn't just walk through everything. I also didn't want to get in the way for police to suspect me as the parolee.

Chico Police officer Darrin Deel (left) stands on lookout as a police vehicle drives along the levee searching for Duane Fields, 43, of Chico, wanted on two felony warrants whom fled from police and eluded capture this afternoon after detectives tried to pull him over near the intersection of East and Nord avenues about 2:30 p.m Wednesday, August 18, 2010 in Chico, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Sheriff helicopter H1 searches an orchard in North Chico Wednesday, August 18, 2010 in Chico, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

The police eventually called off the search for the suspect when they were unable to find him the the orchards. Called off? He got away? Not necessarily. Because the police know who he was, they weren't too concerned with him now that he wasn't driving at excessive speeds anymore. He was a local guy that they will be able to pick up easily. It makes you wonder why try to escape and add more charges to your current crimes.

Chico Police search an orchard for Duane Fields, 43, of Chico, wanted on two felony warrants whom fled from police and eluded capture this afternoon after detectives tried to pull him over near the intersection of East and Nord avenues about 2:30 p.m Wednesday, August 18, 2010 in Chico, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)
Chico Police search the abandoned vehicle of Duane Fields, 43, who led police on a chase through north Chico.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Berry Festival is Feastful

The annual Berry Festival in Berry Creek occurred last week. I headed up to a small community in the foothills that come out in the masses for a special homemade berry goodness. The Berry Festival is a celebration for the community. It is such a neat event, I decided to try my hand at making a video to show the culture of the festival. There is just an ambiance from the area that can't necessarily be captured by a still photograph. The sounds along with the sights make this festival special.

Ernie Chapa (left), Sharon Gill (center) and Jim Willis (right) prepare a slice of berry pie for a berry pie sundae for people who wanted to purchase fresh berry pies at the Berry Festival at the Berry Creek Grange Saturday, August 14, 2010 in Berry Creek, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Sharon Gill pours berry sauce of a berry pie sundae for people who wanted to purchase fresh berry pies at the Berry Festival at the Berry Creek Grange Saturday, August 14, 2010 in Berry Creek, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

People were able to pre-order a berry pie, which proved to be smart, being that the festival ran out of pies in about an hour.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Denise Wakefield sets up dolls for sale as people were served fresh berry pies at the Berry Festival at the Berry Creek Grange Saturday, August 14, 2010 in Berry Creek, Calif.

(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Perseid Meteor Shower

The Perseid Meteor Shower is seen annually in August. It is the result of the Earth's orbit running into the path of the dust from the comet Swift-Tuttle. Hundreds of shooting stars fall from the sky to create a great visual meteor shower. While people can see few shooting stars in a typical night. The Perseid Meteor shower offers one of the best and most frequent viewings for people. While you can see hundreds of shooting stars, photographing them it not as easy.

The Perseid Meteor shower lit up at night along Hwy 32 Thursday, August 12, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

The same location is seen the day after the Perseid Meteor shower lit up at night along Hwy 32 Thursday, August 12, 2010 in Chico, Calif.(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

I headed above the city lights and set out my camera. I was alone. After about 10 minutes, I lost interest. It was neat, but really quite boring by myself. This is one of the drawbacks about being a passionate photographer. You generally go out because you are excited to photograph something. It usually is in harsh conditions that other people don't want to join because they don't have the same passion to sit out in the dark and cold for 4 hours without any t.v. or reading light. Technology has improved, so I was able to play a scrabble-like game on my cell phone, which past the time quite quickly. Two hundred and fifteen images later... I had one image with a shooting star. I probably had more, I just couldn't seen them with the settings I was using.

Stars shine above Chico looking south of Upper Bidwell park at night along Hwy 32 Thursday, August 12, 2010 in Chico, Calif.(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

The same location looking south of Upper Bidwell park is seen the day after the Perseid Meteor shower lit up at night along Hwy 32 Thursday, August 12, 2010 in Chico, Calif.(Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

You have to be very lucky. Getting your settings right helps, but even then you're not guaranteed a bright streak across the camera. I had set my camera to ISO 400 and the exposures to 30 second intervals while leaving the aperture wide open at f/2.8. I would have like to push the ISO sensitivity higher, but I was using an older camera (because my others are broken) for the time being. If I would have pushed it higher, the images would have been too noisy. It was a little dark, but all I needed was one.

I went back the next day to see the same spots that I had taken the pictures from. It was a neat afterthought to what I would consider a successful night.

School Starts

The Chico Unified School District has begun teaching its students. I can't believe it is already school time. It seems the summer has not been long at all. I know that we had a great long springtime. It was nice. And while summer heat gets blazing hot in Chico, this summer didn't under long week 100+ temperatures many times. It was quite enjoyable. But school is starting and that means the colleges are starting soon too. I headed out to snag a couple shots of the kids' first day of school.

Ms. Lori Chergosky (right) helps Gracy Morgan, 7 (left), on a nametag art craft in her 2nd grade class as kids start the first day of school for Chico Unified School District at Marigold Elementary Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Chico Unified School District starts for kids, as Ms. Melinda Loy, (right) holds up boy and girl characters to her 1st and 2nd grade combination class at Marigold Elementary Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Chico Unified School District starts for Pleasant Valley High students who walk past the new Art Cetner at PVHS Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Chico Unified School District starts for Pleasant Valley High students in Mr. Dan Holmes (left) beginning and intermediate guitar class, whom checked out their new lockers in the new Art Center at PVHS Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Chico Unified School District starts for Pleasant Valley High students in Mr. Dan Holmes (right) beginning and intermediate guitar class, whom met in the new Art Center at PVHS Wednesday, August 11, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

American Sunset

I love nature. But I really love it when I can take a image that captures the beauty. Cooler weather brought a spectacle of clouds in last night. The sun began to set and the colors saturated the sky in a vibrant orange. I drove out to see where I could go to capture the fast moving sunset. I was driving past a huge American flag that flies over a local car dealership. I have been wanting to take a picture of the sun behind the span of the flag for some time. This was my chance.

Cooler temperatures had clouds come in as the sun sets over Chico on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

The sun sets behind an American flag that flies above a local car dealership in Chico on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

The dark and colorful clouds hung over my head in the opposite direction of the sunset on Tuesday, August 10, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Helping out Humanity

With all the bad news that newspapers report on, it is always good to get a bit of good news squeezed in between the murders, thefts, and fires. This last week I was able to go to two events that featured volunteers helping out the community. The first was at the Torres Shelter where a group of people came out to help make a garden to beautify the shelter.

Craig Johnson (right) nails the roof together as young people who bicycled across country work on building a home for Habitat for Humanity at a site along E. 16th St Saturday, August 7, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Angela Chen (left) and Jess Crumpler (right) nail beams for the roof together as young people who bicycled across country work on building a home for Habitat for Humanity at a site along E. 16th St Saturday, August 7, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Tiffany Conley (left) and Karli Olsen (right) plants roses with volunteers from Matson and Isom that came out to help build a garden at the Torres Shelter Friday, August 6, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)

Breaking Bats

The Outlaws game last night had quite a bit of bats broken by players. While an occasional bat broken happens here and there, last nights game had a couple all in a few innings. Sports photography is all about timing. I was able to snap one of these bats breaking that night.

Chico Outlaws' #25 Mike Rose breaks his bat as he fouls the ball against Calgary Vipers in the bottom of the second inning during their baseball game at Nettleton Stadium Friday, August 6, 2010 in Chico, Calif. (Jason Halley/Chico Enterprise-Record)