KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An Oakdale man was injured Thursday morning when his motorcycle collided with a car in the Buckingham area.

Motorcyclist Robert Passmore, 64, was seriously injured in the crash, which occurred at around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Pam Morris, 56, of Kelseyville, who was driving the car, was not injured in the crash, the CHP said.

The CHP said Passmore was riding his 2010 Triumph motorcycle southbound on Crystal Drive at approximately 35 miles per hour while Morris was driving her 2004 Mazda northbound at about 30 miles per hour.

The CHP report said Passmore allowed his motorcycle to cross into the opposing lane and hit the left rear of Morris' Mazda.

Passmore sustained moderate to major injuries and was transported by Kelseyville Fire ambulance to a landing zone, were a CalStar air ambulance picked him up and transported him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, according to the CHP.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

This story has been updated.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest officials said Thursday that the largest of 15 lightning fires sparked by a lightning storm earlier this week has continued to scorch acreage.

The Daves Fire, burning on the Mendocino National Forest’s Grindstone Ranger District, is estimated to be 300 acres and 20 percent contained, officials said Thursday evening.

There is no estimated containment at this time, according to forest administration. However, the fire is holding on Skidmore Ridge.

NorCal Team 2 will be assuming command of the fire Friday morning, officials said.

The fire is burning in steep terrain in dense vegetation. Approximately 300 people are currently committed to the fire, according to the report.

Forest officials said smoke from the fire is expected to continue to be visible from the I-5 corridor.

Visitors are asked to avoid the area for both firefighter and visitor safety.

This includes County Road 55/Forest Road M4 southwest of Paskenta, including Black Bear Camp, and Forest Road M9 from County Road 313 west to Log Springs due to increased fire traffic in the area.  

Officials said roads in this area are narrow, with few turnarounds, and large firefighting equipment will be traveling between Paskenta and the fire in the coming days.

The Daves Fire was spotted Wednesday afternoon and is the 15th fire discovered following the lightning storm early Monday.

As conditions continue to dry out and warm up, forest firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in the coming days.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .  

Updates also will be available on Twitter @Mendocino NF.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Proponents of two rent control initiatives for senior mobile home parks are continuing to gather the needed signatures to place the measures on local ballots.

Lakeport resident Nelson Strasser and the Save Our Seniors Committee are working to put the measures on ballots in Lakeport and the county, respectively, as Lake County News has reported.

The measures, which differ slightly in their language, would govern how rent could be increased in senior parks.

The Lakeport measure defines such parks as where there is one inhabitant age 65 or older in 80 percent of the homes, while the county measure requires that 80 percent of the homes in a senior park have at least one person over age 55.

Both measures would roll back all rental rates to Jan. 1, 2012, and would require that rent hikes be based on the percent of Social Security benefit increases.

Since beginning signature gathering about a month and a half ago, the process has gone well, according to Strasser.

Of the 415 signatures needed to qualify for Lakeport's ballot, they had collected approximately 389 as of Wednesday, according to Strasser, who is tabling every day around the city of Lakeport.

The deadline to collect signatures for the Lakeport measure is July 1, and by that point Strasser said he hopes to have close to 500 signatures to cover any signatures that turn out to be ineligible.

The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office said a minimum of 2,115 signatures must be gathered by mid-October to qualify the county measure for the ballot.

Strasser said that, so far, the proposed county measure has more than 1,500 signatures.

“It seems incredible that a tiny band of volunteers, six or seven core people, could pull this off,” he said.

Strasser said local citizens' empathy and consciences has been the strongest support for the measures.

“This effort is the epitome of grass roots democracy,” he said.

If the measures get the needed number of signatures, Strasser's measure could get on November's ballot in Lakeport, but the county measure likely would go on the June 2013 ballot.

For more information contact Strasser at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – “Art and Wine in the Park,” presented by Clear Lake Performing Arts, will take place Saturday, June 22, at Lakeport’s Library Park.

“Art & Wine” takes place from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. and is open to the public, although wine tasting requires purchase of a commemorative wine glass for $25.

The event is a temporary replacement for the traditional – and popular – Home Wine and Beer Makers Festival, which recently was ruled illegal by the California Alcohol Beverage Control agency.

According to CLPA President Ed Bublitz, the ABC ruled that pouring tastes of homemade wines or beers was the equivalent of selling those products, which would be illegal under both state and federal law.

Since commercial wineries are not faced with the same restrictions, the festival is featuring more than a dozen of Lake County’s leading wineries, which will pour tastes of many of their award-winning vintages for attendees.

Among the commercial wineries supporting CLPA by pouring tastes of their premium vintages are Bell Hill Vineyard and Winery, Cache Creek Vineyard and Winery, Cougar’s Leap Winery, Larson Family Winery, Langtry Estate and Vineyards, Lajour Estate Winery, Moore Family Winery, Rosa D’Oro Vineyards, Shed Horn Cellars, Six Sigma Ranch and Winery, Steele Wines, St. Olof Cellars and Torn Hill Vineyards and Winery.

Participating wineries' products also will be offered at discount prices at Bruno’s Shop Smart outlet in Lakeport.

Bublitz expressed his gratitude for the wineries' support. “Our Winefest, as we liked to call it, was our major fundraiser for CLPA,” he said. “It allowed us to underwrite our truly outstanding symphony, as well as the CLPA Youth Orchestra, and help with music programs for Lake County youngsters.”

He added, “We hope 'Art & Wine' will keep us afloat until we can get the law changed to permit reintroduction of the Home Wine and Beer Makers Festival next year.”

Indications are that the region’s elected officials are sympathetic to the cause.

Tickets purchased in advance are just $20.

Outlets selling the tickets are the tasting rooms of Wildhurst and Rosa d’Oro in downtown Kelseyville, Watershed Book Store and Bell Hill Wines tasting room in Lakeport, Shannon Ridge Wines tasting room in Clearlake Oaks, Lower Lake Coffee Co. and Vigilance Wines tasting room in Lower Lake and Middletown Florist in Middletown.

Since CLPA is a leading sponsor of good music in Lake County, music will also play a major role in the event, with popular keyboardist David Neft anchoring a program of local youth groups including the popular Konocti Fiddle Club.

The CLPA Auxiliary – the official fundraising arm of the group – is assembling a spectacular array of gifts for a silent auction, including a week’s vacation time in an upscale Maui condo donated by a longtime member.

Attendees also can explore a large collection of the works of artists and craftspeople from vendors hailing from all over the north counties.

Visit CLPA online at www.clearlakeperformingarts.org .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday the California Transportation Commission allocated $1 billion in funding for 153 transportation projects around the state, including projects in Lake County.

Wednesday's allocations include nearly $541 million from Proposition 1B, a 2006 voter-approved transportation bond.

In total, more than $15.5 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been put to work statewide, the commission reported.

“We’re building transportation improvements that will benefit the state for decades to come and boost job growth in every region of California,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

The funding awarded included $2,680,000 awarded for roadway rehabilitation at various locations throughout Lake County.

The project description said it's meant to increase the safety of the road, reduce traveler delays and improve trip quality.

Elsewhere around the region, Mendocino County received $557,000 to improve the intersection of Highways 1 and 20 near Fort Bragg to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements, with the city of Point Arena to receive another $11,000 for local street rehabilitation projects, according to a project list.

Humboldt County will receive about $2 million for the seismic retrofit of three bridges along Highway 101 near Trinidad and $93,000 for rehabilitation and improvement of railroad crossings at various locations.

The city of Eureka will receive $137,000 for sidewalk construction and relocation, and $232,000 goes to the city of Ferndale for a pedestrian improvement project.
 
Colusa County will receive $107,000 for the Arbuckle Rail Depot restoration and $2 million for roadway improvements near the city of Colusa.

The Sonoma County Transportation Authority will receive $373,000 for planning, programming and monitoring, but the funds are contingent on the state budget's passage, according to the commission's final project list.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Midway of Fun carnival at the new Lake County Spring Fair will host a total of fifteen rides, but according to fair Chief Executive Officer Richard Persons, the most spectacular ride expected for the fair is a huge Ferris wheel called the Century Wheel.
 
“The Century Wheel is twice as high as the normal wheels, and it's got gondola cars that allow a family or group to all ride together. It's 70 feet tall, so people will be able to see everything on the fairgrounds, in Lakeport, and across the lake to Nice and Lucerne,” Persons said. “And it'll be pretty spectacular to look at from the ground as well, because it was refurbished over the winter with thousands of new LED lights that create intricate light shows.”
 
According to Harry Mason, the owner of Midway of Fun, most rides get some refurbishment every winter, but the Century Wheel received more than $200,000 in lighting, hydraulics, paint, and seating.

The LED lighting is visible for many miles, and folks on the North Shore may be able to see the light show.

“I'm really, really proud of the way the new lighting works on the big wheel,” said Mason.
 
Carnival rides run on electricity, and the Midway of Fun carries two 500 kilowatt diesel generators to operate all of the attractions. Each generator is run by a 600 horsepower diesel engine.

Mason said the move to LED lighting on the rides has paid off in diesel savings because the carnival used to require three of the 500 kilowatt generators.

Not only does that translate to a huge reduction in diesel usage but it also means there has been a large reduction in exhaust emissions for the show.
 
Spectacular rides on the Spring Fair midway will include the Tornado, a Tilt-A-Whirl, the Starship 2000, the Flying Bobs and a Super Slide. Kiddie rides will include the Kiddie Jeeps, a motorcycle jump, the Toon Train, and a Dragon Wagon. Rides for all ages will include the Raiders of the Lost Ark, a carousel, and the bumper cars.
 
According to Persons “The bumper cars are always a popular ride for teenagers, who can get a whole group together on the ride, but nobody has be worry about heights or getting sick. It was really popular the past couple of years, so we're glad to see the bumper cars make it to the Spring Fair.”
 
In addition to the rides, the carnival area will include the usual assortment of games and food stands. Traditional coin toss games will compete for attention with ball throws, balloon pops and water gun races.

Lake County Spring Fair gates open all three days at 2 p.m., and admission is $5 per person for ages 6 and older. Children under 6 are admitted for free.

Carnival unlimited ride wristbands will be $25 each at the fair, but can be purchased through Thursday, June 13, for $20 at the fairgrounds office. Parking is $5 per car, and benefits the Kelseyville High School softball program.

Activities planned for the grandstand arena during the Lake County Spring Fair include mud bogs on Friday evening, tuff truck, buggy and ATV races on Saturday evening, and an invitational auto race on Sunday evening. All grandstand shows start at 7:30 p.m. Local participants are also encouraged all three nights, and entry can be made through Lakeport Speedway at 707-279-9577.

Two stages filled with local acts will keep everyone entertained, including an opening night performance by Twice As Good who will take to the Theater Main Stage at 8 p.m.

Before Twice As Good performs, the Snake Alley band will be on the stage for several sets on Friday afternoon and evening. The Theater Main Stage will then host the Lake County Diamonds on Saturday, and the Mark Weston Band on Sunday, with several sets each day.

The Mediacom Gazebo Stage will host the Cherry Road Gang for several sets all three days. Fill-up the Clown will be strolling the grounds performing magic tricks, creating balloon animals, and generally creating laughter. In addition, a face painter will be active near the carnival entrance from the grandstands area.

For more information visit www.lakecountyfair.com .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Glenhaven woman was arrested late last week for domestic violence and outstanding warrants.

Christina Leann Nuchols, 36, was arrested by Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies in the Point Arena area on Friday, June 7, according to Lt. Greg Van Patten.

Just before 7 p.m. that day, deputies were dispatched to the 700 block of Port Road in Point Arena for a reported domestic-related dispute, Van Patten said.

He said deputies also received information that the involved parties were associated with a newer black Ford Mustang.

While responding to the location, deputies observed a vehicle leaving the area that matched the provided description. He said deputies initiated an investigative traffic stop on the vehicle and made contact with the two occupants.

Both occupants readily admitted to being cohabitating partners and the involved parties of the reported dispute, he said.

Deputies observed that the adult male had a visible injury to his arm and observed that the female, Nuchols, was intoxicated, according to Van Patten's report.

He said the deputies were able to determine, by speaking to both parties, that Nuchols scratched the male during the alcohol-related argument and caused the injuries to the male the deputies observed.

Nuchols was subsequently arrested and transported to the Mendocino County Jail where she was booked for domestic violence battery and held in lieu of $25,000 bail, said Van Patten.

Nuchols also was booked on two active arrest warrants issued out of Colusa County. Van Patten said Nuchols had a $25,000 bail felony warrant for possession of a controlled substance and a $10,000 bail misdemeanor warrant for being under influence of a controlled substance.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several small vegetation fires around the county kept firefighters busier than usual on Wednesday afternoon.

The fires burned small amounts of acreage and were quickly contained thanks to the efforts of local, state and federal firefighters, who responded quickly to knock them down before they could grow larger in the county's dry, windy conditions.

“Everything today has been small but busy,” said Kelseyville Fire Chief Mike Stone, who was at two of the incidents.

The first of the fires, reported just after noon, was located in the 8900 block of Scotts Valley Road near Upper Lake.

“It started on the outside of a garage,” said Keith Hoyt, a Northshore Fire firefighter/EMT.

Initial radio reports indicated the building sustained minor damage, but a small wildland fire developed behind it.

Hoyt said the fire burned some trash and debris around the outside of the garage before it moved up a steep embankment behind the structure.

Northshore Fire, Cal Fire, Lakeport Fire and the US Forest Service responded, Hoyt said. The California Highway Patrol also was called to assist with traffic control in the area.

“It was an awesome response and we got it put away pretty fast,” said Hoyt.

The fire was contained by 12:50 p.m., according to radio reports.

Hoyt said the fire was contained at less than an acre. A cause wasn't immediately known.

Just as the fire in Scotts Valley was being contained, another grass fire was reported in the 21700 block of Dry Creek Cutoff Road near Middletown.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bertelli said a full wildland response – which included a Cal Fire helicopter and an air tanker – was sent to the incident, where wind was pushing the fire in the direction of a nearby structure.

He said the fire, which totaled about five acres, was stopped prior to getting the building.

At around 2:30 p.m. a half-acre fire was reported in the area of Wight Way near Kelseyville, radio reports indicated. Cal Fire and Kelseyville Fire responded.

Bertelli, who also was at that incident, said the fire burned about an acre and a half of grass that abutted a walnut orchard. A hand crew was able to cut a line around it. Radio reports indicated it was contained just after 3 p.m.

There were no injuries or damage on either of the fires, which Bertelli said remain under investigation.

From the Wight Way fire, Kelseyville Fire personnel moved immediately to a small grass fire on Smith Lane off of Merritt Road that was reported shortly after 3 p.m.

Stone said the fire burned about a quarter-acre and was under control in about 10 minutes, with no injuries reported. Two engines, a water tender and two chiefs responded.

The fire may have been started due to welding, Stone said.

Bertelli said the wind was definitely a factor in dealing with the Wednesday fires, noting that the wind had started to pick up after 4 p.m.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is currently fighting a newly discovered lightning fire located in a remote area near Daves Ridge.

Forest officials said the fire, dubbed the Daves Fire based on its location, is north of Grindstone Canyon on the Grindstone Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest.

The Daves Fire was spotted Wednesday afternoon, and is the 15th fire discovered on forest lands following the lightning storm early Monday, according to a report from Mendocino National Forest headquarters.

Forest officials said the Daves Fire is estimated to be the largest of the fires so far at more than 200 acres. It's visible from the communities east of the forest.

As conditions continue to dry out and warm up, forest firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in the coming days.

For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest at 530-934-3316, or visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino .  

Updates also will be available on Twitter @Mendocino NF.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two men were arrested and 300 pounds of processed marijuana was seized during a search warrant service on Tuesday.

David Russell Draper, 68, of Kelseyville and Brian Matthew Bareis, 27, of Fort Bragg were arrested in the case, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On Tuesday Lake County Sheriff’s Office Narcotics Task Force detectives received information regarding a large marijuana grow on a property located at 9475 Bottle Rock Road in Kelseyville, Brooks said.

The marijuana grow at 9475 Bottle Rock Road was observed and noted by detectives during an overflight operation conducted in late May.

Brooks said it was reported that Draper and Bareis had just left the property in a silver-colored Dodge Ram truck.

Detectives believed that Draper was associated with several other marijuana growing operations located in the 7000 block of Highway 20 in Lucerne, according to Brooks.

Shortly after receiving the information detectives located Draper and Bareis in the truck, traveling on Big Valley Road in Kelseyville, and conducted a traffic enforcement stop for vehicle code violations, Brooks said.

Both Draper and Bareis said that they had just visited the property to deliver items to a contractor who was working on the property. Both men denied being involved in the marijuana grow, but Brooks said detectives later learned that this was not true.

Detectives obtained and served a search warrant for a total of five locations: 9475 Bottle Rock Road and 3715 Wood Plaza Way in Kelseyville; and 7004 Highway 20, 7232 Highway 20 and 7242 Highway 20, all in Lucerne, according to Brooks.

As a result of the searches, a total of 267 marijuana plants were eradicated and 327 pounds of processed marijuana was seized, Brooks said.

On the property located at 9475 Bottle Rock Road, processed marijuana was found stored in camouflaged steel boxes that were hidden along the tree line near the grow site, he said.

On the properties located at 7232 and 7242 Highway 20 in Lucerne, processed marijuana was found stored in steel boxes that were buried underground, according to Brooks.

Both Draper and Bareis were arrested and booked in the Hill Road Correctional Facility for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Bail for both men was set at $15,000, with jail records indicating that both later posted the required portion of bail and were released.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Efforts are under way to establish a museum and cultural center in the building that formerly housed the Middletown Library.

At its June 8 board meeting, the Lake County Historical Society named Voris Brumfield to head its Gibson Museum & Cultural Center project and nominated her for election to its board as District 1 representative.

Operating a local museum as a project of the county historical society insures nonprofit status, offers a bit of financial support and a good deal of expertise for guidance for the new museum.

Supporters are anticipating a Grand Opening the weekend of May 3-4, 2014, exactly 84 years after the Gibson Library opened in the building May 3-4, 1930.

A memorandum of understanding for creating the Gibson Museum as a cooperative venture between the Lake County Historical Society and the county of Lake has been finalized and approved by the Lake County Historical Society board, and is ready for review by County Counsel Anita Grant.

District 1 County Supervisor Jim Comstock does not anticipate problems with county approval, which will make the historic Gibson Library building available for the museum’s use.

Assessments of work needed on the Gibson building have been made, and work on bringing the building up to code should begin soon. Tenting for termite extermination may happen yet this month.

With that approval, Gibson Museum will be ready to accept donations of historical artifacts, photos and information.

Gibson members have begun collecting oral interviews, and would appreciate submission of names of longtime residents for further interviews.

Local fundraising efforts will be immediate and energetic. Gibson Museum members will participate in the Middletown Days Parade, with a few appearing as "historical characters."

Members wearing white t-shirts with the Gibson logo will be encouraging local support and donations from onlookers. The members also will man tables in front of the Gibson building and at Central Park and will be prepared to take membership subscriptions and donations.

Everyone who would like to further the creation of a south Lake County museum is encouraged to join the Lake County Historical Society, specifying your interest in Gibson Museum.

Gibson will get all the funds generated by such memberships. It's $15 per year for an individual, $20 for a household. County society memberships include the Gibson group and the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum group.

You can join online at www.cgibsonmuseum.com or at www.lakecountyhistory.org using Paypal or your credit card.

The local Gibson Museum group will hold its next planning meeting at the activities center, between the library and the senior center, beginning at 5:15 p.m. Wednesday, June 26. All interested persons are urged to attend.

For more information about the effort, to donate funds or artifacts, or submit information, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Voris Brumfield at 707-987-3379 or Nina Bouska at 707-987-2349.

 
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Local blues band Twice As Good, which regularly tours throughout the United States, will headline the Theater Main Stage at 8 p.m. Friday, June 14, opening night of the new Lake County Spring Fair.

The fair runs from Friday through Sunday, June 16.

The Lake County Spring Fair is a new event that combines several activities from past years, including a carnival, a home and garden pavilion, a car show, and vocational education exhibits.

In addition to Twice As Good, The Snake Alley Band will perform several sets on the same stage Friday afternoon, and the Cherry Road Gang will perform on the Mediacom Gazebo Stage.

Twice As Good is the professional name of the music duo formed by Paul Steward and his father, Richard Steward, who are from Clearlake Oaks, and are members of the Elem Indian Colony.

Richard Steward has grown up around music all his life, mostly admiring blues & soul music. When Paul Steward was a young teenager, Richard taught him to play guitar. Paul, was inspired by B.B. King and began imitating the electric blues guitar he heard on the radio and also learned to sing lead vocals.

In May 2003 they debuted as Twice As Good, and since then they have been all over the the USA, released four award winning albums, shared the stage with many legends and famous artists, and continue to garner success and praise from many corners of the musical world.

The name “Twice As Good” isn't a claim of status. To the Stewards it is a dedication to hard work and quality of craft.

They were once told, “You can't make it in the music business, you got to be twice as good.” So they replied, “Well all right then. We will be, Twice As Good.”
 
The Theater Main Stage will also host the Lake County Diamonds on Saturday, and the Mark Weston Band on Sunday, with several sets each day.

The Mediacom Gazebo Stage will host the Cherry Road Gang for several sets all three days. In addition to the musical acts, Fill-up the Clown will be strolling the grounds performing magic tricks, creating balloon animals, and generally creating laughter.

In addition, a face painter will be active near the carnival entrance from the grandstands area.

Other attractions at the Spring Fair include a variety of food, two stages of local entertainment, motorized grandstand activities, a laser tag building, and various commercial displays.
 
Events in the grandstand arena include mud bogs on Friday evening, tuff truck and buggy and ATV races on Saturday evening, and an invitational auto race on Sunday evening. All grandstand shows start at 7:30 p.m. Local participants are also encouraged all three nights, and entry can be made through Lakeport Speedway at 707-279-9577.
 
Spring Fair gates open all three days at 2 p.m., and admission is $5 per person for ages 6 and older. Children under age 6 are admitted for free.

Carnival unlimited ride wristbands will be $25 each at the Fair, but can be purchased through Thursday, June 13, for $20 at the fairgrounds office. Parking is $5 per car, and benefits the Kelseyville High School softball program.
 
More information about the Lake County Spring Fair can be found at www.lakecountyfair.com or at the fair's Facebook page.