LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local transit workers are expected to strike on Monday and Tuesday following a break in contract negotiations.

Teamsters Local 665 representatives and Paratransit Services – the Bremerton, Wash.-based nonprofit that operates Lake Transit Authority – reported last week that the strike was taking place.

The two sides currently are engaged in negotiations for a new three-year contract, as Lake County News has reported.

Messages on Lake Transit Authority's Web site as well as an information line indicated Sunday that the strike was still taking place.

The following limited services will be offered through Lake Transit on Monday and Tuesday:

• Clear Lake / Lakeport Dial-a-Ride (DAR) will operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
• Routes 5 and 6 will run from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.;
• Route 4 westbound will operate at 7:05 a.m. and 1 p.m.;
• Route 1 eastbound will operate at 8:31 a.m. and 2:21 p.m.

Riders can get updates by calling 707-994-3334 or visiting www.laketransit.org .

Transit workers are expected to be back to work on Wednesday.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Communities around Lake County are planning celebrations to commemorate July 4, with fireworks, parades and the annual worm races once again on the schedule.

Separate events will take place later this week in Lakeport, Clearlake Oaks, Clearlake and Hidden Valley Lake.

The big news this year in Clearlake is that the carnival that had been planned won't be taking place.

Ray Bridges of the Lakeshore Lions Club said the company that had been set up to provide the carnival canceled with just weeks to go before the event.

With such late notice no replacement vendor could be found. They're working to bring a carnival back to Clearlake next year, he said.

There will still be much to do that day, he said, with a parade, vendors and the International Worm Races.

Below is a community-by-community schedule of events, in date order.

Lakeport: Thursday, July 4

From 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, Lakeport residents and visitors can enjoy a number of activities in and around Library Park, from music to a street fair and a variety of food and craft vendors, according to the Lakeport Main Street Association.

The Lakeport Yacht Club will host the sixth annual Cardboard and Duct Tape Regatta in Library Park between First and Third streets beginning at 11 a.m. Those who want to register on the day of the race should arrive earlier.

Age classifications in the race are 5 to 12, 13 to 18, and 19 to 100 years old. All participants must wear life jackets.

Contact Larry Wiggins at 707-263-4601 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. , or Ed Posada at 707-263-1871 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for applications and additional information.

The event entry form also can be found at the event's Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cardboard-Duct-Tape-Regatta/127183017320613 .

Throughout the day, tickets will be sold for the boat raffle to benefit the Lakeport Main Street Association. The drawing for the grand prize winner will be held just before the fireworks display in the evening. The winner does not need to be present.  

The day's signature event, a large fireworks display over Clear Lake, will take place at dusk.

For more information, call Lakeport Main Street Association at 707-263-8843 or visit www.lakeportmainstreet.com .

Clearlake Oaks: Friday, July 5

The 2013 Maxine Sherman Memorial Annual Fireworks display will be presented over Widgeon Bay at dusk, Friday, July 5, according to the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association.

The association's year-round fundraising efforts – capped by its famed May Catfish Derby – have for years funded scholarships, community improvements and the annual fireworks display, which has become a cherished tradition for the lakeside community.

The fireworks display is named for the late Maxine Sherman, an association member who worked hard to put on the annual event, lobbying for funding support and putting on many fundraisers. She died in 1999.

The fireworks are launched from Clearlake Oaks Beach Park beginning at dusk. The association said the best viewing area is from a boat, anchored east of Rattlesnake Island. For those without boats, the next best viewing area is from Clarks Island.

For more information, call the association at 707-998-9563, email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or visit www.clearlakeoaks.org .

Clearlake: Saturday, July 6

The annual Redbud Parade in Clearlake will begin on Lakeshore Drive at 11 a.m. Saturday, July 6.

This year's theme is “Fun in the Sun.”

The parade follows Lakeshore Drive to Austin Park, where the day's festivities will be based, including the annual Show and Shine Car Show, arts and crafts and food vendors, children's activities and the International Worm Races, which begin after the parade in Austin Park.

Ray Bridges of the Lakeshore Lions Club said parade entries will be accepted up to the day of the event; those wanting to be eligible for awards should have entries in by Wednesday, July 3.

Parade entry forms are available at Clearlake Automotive, 14090 Lakeshore Drive; Bob's Vacuum Repair and Supplies, 4165 Mullen Ave.; Kevin Ness Jewelers, 14114 Lakeshore Drive; Tatonka Trading, 14240 Lakeshore Drive; and Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

For those who purchased wristbands for the now-canceled carnival, Bridges said they can go back to the business where they purchased the wristband and get a refund.

The fireworks display will take place at dusk.

For more information, call Bridges at Clearlake Automotive, 707-994-3070.

Hidden Valley Lake: Saturday, July 6

The Hidden Valley Lake Association will host its Independence Day celebration for the gated community's residents beginning at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 6.

The activities will be based at the Big Beach, 18600 Lakeridge Circle.

There will be live music all day. At Little Beach, there will be a poker run for all paddle boats, rowers and canoeists at starting at noon, followed at 1 p.m. by a casting contest.

At 2 p.m. a boat parade for all watercraft will begin; decorations are optional.

From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. there will be a pre-fireworks celebration at the pool water slide, with fun for children including face painting and a jumpy house.

The fireworks display will begin at dusk, as conditions allow.

The association reported that due to changes mandated by Cal Fire based on the need to have clear access for emergency vehicles, parking will not be allowed at Big Beach on July 6, although dropoffs will be permitted.

Lakeridge Circle to be closed to through traffic from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Free parking will be offered at Fiddlers Field, and shuttle buses will be provided.

For more information, contact the Hidden Valley Lake Association at 707-987-3138 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Lakeport Speedway: Saturday, July 6

A fireworks show will follow Saturday night's racing, which takes place from 5 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport.

For more information call the Lakeport Speedway, 707-279-9577, or visit www.lakeportspeedway.com .

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.

Data from Voyager 1, now more than 11 billion miles from the sun, suggest the spacecraft is closer to becoming the first human-made object to reach interstellar space.

Research using Voyager 1 data and published in the journal Science June 27 provides new detail on the last region the spacecraft will cross before it leaves the heliosphere, or the bubble around our sun, and enters interstellar space.

Three papers describe how Voyager 1's entry into a region called the magnetic highway resulted in simultaneous observations of the highest rate so far of charged particles from outside heliosphere and the disappearance of charged particles from inside the heliosphere.

Scientists have seen two of the three signs of interstellar arrival they expected to see: charged particles disappearing as they zoom out along the solar magnetic field, and cosmic rays from far outside zooming in.

Scientists have not yet seen the third sign, an abrupt change in the direction of the magnetic field, which would indicate the presence of the interstellar magnetic field.

“This strange, last region before interstellar space is coming into focus, thanks to Voyager 1, humankind's most distant scout,” said Ed Stone, Voyager project scientist at the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena. “If you looked at the cosmic ray and energetic particle data in isolation, you might think Voyager had reached interstellar space, but the team feels Voyager 1 has not yet gotten there because we are still within the domain of the sun's magnetic field.”

Scientists do not know exactly how far Voyager 1 has to go to reach interstellar space. They estimate it could take several more months, or even years, to get there.

The heliosphere extends at least 8 billion miles beyond all the planets in our solar system. It is dominated by the sun's magnetic field and an ionized wind expanding outward from the sun. Outside the heliosphere, interstellar space is filled with matter from other stars and the magnetic field present in the nearby region of the Milky Way.

Voyager 1 and its twin spacecraft, Voyager 2, were launched in 1977. They toured Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune before embarking on their interstellar mission in 1990. They now aim to leave the heliosphere. Measuring the size of the heliosphere is part of the Voyagers' mission.

The Science papers focus on observations made from May to September 2012 by Voyager 1's cosmic ray, low-energy charged particle and magnetometer instruments, with some additional charged particle data obtained through April of this year.

Voyager 2 is about 9 billion miles from the sun and still inside the heliosphere. Voyager 1 was about 11 billion miles from the sun Aug. 25 when it reached the magnetic highway, also known as the depletion region, and a connection to interstellar space.

This region allows charged particles to travel into and out of the heliosphere along a smooth magnetic field line, instead of bouncing around in all directions as if trapped on local roads.

For the first time in this region, scientists could detect low-energy cosmic rays that originate from dying stars.

“We saw a dramatic and rapid disappearance of the solar-originating particles. They decreased in intensity by more than 1,000 times, as if there was a huge vacuum pump at the entrance ramp onto the magnetic highway,” said Stamatios Krimigis, the low-energy charged particle instrument's principal investigator at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md. “We have never witnessed such a decrease before, except when Voyager 1 exited the giant magnetosphere of Jupiter, some 34 years ago.”

Other charged particle behavior observed by Voyager 1 also indicates the spacecraft still is in a region of transition to the interstellar medium.

While crossing into the new region, the charged particles originating from the heliosphere that decreased most quickly were those shooting straightest along solar magnetic field lines.

Particles moving perpendicular to the magnetic field did not decrease as quickly. However, cosmic rays moving along the field lines in the magnetic highway region were somewhat more populous than those moving perpendicular to the field. In interstellar space, the direction of the moving charged particles is not expected to matter.

In the span of about 24 hours, the magnetic field originating from the sun also began piling up, like cars backed up on a freeway exit ramp. But scientists were able to quantify that the magnetic field barely changed direction – by no more than 2 degrees.

“A day made such a difference in this region with the magnetic field suddenly doubling and becoming extraordinarily smooth,” said Leonard Burlaga, the lead author of one of the papers, and based at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. “But since there was no significant change in the magnetic field direction, we're still observing the field lines originating at the sun.”

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, in Pasadena, Calif., built and operates the Voyager spacecraft. California Institute of Technology in Pasadena manages JPL for NASA. The Voyager missions are a part of NASA's Heliophysics System Observatory, sponsored by the Heliophysics Division of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

For more information about the Voyager spacecraft mission, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/voyager and http://voyager.jpl.nasa.gov .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several more new kittens and cats have joined the pool of adoptable cats at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The cats range in age from 8 weeks to 6 years, and all have been spayed or neutered and vaccinated.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

'Puzzle'

“Puzzle” is a 6-year-old female lilac point Siamese mix.

She has had treatment for injuries and is now available for adoption.

She has a short coat, a docked tail and blue eyes,

Shelter staff said she is very sweet and friendly. Puzzle is fine with bigger dogs, but doesn't get along with any animals smaller than her.

Puzzle's identification number is 19.

Male orange tabby kitten

This male orange tabby kitten is 4 months old.

He has a short orange and white coat, weighs 4 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 53a, ID No. 36862.

Female domestic short hair kitten

This female domestic short hair kitten is 4 months old.

She has a short black and white coat and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 53b, ID No. 36863.

Orange tabby

This male orange tabby is 3 years old.

He has a medium-length coat and gold eyes, and he's been altered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 61, ID No. 36800.

Calico kitten

This female calico kitten is 17 weeks old.

She has a short dilute calico coat and green eyes, weighs 3 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 66a, ID No. 36705.

Calico kitten

This female calico kitten is 17 weeks old.

She has a short dilute calico coat and green eyes, weighs 3 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 66b, ID No. 36706.

Calico kitten

This female calico kitten is 17 weeks old.

She has a short dilute calico coat and green eyes, weighs 3 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 66c, ID No. 36707.

Calico kitten

This female calico kitten is 17 weeks old.

She has a short tortie calico coat and green eyes, weighs 3 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 66d, ID No. 36708.

Female tuxedo cat

This black and white female cat is 1 year old.

She has a short coat and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 88a, ID No. 36811.

Siamese mix kitten

This female Siamese mix kitten is 8 weeks old.

She has a short coat with lilac point markings, weighs 2.4 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 88b, ID No. 36812.

Siamese mix kitten

This male Siamese mix kitten is 8 weeks old.

He has a short coat with lilac point markings, weighs 2.4 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in cat room kennel No. 88c, ID No. 36813.

Gray and white kitten

This female kitten is 8 weeks old.

She has a short gray and white coat, weighs 2 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 88d, ID No. 36814.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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. – Installation of the 41st quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail is located at 746 Park Way in Lakeport on Donna and Bob Garcia’s barn.  

This quilt block, called “Clay’s Choice,” was chosen by Donna to honor three of her relatives who are/were avid quilters.

The three special quilt makers are Donna’s mother, Juna May Love, who resided for 35 years in Lakeport before her passing.

The second special lady is Donna’s grandmother, Laura Belle Ozbirn, who lived in Salem, Ark.  

The third special person being honored is Donna’s sister, Kitty Holderman, who currently lives in Queen Creek, Ariz.

Donna thanks her loving family members for their beautiful quilts, their warmth and love which the quilts impart when she and other family members are snuggly wrapped in them.

Donna and Bob bought their property in 2003. They are transplants from Santa Clara County who chose to retire in Lake County after visiting here for more than 50 years.

The GPS location of “Clay’s Choice” is Latitude: 39.08, Longitude: -122.92.

The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.

The 8-foot by 8-foot quilt block was drawn and painted by the LC Quilt Trail team, a group of dedicated quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers, carpenters and a videographer.

For more information about the Lake County Quilt Trail visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or go to Facebook-LCQT.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A structure fire destroyed a Middletown home late Friday night.

The fire, reported in the 21000 block of Barnes Street, was dispatched at about 11:30 p.m. Friday, according to radio reports.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Greg Bertelli said the homeowners had been away from home for the evening and when they returned, they found the residence engulfed in flames and called 911.

Bertelli said South Lake County Fire and Cal Fire responded to the scene, finding the structure fully involved by the time they arrived.

Because of the threat to wildland, Cal Fire initially sent a full wildland dispatch of five engines, two dozers and two handcrews, said Bertelli.

He said firefighters had to work to protect surrounding structures, including a second residence about 20 feet away, as well as outbuildings.

No firefighters were injured, said Bertelli.

However, he said the homeowners lost two cats and a dog that were in the house at the time of the fire.

Bertelli said fire officials worked with Red Cross to get accommodations set up for the home's displaced family.

Because of the threat to wildland and nearby structures that the fire had posed, firefighters and four Cal Fire engines remained on scene throughout the night, finally returning to quarters at about 7:30 a.m., according to Bertelli.

A fire investigator was at the scene during the night, said Bertelli.

“It's still under investigation,” he said.

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.

On Monday, July 1, California's excise tax on gasoline will increase 3.5 cents per gallon, from a rate of 36 cents to 39.5 cents per gallon.

Assembly Bill x8 6, Ch. 11, and Senate Bill 70, Ch. 9, which became law in 2010, lowered the sales and use tax rate on gasoline and increased the excise tax rate on July 1, 2010.

The laws require the annual sales and excise taxes paid on gasoline to remain revenue neutral, assuring the tax burden on consumers is the same.

These laws also mandate that the California State Board of Equalization adjust the excise tax rate by March 1 of each year in order to ensure revenue neutrality.

Board members are sensitive to the financial impact of higher gas prices, but state law requires the Board of Equalization to adjust the excise tax rate every year to achieve revenue neutrality.

While gasoline consumption has been reduced slightly in recent years, in 2011 and 2012 the price of gasoline greatly and unexpectedly outpaced these modest declines in consumption.

Higher gasoline prices mean the Board of Equalization must adjust the excise tax to make up for the sales tax loss, and achieve the revenue neutrality mandated by the legislation.

Gasoline sales tax revenues fund local government programs, while the state excise tax on gasoline funds highway and mass transit projects throughout California.

Summer in California is officially under way and the warm temperatures bring increased outdoor activities, with July 4 being no exception.

Many Californians and tourists will be celebrating our nation’s independence with fireworks, and Cal Fire wants to stress the importance of fireworks safety and the State’s zero tolerance against illegal fireworks.

“Every year Cal Fire and fire departments across California respond to hundreds of fireworks-related fires that result in millions of dollars in damage,” said State Fire Marshal Tonya Hoover, Cal Fire – Office of the State Fire Marshal. “If you are going to use fireworks, check first with your local fire department to make sure they are allowed in your area. If they are, use only fireworks that carry the State Fire Marshal’s ‘Safe and Sane’ seal.”

California has a zero tolerance for the sale and use of illegal fireworks. Illegal fireworks include sky rockets, bottle rockets, roman candles, aerial shells, firecrackers and other types that explode, go into the air, or move on the ground in an uncontrollable manner.  

It is illegal to sell, transport, or use fireworks that do not carry the “Safe and Sane” seal, as well as possess or use any fireworks in a community where they are not permitted.

If convicted, a violator could be fined up to $50,000 as well as sent to jail for up to one year. There are nearly 300 communities within California that allow “Safe and Sane” fireworks.

“Even with a temporary cool down and rain in parts of Northern California, our fire activity remains significantly higher than average,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of Cal Fire. “With how dry conditions are, if fireworks are used illegally or in an unsafe manner, they can easily spark a fire or cause injuries; the consequences to our communities can be devastating.”

Cal Fire is asking Californians to prepare for wildfires by taking these actions:

• Check that fireworks are allowed in the area of use;
• Make sure the firework has the State Fire Marshal “Safe and Sane” seal;
• Purchase only from legitimate organizations authorized to sell;
• Have a bucket of water, sand or garden hose available at firing site;
• Read all instructions before use;
• Dispose of used fireworks in water;
• Never alter, modify or enhance fireworks;
• Make sure fireworks have proper clearance from flammable materials including dry grass and brush.

For more information about safe fireworks use, visit the Cal Fire web site at www.fire.ca.gov .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – After nearly two years of construction, community members got a chance to see the newly completed multimillion-dollar, state-of-the-art emergency department at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake during a Thursday evening reception.

The emergency department has been in need of more room for some time. Hospital officials said St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake is one of the smallest – yet busiest – emergency departments in the state, and sees more patients than the other emergency room in the hospital's St. Helena region.

When work began in October 2011 on the $12 million project, there were seven patient rooms in the department. Today, there are 12, with plans to expand by another four beds in another of the project's three phases, according to Project Manager Oliver Dibble.

The expansion project added 4,100 square feet of space to the hospital's busy emergency department, which serves between 50 and 60 patients a day, according to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake officials at the Thursday event.

The reconfigured department also includes a new and larger waiting room and nurses station, private patient care rooms, new entrances, cutting-edge equipment, support systems upgrades, a redesigned triage area and easier access to private beds from the emergency department, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake reported.

Adventist Health, St. Helena Hospital’s parent organization, provided initial funds for the project, and challenged the hospital to fund the remainder from within the community. The community responded with generosity, with gifts large and small from hundreds of donors providing the needed funds, hospital officials reported.

The new department isn't yet open, but is expected to be fully operational within the next 30 days. Dibble said a state inspection is still required and will take place next month.

“This is a big, big deal for our county and community,” said Supervisor Jim Comstock, who along with board colleague Jeff Smith was at the Thursday evening dedication and ribbon cutting.

Comstock called Dr. Rodney Look, MD, of the hospital’s emergency department “a huge asset.”

David Santos, the hospital's vice president for operations, said the hospital partnered with the community to improve the medical services offered there.

“This was truly a community celebration,” said Santos. “This new emergency room has been one of the most needed and anticipated developments in health care for Lake County. Everyone has worked together to make it possible, and this was a wonderful opportunity to acknowledge the tireless effort and generous donations involved. Improved access to these critical services is a legacy gift that will impact this community for decades.”

Guests arriving at the red carpet event – which included music by the Lake County Diamonds – were greeted individually and given “backstage passes” as well as commemorative first aid kits.

During a brief ceremony, Terry Newmyer, president and chief executive officer of St. Helena Hospital, spoke on how building this new emergency room was so important to the community.  

Santos reviewed the project’s highlights and expressed gratitude to the community, then cut an oversized ribbon, officially opening the new facility for a sneak peak. Guests were then taken on tours of the patient rooms.

“The energy was amazing,” says Melissa Kinsel, St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake development officer. “This community has worked hard for a long time for this moment, and it was wonderful to see everything finally come together.”

The fundraising is still under way; Adventist Health reported that it's raised 84 percent of the funds needed to cover the project.

For more information, visit http://www.newerforyou.com/ .

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Before Lake County existed, scattered settlements in Napa County's Clear Lake Township had mail service.

When Lake County separated from Napa County on May 20, 1861, it already had several post offices, beginning with Upper Clear Lake (now Upper Lake) which started June 15, 1858, followed in the same year by Big Valley (relocated and renamed as Lakeport), Lower Lake and Uncle Sam (now Kelseyville).

Over the next 92 years, numerous post offices were established in Lake County, the most recent being Glenhaven, established on Dec. 16, 1950. Some of those post offices still exist, while others are just names in the history books.

The openings and closings of post offices reflect changes in the economy in Lake County. A business would start, a post office would be established at that place, then conditions would change, a mine or resort would close, the population would drop, and the post office would close.

Stage stops like Middletown, halfway between Calistoga and Lower Lake, and Arabella in Long Valley were logical post office locations.

Post offices formed at mines such as Quicksilver Post Office at the Great Western Quicksilver Mine and Mirabel at the Mirabel Quicksilver Mine, both located south of Middletown.

Some ranches supported post offices, such as Big Valley Post Office on the Argonaut Ranch between Lakeport and Kelseyville and Ely's on the Ely Ranch, east of Kelseyville near what is now Kit's Corner.

Remote lumber camp post offices, such as Deerlodge in the mountains north of Upper Lake operated briefly and disappeared when the business closed.

Post offices formed at many of Lake County's early resorts like Bartlett Springs, Highland Springs, Seigler Springs, Putah, Adams and Witter Springs, which were almost towns in their own right, offering services and amenities to the guests and employees in residence.

Some smaller post offices only lasted a short time and were absorbed into larger ones. Improved communications and transportation centralized services in the larger post offices, a process which started early and continued well into the twentieth century. The small Witter Springs post office closed in 1984, although the area retains the Witter Springs zip code.

Lake County lost the Knoxville and Zem Zem post offices when a minor boundary change cut a piece out of Lake County and moved the Knox Township into Napa County in 1872.

Some settlements and their post offices from Lake County's early days are gone now.

Guenoc moved to Middletown in the 1870s and the creation of Lake Pillsbury flooded Gravelly Valley's Hullville in1922.

The history of post offices in Lake County is an integral part of Lake County's history since the 1850s.

Erving R. Feltman's book, “California's Lake County: Places and Postal History,” covers all of Lake County's post offices from the earliest days to the 1990s and tells much about Lake County's history.

This book is available to buy from the Lake County Historical Society and the Lake County Museum. The Lake County Library has copies that can be checked out.

Jan Cook has lived in Lake County for about 40 years. She works for the Lake County Library, is the editor of the Lake County Historical Society's Pomo Bulletin and is a history correspondent for Lake County News. If you have questions or comments please contact Jan at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control this week has a full house of mixed breed puppies needing new homes.

The pups, with ancestry including shepherds, labs and pit bulls, are spayed and neutered, vaccinated and ready to start a new life with a loving new family of their own.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Labrador Retriever mix pup

This Labrador Retriever mix puppy is 11 weeks old.

He has a short solid black coat, weighs 12 pounds and has been neutered.

You can find him in kennel No. 2, ID No. 36818.

Male terrier mix

This male terrier mix is 1 year old.

He has a short black and white coat, weighs 14 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 3, ID No. 36726.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This female Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

She has a short brown coat, weighs 14 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 5a, ID No. 36713.

Labrador Retrievers-shepherd mix pup

This female Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

She has a short brown coat, weighs almost 15 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 5b, ID No. 36714.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This female Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

She has a short brown coat, weighs 14 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 5c, ID No. 36715.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This male Labrador shepherd retriever mix pup is 15 weeks old.

He has a short tan and brown coat, weighs almost 18 pounds and has been altered.

He's in kennel No. 5d, ID No. 36716.

Chihuahua-terrier mix

This male Chihuahua-terrier mix is 2 years old.

He has a short white and brown coat and weighs almost 9 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if he had been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 9, ID No. 36857.

Female Chihuahua mix

This female Chihuahua mix is 3 and a half years old.

She has a short black and white coat, weighs almost 11 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 17, ID No. 35315.

Dachshund mix

This female dachshund mix is 2 and a half years old.

She has a short red coat, weighs 13 pounds and has been spayed.

You can find her in kennel No. 18, ID No. 36873.

Pit bull terrier mix pup

This male Pit bull terrier mix pup is 15 weeks old.

He has blue eyes, a short blue and white coat, weighs nearly 18 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 19a, ID No. 36803.

Pit bull terrier mix pup

This pit bull terrier mix pup is 12 weeks old.

He has a short blue coat, weighs 15 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 19b, ID No. 36683.

Female shepherd mix pup

This female shepherd mix is 14 weeks old.

She has a short tan and black coat, weighs nearly 17 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 20a, ID No. 36612.

Female shepherd mix pup

This female shepherd mix is 14 weeks old.

She has a short tan and black coat, weighs 17 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 20b, ID No. 36613.

Female shepherd mix pup

This female shepherd mix is 14 weeks old.

She has a short tan and black coat, weighs 17 pounds and has been spayed.

She's in kennel No. 20c, ID No. 36614.

'Bella'

“Bella” is a 2-year-old Pomeranian-dachshund mix.

She has a long black and white coat, weighs 11 pounds and has not yet been altered.

Shelter staff said Bella is great with women and children but needs a home with no men.

Find her in kennel No. 23, ID No. ID: 36294.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat, weighs almost 16 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 24a, ID No. 36717.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat, weighs nearly 18 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 24b, ID No. 36718.

Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup

This male Labrador Retriever-shepherd mix pup is 15 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat, weighs nearly 17 pounds and has been altered.

He's in kennel No. 24c, ID No. 36719.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – In response to forecasts for excessive heat through the middle of next week throughout much of California, state emergency and public health officials are urging Californians to drink plenty of water, wear lightweight, loose-fitting clothing and take other actions that will reduce their risk of death or heat-related illness.

The National Weather Service issued an excessive heat watch due to a prolonged period of hot temperatures for most of Lake County, beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 30, and extending through 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 3.

Temperatures could reach the 105 to 112 degree range, officials said.

“Prolonged exposure to excessive temperatures can be extremely dangerous, if not deadly, particularly for infants, small children seniors and those with health problems,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health. “Last year was the hottest year on record in the United States. Heat waves in California are projected to occur earlier in the season, be more intense and last longer.”

He noted that at on average heat-related emergencies cause 56 deaths in Californians each year and prompt 3,800 people to seek treatment at hospital emergency rooms for heat-related symptoms, with approximately 500 cases per year requiring hospitalization.

At least 136 Californians died due to illnesses prompted by the 13-day heat wave that struck the state in July 2006.

In addition, pets and livestock need special care during the heat. Make sure they have plenty of water and a cool place to rest during the day.

”Cal EMA and its partner agencies have been preparing for excessive heat in many areas of the state this summer and fall by reviewing internal procedures, updating cooling center data bases, identifying state fairgrounds and facilities that serve as cooling centers and taking other actions to help cities and counties throughout the state ensure the safety of their residents, but it’s important that every Californian who is able do the simple, but important things that can make the difference between life and death,” said California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA Secretary Mark Ghilarducci.

Key actions to take to reduce risk of heat-related death and injury include:

• Monitoring local media for the latest weather forecasts and information from local officials;
• Learning the signs of heat-related illness;
• Staying out of the sun;
• Drink plenty of liquids and reducing physical activity;
• Using air conditioning and fans or getting to a location that is air conditioned such as the mall, the theater or a designated cooling center;
• Using cool compresses, misting and baths to lower body temperatures;
• Wearing lightweight, loose fitting clothing;
• Taking shelter and breaks periodically, as well as staying hydrated, if you must work outside.

The recommendations from state emergency and health officials come as state agencies implement the “Heat Alert” phase of the state’s Contingency Plan for Excessive Heat Emergencies.

Additional information on preparing for heat-related emergencies is available at http://www.calema.ca.gov/PlanningandPreparedness/Pages/Heat.aspx , http://www.bepreparedcalifornia.ca.gov/beinformed/naturaldisasters/extremeheat/Pages/ExtremeHeat.aspx and http://www.dir.ca.gov/dosh/HeatIllnessInfo.html .