LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – One of the key economic indicators in Lake County – real estate values – showed a big improvement in 2015, according to the Lake County Association of Realtors.
LCAOR reported that the median sales price of single family residences for Lake County rose from $169,000 in 2014 to $208,500 for 2015, a 23.4-percent increase.
The number of units selling in 2015 increased by 19.4 percent, rising from 732 units in 2014 to 874 units in 2015, the association reported.
In 2006 the median sales price in Lake County peaked at $310,000 before falling to a low of $107,000 in 2011 during the great recession, according to the report.
Since 2011, the median sales price has increased in each of the subsequent years, LCAOR said.
Distressed property sales accounted for 14.65 percent of the 2015 sales, which LCAOR said is down from 26.4 percent of the sales in 2014.
While this number has been on the decrease over the last few years, LCAOR said the percentage is still high when compared to the statewide median.
In 2011 more than 72 percent of the single family residential sales were considered distressed, the association said.
On a year-to-year basis, financing of property sales remained relatively the same. In 2015 32.2 percent of the sales were financed with cash; in 2014, 32.4 percent of the transactions were cash financed, LCAOR said.
Conventional loans were used in 36.2 percent of the 2015 deals and 35 percent of the 2014 deals. FHA loan financing dropped from 12.7 percent of the transactions in 2014 to 11.4 percent in 2015, according to the report.
LCAOR said land sales in the county had a total dollar sales volume of $18.5 million on 235 sales. This was up from 2014 land sales of $14.3 million and 221 sales.
Of the last 10 years, the year that had the highest volume and number of sales was 2006, when $53.2 million was the dollar volume and 563 sales were recorded, LCAOR said.
The dollar volume for reported commercial sales was $8.5 million, down from $11.8 million in 2014. The number of sales in 2015 was 23 compared to 21 sales in 2014.
One sale was at the $1,000,000 mark in 2015, LCAOR reported.
LCAOR President Erin Woodward said 2015 was an excellent year for Lake County real estate values.
“Statewide inventories have been tight and housing affordability continues to be a concern,” Woodward said. “This normally bodes well for the Lake County market as buyers seek more affordable solutions.”
NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
Lake County – 2015 Median price: $208,500 Median days to sell: 87 Units sold: 874
Lake County – 2014 Median price: $169,000 Median days to sell: 76 Units sold: 732
Lake County – land sales 2015 Sales dollar volume: $18.5 million Median days to sell: 142 Units sold: 235
Lake County – land sales 2014 Sales dollar volume: $14.3 million Median days to sell: 102 Units sold: 221
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Upper Lake High School brought home the trophy at Saturday's Lake County Academic Decathlon, giving a dominating performance that unseated last year's winning team.
Upper Lake, which last took home the trophy in the 2011-12 school year, beat out Clear Lake High School, the defending champion, and Kelseyville High School.
Upper Lake's head coach, Anna Sabalone, an alumna of the school and a former academic decathlete herself, savored bringing the trophy back to her school after a three-year absence.
“I'm still in shock,” she said afterward the competition, in between sharing hugs with excited students.
She said of her students, “I'm so proud of them. They wanted it.”
Academic Decathlon teams include three members each from three academic levels: Honors, with a grade point average of 3.75 to 4.00; Scholastic, 3.00 to 3.74 GPA; and Varsity, GPA of 2.99 or below.
Those teams compete in 10 academic disciplines – arts, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech.
The competition also includes the Super Quiz, plus the unscored poster and poetry contests.
This year's competition topic is India.
“It takes a lot of hard work to be a decathlete,” Tammy Serpa, education specialist with Career and College Readiness Department of the Lake County Office of Education, said during the competition.
Serpa and Academic Decathlon Coordinator Norma Cromwell oversaw the organization of this year's competition.
The essay, speech and interview portions of the competition had taken place in January, with the rest of the subject tests taken by the more than 50 participating students on Saturday morning.
The community was able to attend the Super Quiz portion, held in Kelseyville High School's cafeteria, which was followed by the awards presentation.
“What a terrific event,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg, who introduced the Saturday afternoon Super Quiz, the portion of the competition open to the competition.
Falkenberg said it's rewarding to honor student achievements. Later in the afternoon, he helped hand out the awards, in so doing getting to put several medals around the necks of his twin sons, Cord and Nate.
Cord and Nate Falkenberg were first and second, respectively, in the total number of points they earned for their Clear Lake High School team, with Cord Falkenberg also the overall top-scoring student of the event.
During the awards presentation, Upper Lake High students David Becerra-Lopez and Mercedes De Los Santos gave their winning speeches.
Becerra-Lopez spoke about engaging and socializing with others.
“Every person is an opportunity to discover something new,” he said.
De Los Santos discussed the stresses young people her age face in meeting their obligations at school and at home.
Later, after the winning team was announced and the suspense was over, De Los Santos had a chance to celebrate.
De Los Santos, a first-year academic decathlete, summed up the experience as “crazy” but great.
“It was hard and stressful and also absolutely, positively worth it,” she said.
She said it has been a long stretch without an Academic Decathlon championship for Upper Lake High, which has won more championships over the past 15 years than any other local high school team.
“I felt we brought back our honor,” De Los Santos said.
While other teams have dropped out of the competition in recent years – Middletown and Lower Lake high schools are not currently taking part – Upper Lake High School has maintained its Academic Decathlon class, even when budgets were tight.
Upper Lake Union High School Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino, who was on hand for the Saturday competition, said the event shows why it was important to maintain.
“I'm a firm believer in kids having opportunities,” Iaccino said.
He said it's educators' responsibility to keep offerings like the Academic Decathlon, Mock Trial and engaging coursework like robotics available. Iaccino added that it's amazing to see how many different activities the students are taking on at his school.
“I wish more people could see this,” he said of the students' performance at the Academic Decathlon.
Upper Lake High School's team now advances to the California Academic Decathlon competition in Sacramento March 17 to 20.
Sabalone said she'll give the students a few days of rest before buckling down for a final month of study. Students like De Los Santos also will be preparing for the Lake County Mock Trial competition in Lakeport Feb. 12.
The Lake County Friends of Mendocino College is giving $250 to Upper Lake High School to help pay for the trip to the state Academic Decathlon competition.
Team rosters and full competition results are listed below.
Jessica Beall, Miah Bullard, Berenise Cortez, Cord Falkenberg, Nate Falkenberg, Chris Griffith, Nikki Hanson, Ethan Jones, Subhagya Joshi, Haley Lindley, Jessica Moreno, Antonio Perez, Sarah Pope, Andrew Scott, Iris Vasquez
Kelseyville High School
Superintendent: Dave McQueen Principal: Matt Cockerton Coaches: Erick Larsen and Heather Koschik
Andreas Aceves, Kristen Amendola, Madison Boyd, Summer Brown, Kelsie Engle, Garrett Grossner, Cassidy Holmes, Wyatt Mascolina, Cassidy McCoy, Samantha Nugent, Kallianne Otte, Anna Pak, Nidhi Patel, Megan Petersen, Nolan Rae, Tiara Richards, Merin Rixen, Sarah Sheridan, Nichole Stevens, Makenzee Taylor, Kaylie Williams
Upper Lake High School
Superintendent/Principal: Patrick Iaccino Coaches: Anna Sabalone, Angel Hayenga and Christal Coatney
David Becerra-Lopez, Mercedes De Los Santos, Daniela Estrada-Flores, Eduardo Eufracio-Duran, Katie Foster, Megan Franco, Casey Herman, Kenneth Hodges, Miranda Huntley, Anisha Kalan, Kehlani McKelvey, Tyler Mendenhall, Wroehnyn Milks, Cristal Nieves, Travis Rife, Elizabeth Rosas-Moreno, Brenna Sanchez, Steven Stump, Rosemary Su, Edgar Valencia, Sarah Williams
AWARDS
Team placement
First place: Upper Lake High School Second place: Clear Lake High School Third place: Kelseyville High School
Poster contest
First place: Kristen Amendola, KHS Second place: Jessica Moreno, CLHS Third place: Ethan Jones, CLHS
The Lake County Arts Council sponsored the poster contest.
Poetry contest
First place: Steven Stump, ULHS Second place: Jessica Moreno, CLHS Third place: Nate Falkenberg, CLHS
The Lake County Arts Council sponsored the poetry contest.
Super Quiz
First place: Upper Lake High School Second place: Clear Lake High School Third place: Kelseyville High School
Language and literature
First place: (two-way tie) Katie Foster, ULHS; Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS Second place: (two-way tie) Anisha Kalan, ULHS; Nate Falkenberg, CLHS Third place: (two-way tie) Steven Stump, ULHS; Casey Herman, ULHS
Art
First place: Casey Herman, ULHS Second place: Edgar Valencia, ULHS Third place: Travis Rife, ULHS
Social science
First place: Casey Herman, ULHS Second place: Steven Stump, ULHS Third place: (three-way tie) Travis Rife, ULHS; Katie Foster, ULHS: Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS
Math
First place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS Second place: Ethan Jones, CLHS Third place: Cassidy Holmes, KHS
Music
First place: Steven Stump, ULHS Second place: (two-way tie) Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS; Casey Herman, ULHS Third place: (two-way tie) Cord Falkenberg, CLHS; Brenna Sanchez, ULHS
Economics
First place: Travis Rife, ULHS Second place: Nate Falkenberg, CLHS Third place: Katie Foster, ULHS
Science
First place: Katie Foster, ULHS Second place: (two-way tie) Cord Falkenberg, CLHS; Nate Falkenberg, CLHS Third place: Anna Pak, KHS
Essay
First place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS Second place: Jessica Beall, CLHS Third place: Kaylie Williams, KHS
Speech
First place: Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS Second place: David Becerra-Lopez, ULHS Third place: Anisha Kalan, ULHS
The Lakeport Lions Club sponsored the speech contest, with awards of $125, $75 and $50 for the first, second and third place finishers, respectively.
Interview
First place: David Becerra-Lopez, ULHS Second place: Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS Third place: Antonio Perez, CLHS
Mendo Lake Credit Union sponsored the interview contest, with awards of $125, $75 and $50 for the first, second and third place finishers, respectively.
TOP FINISHERS FOR EACH ACADEMIC LEVEL
Honors category (3.75-4.00 grade point average)
First place: Casey Herman, ULHS Second place: Steven Stump, ULHS Third place: Anisha Kalan, ULHS
Scholastic category (3.00-3.74 GPA)
First place: Cord Falkenberg, CLHS Second place: Mercedes De Los Santos, ULHS Third place: Katie Foster, ULHS
Varsity category (2.99 GPA or below)
First place: Travis Rife, ULHS Second place: Edgar Valencia, ULHS Third place: Haley Lindley, CLHS
SECOND HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS, PER SCHOOL
Clear Lake High: Nate Falkenberg Kelseyville High: Kristen Amendola Upper Lake High School: Mercedes De Los Santos
HIGHEST SCORING STUDENTS, PER SCHOOL
Clear Lake High: Cord Falkenberg (also the overall top scorer of all students) Kelseyville High: Cassidy Holmes Upper Lake High School: Casey Herman
The Lodge at Blue Lakes provided $100 scholarships for each of the schools' top-scoring students.
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.
When we look at the night sky, we see stars as tiny points of light eking out a solitary existence at immense distances from Earth.
But appearances are deceptive. More than half the stars we know of have a companion, a second nearby star that can have a major impact on their primary companions.
The interplay within these so-called binary star systems is particularly intensive when the two stars involved are going through a phase in which they are surrounded by a common envelope consisting of hydrogen and helium.
Compared to the overall time taken by stars to evolve, this phase is extremely short, so astronomers have great difficulty observing and hence understanding it.
This is where theoretical models with highly compute-intensive simulations come in. Research into this phenomenon is relevant understanding a number of stellar events such as supernovae.
Using new methods, astrophysicists Sebastian Ohlmann, Friedrich Roepke, Ruediger Pakmor, and Volker Springel of the Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies, or HITS, have now made a step forward in modeling this phenomenon.
As they report in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, the scientists have successfully used simulations to discover dynamic irregularities that occur during the common-envelope phase and are crucial for the subsequent existence of binary star systems.
These so-called instabilities change the flow of matter inside the envelope, thus influencing the stars' distance from one another and determining, for example, whether a supernova will ensue and, if so, what kind it will be.
The article is the fruit of collaboration between two HITS research groups, the Physics of Stellar Objects, or PSO, group and the Theoretical Astrophysics group, also known as TAP.
Prof. Volker Springel's Arepo code for hydrodynamic simulations was used and adapted for the modeling. It solves the equations on a moving mesh that follows the mass flow, and thus enhances the accuracy of the model.
Two stars, one envelope
More than half the stars we know of have evolved in binary star systems. The energy for their luminosity comes from the nuclear fusion of hydrogen at the core of the stars.
As soon as the hydrogen fueling the nuclear fusion is exhausted in the heavier of the two stars, the star core shrinks. At the same time, a highly extended stellar envelope evolves, consisting of hydrogen and helium. The star becomes a red giant.
As the envelope of the red giant goes on expanding, the companion star draws the envelope to itself via gravity, and part of the envelope flows towards it. In the course of this process the two stars come closer to one another.
Finally, the companion star may fall into the envelope of the red giant and both stars are then surrounded by a common envelope.
As the core of the red giant and the companion draw closer together, the gravity between them releases energy that passes into the common envelope.
As a result, the envelope is ejected and mixes with interstellar matter in the galaxy, leaving behind it a close binary star system consisting of the core of the giant and the companion star.
The path to stellar explosion
Sebastian Ohlmann of the PSO group explained why this common-envelope phase is important for our understanding of the way various star systems evolve: “Depending on what the system of the common envelope looks like initially, very different phenomena may ensue in the aftermath, such as thermonuclear supernovae.”
Ohlmann and colleagues are investigating the run-up to these stellar explosions, which are among the most luminous events in the universe and can light up a whole galaxy.
But modeling the systems that can lead to such explosions is bedeviled by major uncertainty in the description of the common-envelope phase.
One of the reasons for this is that the core of the giant is anything between a thousand and ten thousand times smaller than the envelope, so that spatial and temporal scale differences complicate the modeling process and make approximations necessary.
The methodically innovative simulations performed by the Heidelberg scientists are a first step towards a better understanding of this phase.
At its last meeting at the end of January, the board took action to hire Upper Lake Union High School District Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino to also act as interim superintendent of the new district, as Lake County News has reported.
The boards of both the new unified district and the soon-to-be-dissolved high school district approved a memorandum of understanding to allow Iaccino to act as superintendent for both districts, work he agreed to do with no additional pay.
Similarly, on Tuesday the board will consider a memorandum of understanding with the Upper Lake Union High School District to have Dina McCrea, Iaccino's administrative assistant at the high school, provide administrative secretarial support to the new district.
A second memorandum of understanding between the new district and Upper Lake Union Elementary School District is to allow for Becky Jeffries, the elementary district's chief business official, to be the chief business official of the unified district.
McCrea and Jeffries, like Iaccino, will not receive additional compensation, according to the proposed contracts, which will be in effect from the time of acceptance until June 30, the day when the elementary and high school districts will formally dissolve in order for the unification to become final.
In other business, the board will consider approving the job description and salary schedule for the elementary school principal job, and new agreements and bylaws.
Also on the agenda are special reports from Wally Holbrook and Richard Smith of Education Leadership Solutions, the consulting firm hired to help with educating the new board, on the board work study; a special report from Iaccino on the new district's organization structure as well as his regular informational update; and a report from Jeffries.
Board members include President Mel O'Meara, Clerk Diane Plante, and members Keith Austin, Don Meri and Claudine Pedroncelli.
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.
Fifty-two Ford tractor works The field, churning up The past Chert, obsidian, serpentine, and Cinnabar are Brought up for air Harvested like so many grand potatoes Their presence speaks volumes A dusty tome of time gone by It’s official- it’s a ground-breaking.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Once upon a time, in Lake County – and throughout the American countryside – a reliable workhorse called the Ford 8N tractor could be seen tilling fields and orchards far and wide.
The most popular farm tractor in America turned out to be the Ford 8N model tractor, which was introduced in 1947.
The N-series tractors – including the 9N, 2N and 8N models – were all manufactured in America between 1939 and 1952.
Of course, our Lake County farming history starts quite some time before those dates.
The agricultural statistics of 1880 show that there were 5,520 acres devoted to wheat-growing, 3,547 acres of barley and 386 acres of oats grown in Lake County.
Corn, potatoes, hay and hops also were very viable and popular crops as were apples, pears and plums.
Counties in California began forming Farm Bureaus in the early 1900s, and as soon as 1919 California had 32 county Farm Bureaus operating, with Lake County's own Farm Bureau taking shape in 1924.
The humble farm tractor allowed for food production in a much grander scale than its predecessor the plow horse.
There were pioneer tractors such as the John Froelich gas tractor of 1892 which required skill and money to operate.
In 1910 tractor designs with a smaller size came into being and became even more popular in American fields.
These "motor plows" had two wheels and an engine, and could utilize attachments of previously owned horse-drawn implements to the devices.
Before Henry Ford's Model Ts were popular modes of transportation for the general public, Ford – who grew up on a farm – knew the value of these back-saving devices called tractors.
So, in 1917 Ford instigated the Fordson Model F tractor which could be purchased for $230.
Thank goodness for good old American know-how.
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents are invited to make their voice heard by taking a few moments to complete a Community Health Survey.
Community service agencies throughout Lake County have partnered to create the survey and are requesting public feedback about how to build a healthier county.
The Community Health Survey is available now through March 20.
All residents are encouraged to complete the short, 16-question survey.
Paper surveys in English and Spanish are available in locations around the county. An online version is available at http://svy.mk/1SrquIa .
“The Community Health Survey is an important way for us to learn what residents feel are the urgent health needs of our county,” said Karen Tait, MD, county public health officer. “It’s also a way for us to get their perspective about solutions. We use this input in developing plans and applying for funding.”
Lake County is currently completing its 2016 Community Health Needs Assessment, which identifies community health needs and proposes strategies to address them effectively.
The Community Health Survey results, as well as additional feedback from focus groups and individual interviews, will be included in the assessment.
The resulting report will provide the foundation for policymakers, community organizations and advocates to strategically plan services and improvements in Lake County.
The last Community Health Needs Assessment was completed in September 2013.
“This survey is a great way to let your voice be heard about your experience with health care in our county,” explains Shelly Mascari, director of Community Wellness at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “Our goal is to dramatically improve the health outcomes for our community, and we’ll be successful when we listen and take action together.”
Collaboration is central to the Community Health Needs Assessment. Partnered agencies that commissioned the report include St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lake County Health Services, Lake Family Resource Center, First 5 of Lake County, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Health Leadership Network, Lake County Behavioral Health, Veteran's Affairs, Mendocino Community Health Clinic Inc., and Area Agency on Aging, Lake and Mendocino Counties. These agencies use the report to plan for the next three years.
“We develop programs and services to address the needs identified in the Community Health Needs Assessment,” said Tiffany Ortega, assistant administrator, Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “When the community makes its collective voice heard, it gives us a foundation upon which we can build a healthier future.”
If you have any questions about the Community Health Survey, contact Rachel Walsh at Sutter Lakeside Hospital at 707-262-5046 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission this week will discuss amending the environmental document for the Downtown Improvement Project, honor a retiring commissioner and discuss planning department activity.
The commission will meet beginning at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
On the meeting's agenda is an award presentation to retiring Commissioner Ross Kauper, who has served on the commission since October 2002.
In other business, planning staff will take to the commission the amended negative declaration for the Downtown Improvement Project's phase two, set to run from this spring until the fall on South Main Street between First and Fourth streets.
A report to the commission from city Associate Planner Daniel Chance said the original mitigated declaration for the plan was accepted in 2006, covering both the first and second phases.
However, Chance said the commission needs to consider the amendment because the original document did not analyze the potential impacts related to nighttime construction, which is how the work on the second phase is proposed to take place.
“The purpose of the construction taking place at night is to limit the impacts on the downtown businesses, reduce traffic impacts, and faster completion of the improvements,” Chance wrote.
Also on Wednesday, the commission will get the planning department's 2015 year-end report – including a summary of various land use applications, code enforcement activities and nuisance abatement activities for the 2015 calendar year – as well as an update on projects pending approval as of Feb. 4.
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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a shelter filled with mostly large dogs – and a few little dogs, too – needing new homes.
This week's adoptable dogs are mixes of Alaskan Malamute, Belgian Malinois, boxer, Labrador Retriever, mastiff, pug, rat terrier, shepherd, terrier and pit bull.
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”).
Pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short black coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said she was brought in as a stray and is waiting for her forever family.
She is bouncy and sits on command, has no food aggression and was pretty calm in the cat room, showing no aggression towards them. She does great with both male and female dogs, and just wants to play.
“She should and could definitely be an ambassador for the breed,” according to shelter staff.
She is in foster, ID No. 4213.
'Spencer'
“Spencer” is a Labrador Retriever-pit bull retriever mix.
Shelter staff said said he has a lot of love to give and can't contain himself.
He's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 2382.
Rat terrier mix
This older gentleman is a rat terrier mix with a tricolor coat.
He get along with cats, is good with both male and female dogs, and has no food aggression, according to shelter staff. He's very reserved but appropriate.
He's in kennel No. 3, ID No. 4320.
Pug-terrier mix
This female pug-terrier mix has a short tan coat.
She's in kennel No. 6a, ID No. 4341.
Pug-terrier mix
This female pug-terrier mix has a short brown coat.
She's in kennel No. 6b, ID No. 4342.
Mastiff-Labrador Retriever mix
This male mastiff-Labrador Retriever mix has a short all-black coat.
Shelter staff describes him as “a big lover.”
He's in kennel No. 10, ID 4370.
'Balto'
“Balto” is a male Alaskan Malamute with a medium-length multicolor coat.
Shelter staff said he has no issues with food guarding and does well with both male and female dogs. However, he is a dominant male who needs an owner that is knowledgeable around this breed of dog. Containment and fences at least 6 feet tall are necessary for this breed.
He would most likely do well with kids 10 and above, shelter staff said.
Balto is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 4310.
Boxer mix
This male boxer mix has a short tan coat with white markings.
He's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 4274.
'Babs'
“Babs” is a black shepherd mix with white markings.
Shelter staff said she has no issues with food guarding and is a very sweet girl who is scared in the animal control environment.
She's in kennel No. 19, ID No. 4397.
Pit bull terrier mix
This female pit bull terrier mix has a short tan coat with white markings.
She's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 4305.
Boxer mix
This male boxer mix has a short tan coat with white markings.
He's in kennel No. 24, ID No. 4304.
'Brownie'
“Brownie” is a young male shepherd mix with a short brown coat.
Shelter staff said he's very scared in the animal control environment and wants to go home with his new family.
He's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 4396.
'O'Dell'
“O'Dell” is a male mastiff mix with a short brindle coat.
He's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 4354.
Female pit bull mix
This female pit bull mix has a short brown brindle coat with white markings.
Shelter staff said she loves cuddles and attention, and does very cute play bows.
She's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 4337.
'Cassius'
“Cassius” is a male Belgian Malinois with a short brown coat.
Shelter staff said he's good with other dogs, knows basic commands, and is very smart and friendly.
He's in kennel No. 30, ID 4375.
Male pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier has a short brown brindle coat with white markings.
Shelter staff describes him as being a “sweet boy.”
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, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The new year is starting off with a slightly improving employment picture, according to a Friday report.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday that nationwide unemployment for January was 4.9 percent, down from the 5 percent reported in December. The January 2015 nationwide unemployment rate was 5.7 percent.
It's the lowest national unemployment rate since the 4.9 percent rate reported in February 2008. This also is the lowest January unemployment rate since 2008, according to US Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
The report showed that job gains occurred in several industries, led by retail trade, food services and drinking places, health care and manufacturing.
At the same time, employment declined in private educational services, transportation and warehousing, and mining.
On the local and statewide levels, the California Employment Development Department is not scheduled to release January unemployment data until March 4.
However, the unemployment rate in Lake County in December was 7.3 percent, up from 7.2 percent in November and below the December 2014 estimate of 8.6 percent, the Employment Development Department said.
California's unadjusted unemployment rate for December was 5.8, down slightly from November's 5.7 percent and much improved over the 7.1 percent California recorded in December 2014, according to state records.
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.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The 81st quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail has been installed at the Middletown Library.
Titled “Middletown Library,” the block was designed and donated by the Friends of the Middletown Library, and shows the spines of books on a shelf.
Middletown’s new library is in the same complex as the new Middletown Senior Center, located at 21267 Washington St.
Middletown Library is one of the four main libraries in Lake County. Groundbreaking for the Middletown Library and Senior Center took place in September of 2011, with the library opening in April of 2013.
The building is owned by the county of Lake. Hours are Tuesday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. It is closed Sunday and Monday, and holidays. For more information visit http://library.co.lake.ca.us/ .
The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.
The 4-foot by 4-foot quilt block was drawn and painted by the Lake County Quilt Trail team.
The Lake County Quilt Trail is a group of dedicated volunteer quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers, carpenters and a videographer.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A man found growing marijuana in the Mendocino National Forest has been sentenced to federal prison.
Pablo Barreto-Cruz, 39, of Mexico, was sentenced on Tuesday by United States District Judge John A. Mendez to five years and three months in prison and ordered to pay $22,800 in restitution for cultivating marijuana on public land and depredation of public lands and resources, United States Attorney Benjamin B. Wagner announced.
According to court documents, between March 2015 and May 2015, Barreto-Cruz grew 2,998 marijuana plants in the Mendocino National Forest.
The marijuana cultivation operation caused significant harm to the habitat and water quality of the national forest, officials said.
Following Barreto-Cruz’s arrest on May 12, 2015, authorities searched the marijuana cultivation site and discovered approximately 1,000 pounds of irrigation pipe, approximately 1,000 pounds of camp debris, and several fertilizers and pesticides, including the highly toxic pesticide Carbofuran, which is dangerous to both humans and animals.
The U.S. Forest Service estimated that the marijuana cultivation site diverted approximately 18,000 gallons of water per day.
This case was the product of an investigation by the United States Forest Service, the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. Assistant United States Attorney Christiaan Highsmith prosecuted the case.
FINLEY, Calif. – On Jan. 16, the members of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County met for their annual change of watch ceremony.
The ceremony, held this year at Angel’s Rock House Mexican restaurant in Finley, commemorates the changing of the flotilla commanders and its officers for the new year of 2016.
Traveling from the United States Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Station at Noyo River in Ft. Bragg were BM2 Petty Officer 2nd Class Ross Wiley and SK2 Petty Officer 2nd Class Henry Robles.
Performing the ceremony, BM2 Wiley installed Dane Hayward as Flotilla 88 commander, Roberto Morfin as vice commander and seven of the staff officers.
The United States Coast Guard Auxiliary consists of more than 30,000 volunteer members throughout the country who provide operational support to the Coast Guard and are dedicated to promoting recreational boating safety.
Dorothy De Lope is a member of the Flotilla 88 of Lake County.
