LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As California’s gas prices continue to climb, the governor has taken action to try to push down prices and the state’s U.S senators asked federal officials for investigations into potential price spiking.

In response to the rising gas prices – which officials said are up due to shutdowns at the Tesoro and Exxon refineries – Gov. Jerry Brown on Sunday directed the California Air Resources Board to take emergency steps to increase the state’s gasoline supply and bring down fuel prices.

Specifically, Brown directed the board to immediately allow oil refineries to make an early transition to winter-blend gasoline, which typically isn’t sold until after Oct. 31. It evaporates more quickly than the gasoline sold in summer months.

“Gas prices in California have risen to their highest levels ever, with unacceptable cost impacts on consumers and small businesses,” said Brown.

On Monday Sen. Dianne Feinstein and Sen. Barbara Boxer both made their appeals for investigations. Boxer made her request to the U.S. Department of Justice’s Oil and Gas Price Fraud Working Group, while Feinstein sent a second letter to Jon Leibowitz, chairman of the Federal Trade Commission.

“Californians have too often been victimized as unscrupulous traders have created or taken advantage of supply disruptions to drive up energy prices,” Boxer wrote to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder. “We cannot allow market manipulation by those who would seek to profit off the pain of our families at the pump.”

In her letter to Leibowitz, Feinstein wrote, “California commuters are facing the highest gas prices and the longest commutes in the country. Paying hundreds of dollars to fill your tank every time you go to the pump is untenable, particularly because it does not appear the price spike and supply disruption are related to supply and demand.”

California already has the highest gas prices in the nation, according to Gasbuddy.com, which tracks gas prices and the petroleum industry around the United States.

A map of California counties showed that Lake’s gas prices are in the bottom third of the state, ranging between $4.63 and $4.70, according to Gasbuddy.com’s data.

On Monday, Lake County News posted this question on its Facebook page: “In your travels around Lake County, what is the highest gas price you've seen and where was it?”

Readers responded that prices around the county ranged from a low of $4.33 in Lakeport to a high of $5.19 in Kelseyville. Middletown prices also were reported to have crept over the $5 mark.

Boxer’s letter to Holder acknowledged California refineries’ maintenance issues – including the shutdown of Chevron’s Richmond refinery in August as the result of a fire, the power outage at Exxon Mobil’s Torrance refinery and last month’s shutdown of a Chevron pipeline that supplies crude from the Central Valley to the Bay Area.

However, she pointed out that there were price spikes earlier this year due to similar maintenance issues for West Coast refineries, and noted, “it is critical that we ensure that these shutdowns are not part of any broader effort to deliberately keep gasoline supplies tight – and prices high – at the expense of consumers.”

In her letter to the Federal Trade Commission, Feinstein noted, “California’s consumers are all too familiar with energy price spikes which cannot be explained by market fundamentals, and which turn out years later to have been the result of malicious and manipulative trading activity. It is with this history in mind that I call on the FTC to act immediately and aggressively to protect California’s consumers.”

Brown’s action to direct an early transition to winter-blend gasoline could increase California’s fuel supply by up to an estimated 8 to 10 percent with only negligible air quality impacts, according to the Governor’s Office.

The Exxon refinery came back online Friday and Tesoro is scheduled to resume production early next week, which the Governor’s Office anticipated will stabilize and reduce fuel prices across California.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A Napa County man died Sunday in a motorcycle crash near Middletown.

Joseph P. Kane Jr., 33, of Napa was killed in the wreck, which occurred just before 2:30 p.m. Sunday, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.

Kane was riding his 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle south on Butts Canyon Road, north of the Lake and Napa County line, at an unknown speed when the crash occurred, the report stated.

The report said Kane failed to negotiate a lefthand curve in the roadway, causing his motorcycle to go off the right side of the road and down an embankment.

Kane was thrown from his motorcycle and sustained fatal injuries. Paramedics pronounced Kane dead at the scene, the CHP said.

The CHP said the crash’s cause remains under investigation.

Yesterday I sipped a warm pumpkin latte while watching leaves swirl through windy air, both harbingers of autumn.
 
Yes, despite our recent Indian summer, fall is knocking at our door. It’s waiting at the threshold. And when the chill arrives, my thoughts always turn to soup: big pots of comforting steamy liquid, full of flavorful ingredients, its hearty aroma caressing my nostrils.
 
Do I sound overly romantic? I admit that I do. Soup has captured my heart. A good broth is like a canvas; it inspires my creativity, and all year I look forward to the time when I can begin my “soup du jour” seasonal art series.
 
One of my favorite soups is a hearty cabbage-caraway concoction, so it’s no surprise that when the weather turns cold, the caraway comes out of the spice cupboard.
 
You may know caraway from seeded rye bread. But it’s much more than that.
 
It flavors things as diverse as cookies, coleslaw and beef stew. It’s used in marinades, as a pickling spice (including for corned beef), in cakes, and to season carrots, pork, duck and sauerkraut.
 
Root vegetables of all types love it, as do sausages, hearty noodle dishes and strong cheeses. It blends well with coriander, cumin, onions and thyme, and can hold up to such strong flavors as juniper berries and lavender.
 
And caraway seeds don’t lend their unique flavor to food alone. Alcoholic beverages are flavored with it, such as the Norwegian liquor Aquavit and a liqueur called Kummel that’s made in Germany.
 
It’s beloved in the cuisines of England, Austria, Germany, Hungary (think goulash), Scandinavia and throughout Eastern Europe. Outside of Europe, caraway can be found in Moroccan, Indonesian, and Indian condiments and foods.
 
This hearty plant native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa is used as an herb (its leaves can be added to salads, soups, and stews), a spice (in the form of its seeds), and in some parts of the world, its parsnip-like taproot is used for food.
 
Caraway’s flavor characteristics include hints of anise and dill. It’s warm, spicy and slightly sharp, with a bit of a tang and a somewhat nutty flavor.
 
Some confuse caraway seeds with fennel seeds, and while related, they’re not the same. Fennel has a more pronounced licorice flavor.
 
Other seeds that share common visual characteristics are cumin, aniseed and dill, and, along with celery seeds, these all contain subtle similarities in flavor.
 
To muddle matters more, caraway is sometimes called meridian fennel or Roman or Persian cumin.
 
Caraway has a long history with mankind. Evidence of the seed has been found among food remnants of the Mesolithic (mid Stone Age) era, suggesting it’s been in use for more than 5,000 years.
 
It’s the first condiment in recorded history, having been mentioned in the medical papyrus of Thebes in 1552 B.C.
 
In later years, it was mentioned in a twelfth century German medical work, as well as in “The Form of Cury,” a 1390 cookbook documenting Roman and English foods, written by Richard II’s chef.
 
In Elizabethan times, caraway seeds were part of the tea service, eaten plain to sweeten the breath.
 
In addition to its culinary uses, caraway has long been used medicinally to relieve flatulence and indigestion. Crushed seeds make a tonic for digestive upset when steeped in water or milk.
 
Like most seeds, caraway will retain its flavor much longer – up to a year - when stored whole rather than crushed. An airtight container kept in a cool, dry, dark place is best.
 
If you garden, caraway is a good companion planting, hiding the scent of nearby crops from pests. In addition, it attracts predatory wasps and flies that will devour plant-damaging insects.
 
A biennial plant, it produces leaves only in its first year and seeds (technically, fruits) in the second, which are ready to harvest when they turn brown.
 
The leaves when young have a taste reminiscent of dill.
 
If you happen to read Shakespeare’s “Henry IV,” you may notice that Squire Shallow invites Falstaff to “a pippin and a dish of caraway.”
 
As evidenced by this line, caraway was popular in Shakespeare’s time, and this tradition of serving roast apples with a little saucer full of caraway still exists at Trinity College in Cambridge.
 
According to Jeff Cox, Sonoma County restaurant critic and organic food proponent, adding caraway seeds to the boiling liquid for cabbage can reduce some of its strong smell. If that’s true, then the soup below should smell nothing but delicious!
 
Enjoy the burgeoning autumn weather, and have a happy Sunday! Most of all, I hope you’ll have a chance to savor some soup.
 
Red cabbage soup with apples and caraway

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large onion (any color), finely diced
3 medium apples (tart), peeled, cored and thinly sliced
4 cups chopped red cabbage
2 teaspoons caraway seeds
1 ½ quarts vegetable or beef stock
2 cups dry red wine
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon honey, agave nectar, or brown sugar
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional garnish: sour cream, chopped fresh dill or flat-leaf parsley
 
Heat olive oil in large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté until golden, about five minutes. Reduce heat to medium.
 
Add apples and sauté until tender, about four minutes. Add cabbage and sauté until beginning to soften, about six minutes. Add caraway seeds and stir one minute.
 
Add broth, wine, vinegar, and honey, agave nectar or brown sugar. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and simmer about 30 minutes.
 
Uncover and simmer until cabbage is very tender, about 30 more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
 
To serve, ladle into bowls and, if desired, top with a dollop of sour cream and sprinkle with fresh dill and/or parsley.
 
Makes about six servings.
 
Esther Oertel, a freelance writer, cooking teacher, and speaker, is passionate about local produce and all foods in the vegetable kingdom. She welcomes your questions and comments and may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The second annual Home and Business Disaster Expo will take place on Saturday, Oct. 13.

The expo will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Mendo Mill & Lumber, 2645 S. Main St., Lakeport.

The goal of the event is to educate the public and businesses on how to make a plan, become prepared and stay informed during a disaster or emergency.

Booths at the expo will have both private business and government agencies available to share information, handouts, materials and products that will be needed or used during a disaster.

This year’s participants will include North Lake Medical Pharmacy, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, Lake County Amateur Radio Society, American Red Cross, Servpro of Lake and Mendocino counties, Lake County Waste Solutions, Amerigas, Paul Davis Restoration, Hands on Volunteer Network, DFM Car Stereo and Cellular, T-Mobile, Vietnam Veterans of America and Pacific Gas & Electric Co.

Mendo Mill will conduct drawings for prizes and the Lakeport Police Department will be cooking hot dogs and giving out bottled water, which will be available to the first 300 visitors.

Disasters can, and do, happen in Lake County.

In August, Lake County experienced the Wye Fire, which burned 7,934 acres, destroyed several structures and closed Highway 20, one of the main roadways into the county, for a significant time. The fast-moving fire caused an evacuation order to be given to many local residents.

The following month, hundreds of evacuations again were ordered when the Scotts Fire burned toward Blue Lakes. That fire burned a total of 4,618 acres.

Come find out about defensible space around your home. Planning for an evacuation, making a list of what to pack when leaving your residence, and evacuating in reaction to fires, flooding, hazardous materials incidents, storms and even earthquakes can – and should – be planned for ahead of time.

Attend and find out how to prepare, make a plan and be informed to keep you family safe.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Downtown Lakeport was the place to be on Saturday for dachshund racing action, German food and music.

The Lake County Chamber of Commerce hosted its third annual Oktoberfest on Saturday.

Several blocks of Main Street was blocked off in order to allow for vendors, a street dance and other festivities during the day.

One of the day’s big hits was the dachshund derby, with the short-legged canines vying for top racing honors.

See full highlights of the day above, and a video devoted to the dachshund racing below.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Want a new friend with personality who will always be glad to see you?

The county’s animal shelter has a group of big and little dogs that would be great companions for your family.

Thanks to Lake County Animal Care and Control’s new veterinary clinic, many of the animals offered for adoption already are spayed or neutered and ready to go home with their new families.

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.

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-beagle

This female Labrador Retriever-beagle mix is 8 months old.

She weighs 28 pounds, has a short black coat and has not yet been altered.

She’s in kennel No. 4, ID No. 34315.

Labrador Retriever-beagle

This female Labrador Retriever-beagle mix is of undetermined age.

She weighs nearly 37 pounds, has a short black coat and is not yet spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 5, ID No. 34314.

Male dachshund-Chihuahua mix

This male dachshund-Chihuahua mix is just over 2 years old.

He has a short black coat. It was not reported if he was altered yet or not.

He’s in kennel No. 6, ID No. 34206.

Male Chihuahua mix

This male Chihuahua mix is 3 years old.

He has a short red coat, weighs 5 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 10b, ID No. 34439.

‘Shadow’

“Shadow” is a 6-month-old female Chihuahua mix.

She has a short black coat and floppy ears, and is not yet altered.

Shadow is in kennel No. 12, ID No. 34344.

Chocolate lab mix

This male chocolate Labrador Retriever mix is 4 years old.

He has a short coat, weighs nearly 79 pounds and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 13, ID No. 34415.

Yorkie-Chihuahua mix

This male Yorkshire Terrier-Chihuahua mix is 10 months old.

He has a long tan coat, weighs 6 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 14b, ID No. 34484.

Border collie mix

This male border collie mix is 4 years old.

He has one blue and one brown eye, a short black and white coat, and he weighs 58 pounds. He has not yet been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 17, ID No. 34516.

Pit bull terrier mix

This female pit bull terrier mix is 6 years old.

She has a short black coat and weighs 61 pounds. It was not reported if she had yet been altered.

She’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 34514.

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

Please note: Dogs 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. .

SPRING VALLEY, Calif. – A vegetation fire in Spring Valley on Monday afternoon burned several acres but didn’t damage any homes thanks to a quick response by local and state firefighters.

The fire was reported shortly before 2 p.m. in the area of 2604 Indian Hill Road, according to radio reports.

Reports from the scene indicated the fire was making a run from River View Road up to Indian Hill Road, heading for structures.

Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos said Northshore Fire sent two chief officers, two engines and a water tender, and Lake County Fire sent one unit.

Cal Fire also responded to the incident. Beristianos did not have an exact count of resources from Cal Fire, but radio reports indicated the agency sent ground crews and had air resources dispatched, including air tankers that were canceled while en route.

Just before 2:10 p.m. the fire was reported to be contained, radio reports indicated.

Beristianos said the total fire size was about three to four acres.

While a report from the scene initially had indicated a structure was burned, Beristianos said that in the final assessment no structures were damaged.

He said the fire appeared to have started in a backyard area between several properties, in the vicinity of some power lines.

The cause remains under investigation, Beristianos said.

Fire units remained on scene after 4 p.m. for mop up, according to radio traffic.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – It’s a full house of cats at the county’s animal shelter this week.

Several new cats and kittens have joined several cats already waiting for adoption.

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and 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”).

Gray male tabby

This gray male tabby is 2 years old.

He has a medium-length coat, weighs nearly 9 pounds and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 11a, ID No. 34357.

Domestic medium hair mix

This female domestic medium hair mix is 2 years old.

She has a black coat, weighs 6 pounds and is not yet spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 11b, ID, No. 34358.

Orange male tabby

This male orange tabby is 5 months old.

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

He’s in cat room kennel No. 15a, ID No. 34145.

Male orange tabby

This male orange tabby is 5 months old.

He is not yet altered, weighs 3.5 pounds and has a short coat.

He’s in cat room kennel 15b, ID No. 34146.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

She has a short coat and is not yet spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 15c, ID No. 34147.

Orange and white tabby

This male orange and white tabby is 1 year old.

He has green eyes and a short coat, weighs 5 pounds and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 25, ID No. 34500.

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 7 months old.

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

Find him in cat room kennel No. 33a, ID No. 34485.

Black domestic short hair mix

This male black domestic short hair mix is 6 months old.

He has gold eyes, weighs 4 pounds and has been altered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 33b, ID No. 34465.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is of undetermined age.

She has blues eyes and a short white coat, and is not yet spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 46, ID No. 34385.

Domestic short hair mix

This male domestic short hair mix is 4 months old.

He has a white coat and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 49b, ID No. 34382.

White and gray domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair mix is 1 year old.

He has a white and gray coat, weighs 7.5 pounds and is neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 61, ID No. 34494.

Female tortie

The female kitten is 12 weeks old.

She has tortie calico coloring, a short coat and is not yet spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 90a, ID No. 34510.

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 12 weeks old.

He has a short coat and is not yet neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 90b, ID No. 34511.

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 1 year old.

He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 100, ID No. 34479.

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. .

A dying star is refusing to go quietly into the night, as seen in this combined infrared and ultraviolet view from NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope and the Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX), which NASA has lent to the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

In death, the star's dusty outer layers are unraveling into space, glowing from the intense ultraviolet radiation being pumped out by the hot stellar core.

This object, called the Helix nebula, lies 650 light-years away in the constellation of Aquarius.

Also known by the catalog number NGC 7293, it is a typical example of a class of objects called planetary nebulae.

Discovered in the 18th century, these cosmic works of art were erroneously named for their resemblance to gas-giant planets.

Planetary nebulae are actually the remains of stars that once looked a lot like our sun.

These stars spend most of their lives turning hydrogen into helium in massive runaway nuclear fusion reactions in their cores.

In fact, this process of fusion provides all the light and heat that we get from our sun. Our sun will blossom into a planetary nebula when it dies in about five billion years.

When the hydrogen fuel for the fusion reaction runs out, the star turns to helium for a fuel source, burning it into an even heavier mix of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen.

Eventually, the helium will also be exhausted, and the star dies, puffing off its outer gaseous layers and leaving behind the tiny, hot, dense core, called a white dwarf.

The white dwarf is about the size of Earth, but has a mass very close to that of the original star; in fact, a teaspoon of a white dwarf would weigh as much as a few elephants!

The intense ultraviolet radiation from the white dwarf heats up the expelled layers of gas, which shine brightly in the infrared. GALEX has picked out the ultraviolet light pouring out of this system, shown throughout the nebula in blue, while Spitzer has snagged the detailed infrared signature of the dust and gas in red, yellow and green.

Where red Spitzer and blue GALEX data combine in the middle, the nebula appears pink. A portion of the extended field beyond the nebula, which was not observed by Spitzer, is from NASA's all-sky Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). The white dwarf star itself is a tiny white pinprick right at the center of the nebula.

More information about Spitzer is online at http://spitzer.caltech.edu and www.nasa.gov/spitzer . More information about GALEX is at www.galex.caltech.edu .

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Local and state fire agencies will conduct live fire training and a controlled burn with California State Parks on Tuesday, Oct. 9, at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake.

The burn and exercise will take place between 5 p.m. and 10 p.m., officials said.

Park officials said the fuel to be burned is grass and light brush.

The public may still see and smell smoke from Clearlake, Lower Lake and other outlying areas, according to State Parks officials.

California State Parks conducts this live fire training periodically to control invasive plant species, fuel reduction, hazard assessment, maintain fuel breaks, and enhance coordination between local and state agencies.

During this training, firefighters will participate in mobile attack, progressive hose lays, handline construction, firing operations, fire shelter deployment, fire suppression tactics and strategies, as well as overall fire and public safety.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The National Auto Sport Association and the California Highway Patrol are bringing back to Lake County their popular Teen Car Control Clinic.

The clinic will be held from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20, in Lakeport at the parking lot at the Lakeside Family Fun Center in the Vista Point Shopping Center on Lakeport Boulevard. Each student will drive his or her own car throughout the day.  

This is a unique opportunity for permitted and licensed drivers to practice hands-on driving skills throughout the day.

Essentially, every participant is coached through exercises that teach car control in all types of situations, from backing through cones, to parallel parking to slalom driving forward through cones, hard braking exercises, turning under hard braking, and many say the most fun is the figure eight on the skid pad.  

The final exercise is the two wheels off exercise simulating dropping two wheels off the pavement during highway driving. That exercise is done at slower speeds but the training helps instill the proper techniques to follow should it happen at highway speeds.  

The feedback from our previous two events in Lake County has been over the top. Parents and students alike wonder if it's going to be worth the small cost – $99 per student with scholarships available – but once into the program just an hour or so, wonder turns to smiles. Anxiety about the unknown becomes grins and thumbs up.  

Parents are encouraged to cheerlead and some have signed up for the next event so they can practice these life-saving drills themselves.

Lunch – cheeseburger, chips and soda – will be made available by the Family Fun Center for a special of $5.50.

For more information visit www.nasacarcontrol.org or contact Officer Kory Reynolds at the CHP at 707-279-0103 or Lake County resident and National Auto Sport Association coach Eric Wheaton at 707-535-9148.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A grant has allowed the South Lake County Fire Protection District to purchase a brand new ambulance.

The district recently took delivery of the new Ford F-450 four-wheel drive ambulance that was built to the district’s specifications.

The new ambulance adds to the fire district’s existing fleet, allowing it to cycle older vehicles into reserve status.

The district said the ambulance purchase would not have been possible without the assistance of the Redbud Health Care District.

The Redbud Health Care District, which provides important support for the health needs of south Lake County, agreed to repay the amount financed to South Lake County Fire to purchase the ambulance.

Established in 1964, Redbud Health Care District has been striving to improve health care services to the communities of south Lake County.

Redbud Community Hospital, now called St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, was purchased by the Adventist Medical Group in 1997, with profits from the sale invested into the Local Agency Investment Fund in Sacramento.

Investment income from that fund is utilized for health care program grants throughout southern Lake County.

The fire district thanked the Redbud Health Care District for its assistance and support.