KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A barbecue was the source of a Tuesday evening fire that damaged a Kelseyville home.

The fire was first reported shortly before 7 p.m. in a modular home at 6160 Live Oak Drive.

Callers to Lake County Central Dispatch reported seeing flames and hearing explosions. The first fire units on scene found heavy black smoke coming from under the home's eaves and flames from two sides of the structure, according to radio traffic.

Kelseyville Fire Chief Mike Stone said the home's residents had started a barbecue in the backyard.

He said a woman who lives in the home smelled smoke, went out to the backyard and found the barbecue was putting off flames that were going up the side of the house.

All three of the home's residents – as well as their pets – were able to safely get out of the home, Stone said. No firefighters were injured.

It took about 20 to 30 minutes to control the fire, Stone said. “It was a pretty quick knockdown.”

Overhaul of the home took longer, as firefighters had to pull the ceiling out of about a third of the house. “It got into the attic space,” Stone said.

Stone said Lakeport Fire sent an engine, Cal Fire sent two engines and Kelseyville Fire had three engines and a squad at the incident, with Stone and Battalion Chief Joe Huggins also on scene.

He estimated the home was about 1,200 square feet and about 30 percent of that was damaged by the fire. Stone did not have a dollar estimate on the damage the fire did to the home.

The residents will be temporarily displaced, 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.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Lake County Sheriff's officials are asking for the community's help in identifying the suspect in a weekend armed robbery attempt in Lower Lake.

Lt. Steve Brooks said deputies were dispatched to a robbery in progress at the KFC/Long John Silver's restaurant, located at 9750 Highway 53, at about 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10.

Brooks said a restaurant employee called 911 reporting an unknown male suspect had entered the business brandishing a weapon.

The suspect contacted an employee in the kitchen area and demanded money. The employee refused to give the suspect any money and informed him that he was calling 911, Brooks said.

The suspect then fled the business and ran around the east side of the business. Brooks said the suspect got into a vehicle, possibly a dark blue or black older Ford Explorer and left in an unknown direction.

Brooks said the suspect was described as being a white male adult, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a thin build.

He was wearing a black bulky coat, Yankees baseball cap, shorts and tennis shoes. The employee was unable to provide any additional information concerning the suspect, Brooks said.

Deputies obtained a description of both the suspect and vehicle, Brooks said. They conducted an extensive search of the area but failed to locate the man or the Explorer.

Brooks said the investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have information regarding this case or the identity of the suspect is encouraged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The 11th annual EcoArts: Lake County Sculpture Walk is a Lake County treasure not to be missed, and remains open to the public through October.

Since 2003, more than 200 sculptures “in dialog with nature” have been installed along the Middletown County Trailside Park, and attendance has steadily increased from a few hundred to a few thousand visitors each year.

The sculpture walk has developed a reputation among curators, artists and art lovers throughout Lake County and the Bay Area.

This year's exhibit features 23 large-scale sculptures created by artists, community groups and schools.

From anthropomorphic forms, to mysterious portals, to organic radial arrangements and gilded earthen goddesses, the artworks address nature or the relationship of humankind to nature by employing natural and/or discarded industrial and commercial materials.  

Steel, wood, glass, plastic, tree prunings; most were destined for a landfill until these artists heard the call and made a statement in some way through material, message, or both that highlights through example the idea of reuse, repurpose and recycle while reminding us to refocus attention to the natural bounty around us.

There are eight weeks of exhibit time remaining, and with the weather cooling down, ample opportunity to walk the trail and enjoy the works on view.

Free to the public, the exhibit is open daily from dawn to dusk, June through Oct. 13, and is located along the center trail of the park.  

Pick up a free, self-guided tour booklet at the beginning of the trail and follow the exhibit, which is about one-third of a mile long. Walking shoes and drinking water are advised.

Docent tours are available throughout the exhibit season at no charge (donations gladly accepted). Contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-809-5398 for information or to join a guided tour.

Middletown County Trailside Park is located on Dry Creek Cut Off. From the Highway 29/175 intersection in Middletown, travel toward Cobb Mountain about three miles and turn left at Dry Creek Cut Off.

This 103-acre park filled with woodland and meadows features 2.3 miles of trail for walking, biking, horseback riding and of course, art viewing.

EcoArts of Lake County is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting the visual arts, visual art education and ecological stewardship for artists, residents and visitors to Lake County.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Lake County's representative in the state Senate confirmed on Monday that she will not seek reelection when her term ends next year.

Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) said she will retire from public office in 2014 at the conclusion of her first Senate term, with plans to return to her private law practice.

Evans, 58, represents the Second Senate District, which includes all or portions of Lake, Humboldt, Mendocino, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. She also chairs the Senate Committee on Judiciary.

“This year marks my 20th in public office, including 10 years in the Legislature. But Sacramento is not my home and politics not how I planned to spend my life. Though I enjoyed my job as a lawmaker, my first love is the administration of justice. I will leave the Legislature next year at the end of my term to return to my private law practice,” Evans said in a Monday statement issued by her office.

She expressed her gratitude to the community and to her staff, and recounted being part of seeing California through “unprecedented challenges.”

Prior to succeeding Patricia Wiggins in the North Coast's state Senate seat in 2010, Evans had served six years in the state Assembly, beginning in 2004.

During her time in the Senate, she's worked on efforts to save state parks from closure, written legislation to bolster the California Environmental Quality Act, been a part of creating the nation’s first Homeowner's Bill of Rights, worked to stop shutdown of public services in response to budget cuts, and been involved with protecting the region's coast, updating wine industry regulations and improving the foster care system.

She also chaired the Senate Budget Committee at a time when she said the state was facing an “economic meltdown.”

“I hope my efforts over the past two decades have contributed in some small measure to a better future for us all,” Evans said.

With Evans' decision not to run again, it means that both of the state legislative seats representing Lake County will be open next year.

A large field already is forming to run for the Fourth District Assembly seat currently held by Mariko Yamada, who will be termed out next year.

The field in that race includes Lake County Supervisor Anthony Farrington, Davis Mayor Joe Krovoza, Davis City Councilman Dan Wolk, Napa County Supervisor Bill Dodd and Napa County Planning Commissioner Matt Pope, who also is Evans' district representative.

Evans has given Pope her endorsement in the Assembly race.

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. – Five Lake County string players attended a three -week Summer Music Academy in July at the Sonoma Country Day School in Santa Rosa.

The Santa Rosa Symphony sponsored program attracted students from the ages of five to adult, with instruction for beginning to advanced players.

Julianne Carter and Rafael Contreras, violin, and Christian Contreras, cello, participated in a brand new all-day program designed to enhance musicianship and to deepen musical understanding.

Classes included instruction in ensemble playing, rhythm, percussion, music appreciation, choir, composition and conducting.

Older students, Clayton Rudiger, violin, and Elliot Serena, cello, concentrated on acquiring new ensemble skills through intense instruction in the string orchestra setting.

The highlight of the academy was the day of the concerts where all the students performed for family and friends.

Julianne and Rafael both composed a short composition that was played by their composition class, and all string orchestra performances showcased the talent that each of these students possess.

All students are members of the Clear Lake Performing Arts Youth Orchestra and the Konocti Fiddle Club.

Susan Condit is music director and conductor of the CLPA Youth Orchestra.

LUCERNE, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man was taken into custody late last week after leading Sheriff's Narcotics Task Force members on a high speed chase through Lucerne.

Timothy Todd Ryden, 47, of Clearlake Oaks, was arrested following the chase, and detectives also seized more than an ounce of methamphetamine as well as approximately $1,400 in cash, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

At 1:10 p.m. last Friday, Aug. 9, members of the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force were conducting routine patrol in the Lucerne area when they noticed a light blue BMW parked in an empty lot near the corner of Kensington Way and Country Club Drive, Brooks said.

He reported that the detectives noticed the vehicle was occupied by one male subject, who appeared to be looking at something on his lap. Detectives had received information that a light blue BMW was involved in recent narcotics sales in Lake County.

Narcotics detectives walked up to the vehicle and identified themselves. The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Ryden, accelerated away from the area at a high rate of speed, almost striking one of the detectives, Brooks said.

A pursuit ensued and detectives reported that Ryden was traveling eastbound on Country Club Drive in excess of 60 miles per hour, Brooks said. The posted speed limit in this residential area is 25 miles per hour. Ryden also failed to stop at several stop signs.

Ryden was able to elude detectives for a very short time but eventually was located in front of a residence in the 6000 block of First Avenue in Lucerne as he was attempting to cover his vehicle with a tarp, Brooks said.

When Ryden saw the deputies he attempted to run, but Brooks said Ryden was apprehended after a short foot pursuit.

A large plastic bag containing a white crystalline substance was located near Ryden when he was taken into custody, Brooks said. Detectives said Ryden attempted to hide the substance prior to being apprehended.

When detectives searched Ryden’s vehicle they located approximately $1,400 in of US currency in the driver’s side door pocket. The US Currency was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings, according to Brooks.

Detectives tested a small sample of the substance using a narcotic identification kit. Brooks said the kit flashed blue, a presumptive positive for methamphetamine. The suspected methamphetamine weighed 31 grams.

Ryden was arrested for evading a peace officer with willful and wanton disregard for the safety of persons and property, possession of a controlled substance for sale, resisting arrest and being an unlicensed driver. His felony probation also was violated.

He remained in custody on a no-bail hold on Monday, according to jail records.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Thanks to the efforts of a number of community members and organizations, the Clear Lake Splash-in is scheduled to take place this year Friday, Sept. 27, through Sunday, Sept. 29.

The annual event is based at Natural High School, on the lakeshore in Lakeport.

On Friday, July 26, a meeting of local interested parties was convened to discuss the Clear Lake Splash-in.

Mike Dunlap, the Lake County lead for the event for several years, outlined the reasons for the former notice of cancellation for this year's event.

After some discussion, it was determined that the city of Lakeport, county of Lake, Lakeport Main Street Association and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce wished to see the event take place and all are stepping up to make it happen.

Representatives of all these entities along with some community members were present at the meeting.

The Lakeport Main Street Association had sent a mailing to potential arts/crafts vendors in May and the chamber has added an “event banner” to its home page at this time to assist with publicity. The site is located at www.lakecochamber.com .

Anyone clicking on the events listed within that banner, five in all within the next eight weeks, will be taken to pages giving up to date information on each event.

Not every community can accommodate a unique event such as a seaplane splash-in and Lakeport is very fortunate to have that ability.

The Clear Lake Splash-in is held the same weekend as the Kelseyville Pear Festival. Those attending the Pear Festival will find the splash-in another exciting venue experience during the day on Saturday.

Dunlap anticipates more than 30 seaplanes will participate at the Natural High location on Main Street in Lakeport. In prior years the public has been captivated as the pilots practice water bombing exercises and other offshore activities.

Also at the site will be members of the Amphicar group, amphibious automobiles who will be in the Kelseyville Pear Festival Parade at 9 a.m. on Saturday before heading over to Lakeport for the Splash-in activities.

Registration information soon will be available at www.clearlakesplashin.com for pilots wishing to participate.

For those wishing to be vendors at the splash-in, please contact the Lakeport Main Street Association at 707-263-8843.

For general questions about the event, contact the Lake County Chamber of Commerce at 707-263-5092.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “Wow!” “Holy moly!” “I found a skull!” were among the exclamations uttered by the eight kids gathered around a table at Rodman Preserve this summer where they were treated to the experience of dissecting owl pellets.

The children were participating in a summer children’s nature education program presented by the Lake County Land Trust at its Rodman Preserve Nature Center.

Programs are held on the third Saturday of the month from June through September.

Teaching the youngsters is Elaine Mansell, a retired teacher and former leader of the Junior Ranger program at the Clear Lake State Park.

Children learn about the natural habitats of Lake County, enjoy walks and use both binoculars and microscopes.

At the July program Mansell had the group dissect owl pellets, the formation of fur and debris that is regurgitated by owls after eating their prey.

The pellets contain such treasures as animal bones, including skulls, and identifiable parts of the little creatures that owls feast upon.

Kids were thrilled to find the remains of voles, mice, and even small birds and were able to identify them by matching them up with pictures on a chart provided by Mansell.

Next, the various items were glued to a piece of paper for the children to take home.

The children’s program is scheduled this month for Saturday, Aug. 17, and will feature an archeology talk, walk and bead-making presented by Dr. John Parker.

Reservations are encouraged and can be made by calling Roberta Lyons at 707-994-2024 or Elaine Mansell at 707-263-1637. The program will start at 9 a.m.

The Lake County Land Trust is a private, nonprofit organization dedicated to the preservation of Lake County’s wetlands, creeks, oak woodlands and other important open spaces.

For more information about the land trust, go to www.lakecountylandtrust.org .

The Rodman Preserve and Nature Education Center is located at 6350 Westlake Road, Lakeport.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has two cats ready for adoption this week.

One male and one female tabby both are in need of new homes.

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”).

Male gray tabby

This male gray tabby is 2 years old.

He has a short gray and white coat, weighs nearly 10 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 19, ID No. 37398.

Female gray tabby

This female gray tabby is 6 months old.

She weighs nearly 4 pounds, has a short brown tabby coat and has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 29, ID No. 37410.

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.

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest is currently locating and taking action to suppress fires started by lightning during a series of storms from Thursday evening through Saturday.

The forest received more than 200 lightning strikes over that three-day period, according to a Sunday report from forest spokesperson Tamara Schmidt.

Schmidt said the forest has identified four fires on the Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger Districts on the west side of the forest and two fires on the Grindstone Ranger District, located on the east side of the forest.

All four fires on the Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger Districts are small and have been contained at less than an acre, Schmidt reported. The Mickey Fire, which was identified Thursday evening in the Yolla Bolly-Middle Eel Wilderness is out.

On the Grindstone Ranger District, the Wallow Fire was discovered Friday and contained at one-tenth of an acre Saturday, according to Schmidt.

The Crocket Fire is currently burning on the north end of the Snow Mountain Wilderness and is approximately 10 acres, she said.

Schmidt said it is burning in heavy slash, brush and some timber in the same area as the 2001 Trough Fire. It is expected to be contained on Sunday, but smoke will still be visible for the next several days.

Fire managers are asking the public to avoid the Crocket Fire Area due to increased fire traffic – both on the ground and in the air – as they work to achieve control of the fire.

As conditions continue to dry out and warm up, forest firefighters anticipate discovering more lightning fires in the coming days. As a reminder, Schmidt said the forest is currently under fire restrictions.

To report a fire, please call 911.

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

Updates also are available on Twitter @MendocinoNF.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In the last of his eight years of soliciting funds as AIDS Walk coordinator for a San Francisco law firm, Keith Wentworth raised the princely sum of more than $100,000.

In his first year as client services representative for the Lower Lake-based Community Care HIV/AIDS Program, or CCHAP, the goal for Wentworth and Rachel Robison, Lake County's AIDS Walk coordinator, is considerably more modest.

Their objective is $16,000, which would double the amount the Lake/Mendocino counties CCHAP raised in 2012.

The monetary gap, of course, is consistent with the vast differences in population base and per capita income rankings.

Marin, San Francisco, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties rank one through four among California's 53 counties in per capita income and the overall Bay Area population base is somewhere in the millions. Lake County is 40th in population and 44th in average income.

But, says Wentworth, Lake County is well up on the chart in its spirit of giving.

“The fact that this agency raised nearly $10,000 is significant. The community has been incredibly generous,” he said. “It might be considered a poor county, but that doesn't mean there isn't wealth here – there is.”

CCHAP is hoping that a new team concept for the sixth annual Lake County AIDS Walk – which takes place Saturday, Sept. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Clearlake's Austin Park – will redouble the county's spirit of giving.

The concept is called “The Power of Ten.” Essentially Power of Ten encourages potential donors to form teams of 10 walkers, who engage sponsors, or backers.

The formula is similar to the American Cancer Society's Relay for Life, which has been fairly successful raising funds in Lake County, partly because it generates friendly team competition.

“It's all about team-building,” Wentworth said. “We want to get employers energized to form a team. If you have a team of 10 walkers, and if each of those walkers has 10 sponsors, and if each one of those sponsors only gives $10, it's a thousand dollar team.

“The Power of Ten doesn't hit anybody particularly hard,” he added. “Everybody knows 10 people. If we spread the program throughout the county we should be able to have a successful drive.”

To enhance the possibilities of meeting its objective in donations, CCHAP also is seeking to increase the number of walkers, which, according to Robison, numbered 30 last year.

“I would like to see 100,” she said.

Wentworth's heart is in raising funds for AIDS/HIV because he has seen friends die form the disease.

Although from all outward appearances he shows no signs of it, he, himself, was diagnosed with AIDS a decade ago.

Some people, he acknowledges, have a prejudice for AIDS victims because of misconceptions about the disease.

Does that make it a hard dollar to raise?

“I don't think so,” he replied.

Progress toward a cure for AIDS, Wentworth added, has been slow.

“All it is is a manageable chronic disease,” Wentworth observed. “There is still a high percentage of long-term survivors. But it's no longer automatic death if you take care of yourself.”

The most recent research in 2010 established that there were about 1.8 million deaths from AIDS yearly, down from 2.2 million in 2005.

Individuals, groups or firms interested in contributing to the AIDS Walk's Power of 10 can obtain packets at the CCHAP offices, 8050-A Lake St. (zip code 95457) in Lower Lake, or call 707-995-1606 (fax number 707-995-0309.)

For more information, log on to https://www.facebook.com/LakeCountyAidsWalk .

Deadline for entry of a team is Sept. 2.

The AIDS Walk will feature live music, food and a silent auction.

CCHAP says that all of the event's proceeds will help it continue to provide services to residents of Lake County and maintain the highest level of well-being.

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

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A Kelseyville man died after his pickup went off the road and hit a utility pole and a tree on Saturday afternoon.

Daniel Lua, 22, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash, which occurred at 3:35 p.m. on Saddle Road, east of Spur Road, near Kelseyville, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP said Lua was driving a 2001 GMC pickup eastbound on Saddle Road at an unknown speed, with a 17-year-old juvenile from Kelseyville riding as his passenger.

Lua did not slow down enough as he was going through a slight righthand curve and he ran off the north roadway edge. The CHP said the left side of the pickup hit a utility pole, with the GMC continuing on until the left front hit a large pine tree.

The vehicle came to rest facing in an easterly direction, north of Saddle Road's north roadway edge, according to the CHP report.

Lua was extricated from the vehicle but he died before he could be transported by helicopter to a regional trauma center. The CHP said the juvenile was flown by air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Alcohol is not considered a factor in the crash, said the CHP.

The report did not state if Lua and his passenger were using safety equipment.

The crash remains under investigation, the CHP 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.