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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A special fire tax put before voters in the Northshore Fire Protection District this week appears to be falling short of the required two-thirds supermajority, based on preliminary numbers.

Northshore Fire put Measure N before voters in a special election. Four precincts – in Clearlake Oaks, Lucerne, Nice and Upper Lake – were open on the Northshore but the majority of ballots were submitted via vote-by-mail, or absentee ballots.

On Tuesday evening, the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office published online an initial count of ballots received through Monday.

That initial preliminary count of absentees counted 1,373 ballots, with 845 yes votes, or 61.5 percent, to 528 no votes, or 38.4 percent.

An updated ballot count, including what ballots had been tallied from the precincts, was not published on the Registrar of Voters’ website until after 5 p.m. Wednesday.

The updated preliminary count, which included precinct ballots, showed an overall tally of 1,781 ballots cast, with 1,123, or 63 percent, in favor, and 658, or 36.9 percent, opposed.

To pass, measure N needs a 66.7 percent supermajority.

The information published online by the registrar Wednesday evening did not include an estimate of how many ballots that remain to be counted.

Registrar of Voter Catherine McMullen, who took over the Registrar of Voters Office in June, did not respond on Wednesday evening to a Lake County News inquiry about how many ballots have yet to be tallied.

Northshore Fire District Board Chair Jim Burton, the retired Clearlake Oaks fire chief, said he had received no information on the status of uncounted ballots from the Registrar of Voters Office.

“Everybody worked hard on this thing,” he said of the measure.

Burton noted the challenge of trying to retain firefighters and medics.

The updated ballot count issued by the Registrar of Voters Office Wednesday evening showed a 27.9 percent voter participation rate.

The final numbers are expected to change as mailed ballots continue to come in. Those postmarked by Tuesday must arrive by Friday to be counted.

The Registrar of Voters Office also has a 30-day official canvass in which to certify and finalize the election results.

In April 2018, Northshore Fire put its Measure E fire tax before voters. That effort fell well short of the needed supermajority, receiving a yes vote of 54.1 percent and a no vote of 45.9 percent.

“If it fails this time, it’s not because we didn’t do everything the right way and up front,” Burton 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.
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A final map issued by Cal Fire of the Kincade fire in Sonoma and Lake counties in Northern California on Wednesday, November 6, 2019.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – After two weeks marked by destruction and massive evacuations, the Kincade fire was brought to full containment as of Wednesday evening.

The fire began on the night of Oct. 23 in The Geysers geothermal steamfield in northern Sonoma County, burning hundreds of homes, threatening more than 90,000 others and triggering massive evacuations.

The Kincade fire also burned into the southwest portion of Lake County near Middletown, which resulted in an evacuation warning – but not a mandatory order – for the Cobb and Middletown areas.

Cal Fire said the fire’s final size is 77,758 acres. The fire was brought to full containment a day ahead of schedule.

The Kincade fire’s cause remains under investigation, according to Cal Fire.

However, within days of the fire’s start, Pacific Gas and Electric acknowledged making a report to the California Public Utilities Commission about a failed transmission line in The Geysers in the fire’s area of origin, as Lake County News has reported.

There have been no fatalities reported as a result of the fire, but Cal Fire said there have been four injuries for first responders.

The damage assessments to date have tallied 374 structures destroyed; that includes 174 residences, 11 commercial structures and 189 other types of buildings.

Damaged structures total 60 – 35 residential, one commercial and 24 other kinds of structures, Cal Fire said.

At one point, more than 5,200 firefighters and a massive force of aircraft and ground equipment were assigned to the fire.

As of Wednesday night, Cal Fire said 55 personnel remained assigned to patrol the fire area, with five engines, two water tenders and two hand crews.

Cal Fire officials reported previously that it could take an extended amount of time to ensure that all hot spots, burning stumps and other fire-related hazards are mitigated in the fire area.

The county of Sonoma has a public health order in place regarding debris removal and is working to establish a process to safely remove the debris materials burned in the fire.

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.
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Layna Joy’s Ravens Woods is part of the Sculpture Walk at Middletown Trailside Park in Middletown, Calif. Photo by Middletown Art Center staff.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – “Locus, a Sense of Place,” the 2019 Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park is closing Sunday, Nov. 10.

Be sure to catch it and be among hundreds of visitors from near and far who have walked and experienced the first Sculpture Walk since the Valley fire devastated the park.

Rising amidst young sprouting oaks, manzanita and other shrubs are 12 sculptures responding to the park’s current environment, disrupted ecosystems, and the events that took place there.

Most of the pieces are tall, providing bits of ‘architecture’ for birds or raptors in an environment that lost thousands of trees.

Others like Emily Scheibal’s Pollinator Pole, or Cobb Mountain Elementary’s Creatures of the Night seek to create habitat for bees or bats.

Preview the exhibit and view artists discussing their work at www.middletownartcenter.org/ecoarts.

“Lisa Kaplan and I discussed our Genius Loci, or the spirit of a place, some years ago,” said Karen Turcotte, founder of the EcoArts Sculpture Walk, which is now part of Middletown Art Center, or MAC. “With this year's exhibit, ‘Locus,’ we put a stake in the ground, that says, we are back, and this place is home.”

The first exhibit in 2003 featured four artists. The annual walk soon grew to about 25 local, and regional artists, until the exhibit and park burned in 2015. The Sculpture Walk was closed until this summer when the 14th annual exhibit opened.

The MAC opened in 2015, just six months before the Valley fire. Half of the sixty affiliated artists and members at the time lost their homes and studios in the fire.

Since then, the MAC has been a center for healing creativity and a variety of cultural activities. It has provided a sense of normalcy and quality of life, both to those who attend MAC's programs and those who are grateful to see it, and "know it's there" at the corner of highways 175 and 29.

While the change at Trailside Park is very significant, sprouting trees and young shrubs are testament to nature’s resilience.

MAC was awarded a $18,000 grant from the California Arts Council to support an Artists in Schools project called Being Leonardo.

This science, engineering, arts, technology and science-based project integrates visual arts into core curriculum, particularly new generation science standards, which include engineering, in select classes in each of Middletown Unified School District’s schools.

About 450 students, grades third to 12th, will participate in a learning adventure that begins and ends in the park.

“The guiding question for the project is: what do we need to know to design artwork that assists the natural recovery of a disrupted ecosystem?” said Lisa Kaplan, artist, educator and Programs Director at MAC.

“We have already taken six groups on field trips to Trailside to expose students to the current state of the park and experience it as a living laboratory,” Kaplan said. “Our goal is to provide them with a relevant, empowering learning and art making experience in which they take action by designing and creating sculptures that support ecosystem recovery. Each group will collaborate and choose a viable piece to pursue with support from a local professional to be installed in the 2020 Sculpture Walk. I am very excited about the critical thinking, scientific process, creative problem solving, and healing opportunities this project provides our children and youth."

MAC encourages community members, sculptors, engineers, architects, permaculture designers, naturalists, horticulturists, among others, to contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to get involved or contribute time, expertise, and resources, including funds, to support student's visions and the Being Leonardo project.

Work will be vetted by the County of Lake Public Services Department. Applications for the 2020 EcoArts Sculpture Walk will be released in January 2020.

Visit the Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park before the exhibit closes Nov. 10. A few current installations which are contributing to park ecosystem recovery will remain onsite.

Trailside Park is open dawn to dusk and the exhibit is free to the public.

For more information about the Sculpture Walk and the MAC visit www.middletownartcenter.org/ecoarts.


Children explore Karen Turcotte’s “Tumble Seeds,” part of the Sculpture Walk at Middletown Trailside Park in Middletown, Calif. Photo by Middletown Art Center staff.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two drivers were hurt on Wednesday morning and one was arrested after being involved in a suspected drunk driving crash near Kelseyville.

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said the wreck occurred at 6:25 a.m. Wednesday at the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 281, also known as Kit’s Corner.

Jessica Leyva, 32, of Santa Rosa was driving her 2002 Ford pickup south and was stopped at the intersection, while 53-year-old David Mackey of Middletown was driving his 2003 Chevrolet Cavalier north on Highway 29, according to the CHP report.

The CHP said Leyva turned to her left, intending on turning onto Highway 281, and into the path of Mackey's vehicle. The two vehicles collided head-on.

After the collision, both parties remained at the collision scene waiting for emergency responders, the CHP said.

Leyva was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital by air ambulance for treatment of major injuries, while the CHP said Mackey was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport with moderate injuries.

The CHP said Leyva was arrested on suspicion of felony driving under the influence.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, 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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Authorities have identified the pedestrian who died after being struck by a vehicle on Tuesday night.

Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office identified the man as Peter Erich Gruendig, 58, of Nice.

The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office, which is conducting the investigation into the crash, said that at approximately 8:34 p.m. Tuesday, 85-year-old Robert Baireuther of Lucerne was driving his 1975 Chevrolet eastbound on Highway 20, just east of Hudson Avenue, at approximately 35 miles per hour.

The report said Gruendig was walking on the south shoulder of Highway 20 at the same location.

For reasons the CHP said are still under investigation, Gruendig began crossing the highway, walking northbound into the eastbound lane of traffic, directly in front of Baireuther's Chevrolet.

The CHP said Baireuther's Chevrolet hit Gruendig. After the collision, Baireuther immediately pulled to the right shoulder and had a passing motorist call 911.

Radio traffic on Tuesday night indicated that the 911 caller reported that Gruendig was not breathing at that point.

When Northshore Fire firefighters arrived, they pronounced Gruendig deceased, the CHP said.

The CHP said Baireuther, who was wearing a seat belt, was not injured in the crash.

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.
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Lakeport Police Department staff took in close to 50 pounds of prescription drugs during its National Prescription Drug Take Back Day event on Saturday, October 26, 2019, in Lakeport, California. Photo courtesy of the Lakeport Police Department.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said its participation in the Drug Enforcement Administration’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in late October helped take a lot of potentially harmful drugs out of the community.

The agency took part in the event on Saturday, Oct. 26, by hosting a drop off site at the police station at 2025 Main St.

Approximately 40 people came to the event and safely disposed of 48.3 pounds of prescription drugs. Many of these drugs were opioids including oxycodone, dilaudid and fentanyl, police reported.

“We thank the community for participating in this valuable program because removing these drugs from the community, prevents abuse, keeps kids safe and protects the environment,” the department said in a report on the event.

Additionally in the time period between a dropoff event held April 27 and the one on Oct. 26, the Lakeport Police Department collected an additional 141.7 pounds of prescription drugs, placing the current total to be turned over to the DEA at 190 pounds.

In April the department destroyed 248 pounds of prescription drugs.

Since Jan. 1, 2019, the Lakeport Police Department has collected a total of 438 pounds of dangerous prescription drugs.

“We want to thank SafeRx Lake County and the Lake County Behavioral Health Partners in Prevention for assisting us with this event and for providing educational materials and training to the community regarding opioids,” the department said.

The Lakeport Police Department reminds the community that it continues to accept prescription drugs for disposal at the police station during business hours.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A trial date early next year has been set for a man arrested this summer for the murder of his traveling companion, whose body he dumped in Lake County.

Mavrick William Fisher, 21, was in court on Tuesday morning for a brief arraignment hearing.

Last month, following his preliminary hearing, Fisher was ordered to stand trial for the murder of 25-year-old Grant David Whitaker of Mackinaw, Illinois, as Lake County News has reported.

The two men, both deaf, had been traveling around California to look for property for a deaf farming community when authorities say they had a disagreement, and Whitaker told Fisher that he intended to part ways.

Investigators have concluded that Fisher killed Whitaker with a blow to the head with a rock at Richardson Grove State Park in Humboldt County on Aug. 20.

Fisher is then believed to have wrapped Whitaker’s body in a sleeping bag and driven the body – in the 2011 Chevrolet Impala that Whitaker had borrowed from his grandmother for the trip – to Lake County, dumping the body at a property on Scotts Valley Road near Lakeport.

Four days later, Whitaker’s grandmother reported him missing in Tazewell County, Illinois, which triggered a search that led to Lake County Sheriff’s deputies finding the Chevy Impala abandoned at the Clearlake Oaks Dollar General.

On Aug. 26 sheriff’s deputies would find Whitaker’s body while serving a search warrant at the Scotts Valley Road location.

Fisher was arrested in Mexico on the same day that Whitaker’s body was recovered and returned to Lake County, where he has remained in custody without bail.

Lake County District Attorney Susan Krones, in working with the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office, decided to prosecute the case based on California Penal Code section 790, which grants Lake County jurisdiction because Whitaker’s body was found here.

Krones told Lake County News that Fisher’s trial date has been set for Jan. 2.

However, before then he is scheduled to return to court on Dec. 3 for discussion of a possible settlement in the case, which Krones said is standard procedure. Then, on Dec. 20 he will be in court for a trial assignment appearance.

Krones said the scheduled trial date could change depending on what happens at the Dec. 3 settlement conference.

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.
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From left, Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, and Elona Nicole Virzi, 28, both of Kelseyville, California, were arrested on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Lake County Jail photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Deputies have arrested two Kelseyville residents and recovered equipment stolen from a church, as well as other stolen items plus a large amount of drugs – including prescription pills – during an investigation that began last week.

Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 31, on a series of drug and theft charges, according to a report from Lt. Corey Paulich of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Arrested at the same time as Langston was Elona Nicole Virzi, 28, also of Kelseyville, on drug and probation violation charges, Paulich said.

At 10:30 a.m. Oct. 31, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the area of Kokanee Way and Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville for a suspicious male seen looking around houses in the area, Paulich said.

When deputies arrived they located a black BMW parked partially blocking the roadway. Paulich said the deputies searched the vehicle, locating paperwork for Langston and Virzi. A records check showed that Langston was on felony probation and Virzi had a warrant for her arrest out of Napa County.

Paulich said deputies also located a leaf blower, gas cans, crate with miscellaneous oils, and a box of clothing inside the vehicle.

The gas cans had “Grace E Free” written on them. Paulich said deputies contacted the Grace Evangelical Free Church in Kelseyville and found they were a victim of a recent theft of their small generator, leaf blower and gas cans.

A stolen Stihl chainsaw recovered from the home of Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, of Kelseyville, California, on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Authorities are attempting to locate the owner. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photo.

A representative from the church was able to identify the gas cans as belonging to the church, but the leaf blower in the vehicle was not the one that had been stolen, Paulich said.

Deputies then went to Langston’s residence in the 4000 block of Pharo Place in Kelseyville and conducted a probation search and located Langston and Virzi at the residence, Paulich said.

During the search, Paulich said the deputies located almost 2 ounces of methamphetamine, approximately 56 pounds of marijuana and 134 pill of various prescription medications not belonging to Langston or Virzi.

Langston identified several items at the residence that were stolen, which included the leaf blower that had been stolen from the Grace Evangelical Free Church.

Paulich said Langston admitted to being involved with the theft of the generator from the church as well as one from Lyndall’s Sports Stop Grill in Kelseyville.

A stolen Husqvarna chainsaw recovered from the home of Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, of Kelseyville, California, on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Authorities are attempting to locate the owner. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photo.

The generators have not been recovered, Paulich said.

Langston was arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance, possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana for sale, and a probation violation. Paulich said Langston remains in custody on a no-bail hold.

Paulich said Virzi was arrested and booked at the Lake County Jail on charges of possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, and a probation violation. She also remains in custody on a no-bail hold.

Deputies have not been able to locate owners for several of the items identified as stolen by Langston.

Photographs of the items can be viewed on this page or at the Lake County Sheriff’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/lakesheriff/.

If you believe any of these items belong to you, please contact Deputy John Wander at 707-263-2690. You will need to be able to prove ownership.

A stolen Ryobi leaf blower recovered from the home of Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, of Kelseyville, California, on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Authorities are attempting to locate the owner. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photo.


A stolen Husqvarna leaf blower, a Dremel and Ryobi detail sander recovered from the home of Nichirien Bryce Langston, 33, of Kelseyville, California, on Thursday, October 31, 2019. Authorities are attempting to locate the owners of the equipment. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photo.
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A Cal Fire helicopter assigned to the Eagle fire in Lake County, California, on Wednesday, November 6, 2019. The helicopter used Indian Valley Reservoir for a source for the water it was dropping on the fire. Photo by Kyle Corbetta.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Containment rose on Tuesday on a wildland fire burning east of Clearlake Oaks.

The Eagle fire began Monday night off Walker Ridge Road and Bartlett Springs Road, east of Clearlake Oaks and northeast of Clearlake.

Cal Fire said that by Tuesday evening the fire was holding at 75 acres, with containment up to 75 percent.

There has not yet been a report on what caused the fire.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A wildland fire that began in a remote area east of Clearlake Oaks this week has been fully contained.

The Eagle fire, burning since Monday night off Walker Ridge Road and Bartlett Springs Road, east of Clearlake Oaks and northeast of Clearlake, was 100-percent contained as of Wednesday evening, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said the fire burned a total of 75 acres.

So far, no cause has been given for what started the blaze.

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.
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California Highway Patrol officers conducted an investigation into a crash that killed a pedestrian in Nice, California, on Tuesday, November 5, 2019. Photo by Tyler Elsa.

NICE, Calif. – A pedestrian was killed Tuesday night after being hit by a vehicle along Highway 20.

Northshore Fire units were dispatched to the scene of the incident, in the area of Highway 20 and Hudson Avenue in Nice, shortly after 8:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Firefighters arriving at the scene minutes later found the pedestrian down on the side of the road, not breathing.

Cal Fire dispatch had immediately ordered an air ambulance but it was canceled by units at the scene about five minutes later after firefighters confirmed over the air that the pedestrian had died.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office was asked to send a coroner and the California Highway Patrol responded to conduct an investigation.

Reports from the scene indicated the vehicle involved was a late 1990s model white Chevrolet Silverado pickup.

Additional information will be published as it becomes available.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters are continuing to work to contain a fire that began overnight in the Walker Ridge area.

The Eagle fire was first reported shortly after 10:30 p.m. Monday.

Due to its remote location off Walker Ridge and Bartlett Springs roads east of Clearlake Oaks, it took firefighters close to an hour and a half to reach it, based on radio reports.

Cal Fire said Tuesday morning that there is zero containment on the fire.

Shortly after 11 a.m., radio reports indicated that the fire has holding at 76 acres.

Additional updates will be posted as they become available.

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.

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