LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Animal Care and Control has several handsome German Shepherds needing homes this week along with a number of other large dog breeds and some small ones, too.

This week's dogs include mixes of American Bulldog, Australian Cattle Dog, border collie, Chihuahua, German Shepherd, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Shar Pei, shepherd and terrier.

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”).

'Scout'

“Scout” is a male Chihuahua-terrier mix with a short red coat. He already has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 6298.

Pit bull terrier

This male pit bull terrier mix has a short tan coat.

He's in kennel No. 6, ID No. 6765.

Terrier-Shar Pei mix

This male terrier-Shar Pei mix has a short black coat with white markings and floppy ears.

He's in kennel No. 11, ID No. 6505.

Pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier has a short gray and brindle coat.

She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 6739.

Female husky

This female husky has a medium-length red and white coat.

She's in kennel No. 15a, ID No. 6698.

Border collie-Australian Cattle Dog

This male Border collie-Australian Cattle Dog has a short black and white coat.

He already has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 16, ID No. 6710.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull has a short blue and white coat.

He has been sponsored and is available for free to an approved family.

He's in kennel No. 21, ID No. 6665.

German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a medium-length tan and black coat.

She's in kennel No. 22, ID No. 6772.

German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd has a medium black and tan coat.

He's in kennel No. 23, ID No. 6758.

'Max'

“Max” is a male Shar Pei-pit bull mix with a short black and white coat.

Shelter staff said he already has been neutered, and would do well in a home with no livestock.

He's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 6629.

German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd has a medium-length black and tan coat.

He's in kennel No. 26, ID No. 6771.

German Shepherd

This male German Shepherd has a medium-length cream and black coat.

He's in kennel No. 29, ID No. 6757.

Chocolate Labrador Retriever

This male Labrador Retriever has a short chocolate-colored coat.

He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 6729.

'Tina'

“Tina” is a female American Bulldog with a short white coat.

She's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 6708.

'Dolly'

“Dolly” is a female American Bulldog with a short white coat.

She's in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 6709.

Labrador Retriever-pit bull terrier

This male Labrador Retriever-pit bull terrier has a short black and white coat.

He's in kennel No. 34, ID No. 6707.

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, 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.

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.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A little girl in Clearlake and a little boy in Lakeport are the first two babies born in Lake County in 2017.

The first baby born in Lake County in 2017, Aaliyah Rose Shoop, was still comfortably in utero as the new year arrived on Sunday.

It wasn’t until Tuesday that Lake County’s New Year’s baby made her arrival at 8:26 a.m. at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake to happy parents Billy Dean Shoop and Lindsey Marie Kenton.
 
Little Aaliyah was delivered by Dr. Kimberly Fordham and Women’s Care Unit nurse Josephine Lutz, RN. She was a healthy 7 pounds, 7 ounces.

“Each new baby is a reason for celebration, but welcoming a new life at the beginning of a new year is special for our entire team,” said Al Hansen, RN, director of Surgery and Women’s Care at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake. “All year long, we are privileged to provide every family in our community with a healthy, happy beginning for their newborn.”

The hospital gave the family a number of gifts for Aaliyah.

 
In Lakeport, Sutter Lakeside Hospital's first baby of the year was a boy.
 
Baby Leo Torres was born to Jessica Johns and Armando Torres at 4:50 a.m. on Friday at the Sutter Lakeside Family Birth Center. Leo measured 21 inches and weighed in at 8 pounds, 13 ounces.
 
“His older brother Aiden is thrilled,” said Johns. “Leo is the first baby to join our family in a while, so we’re excited.”
 
The Family Birth Center provided a welcome basket to the family, which included a swaddling blanket, a visual monitoring system and a backseat mirror to allow a clear view of the baby’s face while driving.
 
All babies born in the Family Birth Center also receive a year-long subscription to the Imagination Library as part of an initiative to boost literacy. The family will receive one age appropriate book each month to encourage reading at home.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – A Saturday afternoon fire damaged a Hidden Valley Lake home but the resident and three pets were rescued thanks to the fast action of firefighters.

South Lake County Fire and Cal Fire units responded to the fire in the 18000 block of Spyglass Road, which was reported at approximately 1:17 p.m. Saturday, according to a Cal Fire report.

Fire was reported to be coming from the garage, Cal Fire said. Fire units arrived at scene to find a working fire with power lines down.

Cal Fire said one victim was rescued from the structure and transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for treatment of injuries. Three cats also were rescued from the home.

Resources assigned to the incident included one volunteer company, one water tender, five engine companies and 18 total personnel, according to the Cal Fire report. Pacific Gas and Electric also responded to address the downed power issues.

Half of the structure was destroyed, and Cal Fire estimated the loss at $200,000, with $80,000 worth of damage prevented.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, and shortly after 3 p.m. Cal Fire said crews remained on scene to conduct overhaul and finish extinguishing the structure.

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.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A 3.0-magnitude earthquake was reported near Upper Lake early Saturday afternoon.

The quake occurred at 12:05 p.m., according to the US Geological Survey.

The US Geological Survey said the epicenter was 12 miles north northeast of Upper Lake at a depth of 4.3 miles.

No shake reports had been submitted on the quake as of 4 p.m.

The epicenter of Saturday's quake is close to those of a 3.1-magnitude quake that occurred Dec. 5 and what's believed to be the biggest quake in more than a century, a 5.1-magnitude temblor that occurred Aug. 9, as Lake County News has reported.

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. – This week the United States Department of Labor reported that it was offering an additional $4 million to help with the cleanup and recovery efforts for the 2015 Valley and Butte fires.

The Valley fire burned primarily in Lake County beginning on Sept. 12, 2015, resulting in four confirmed fatalities, destroying nearly 2,000 structures – of which almost 1,300 were homes – and burning more than 76,000 acres.

It started just three days after the Butte fire was ignited in Amador and Calaveras counties. The Butte fire burned nearly 71,000 acres and destroyed more than 900 structures, including more than 500 homes.

Both fire incidents were included in a presidential major disaster declaration from President Barack Obama on Sept. 22, 2015.

The U.S. Department of Labor subsequently approved a National Dislocated Worker Grant award for up to $11 million, with $2 million released initially on Oct. 23, 2015, to provide disaster relief employment to help with cleanup and recovery efforts following the fires.

On Aug. 22, the department awarded another increment of $2 million for the continuation of disaster relief employment.

Then, this week, the department said it will give another $4 million incremental award to the California Employment Development Department to continue the cleanup and recovery effort, bringing the total funds awarded to date for this project to $8 million.

The Department of Labor said the grant funding has served approximately 550 workers.

Congressman John Garamendi, whose district is next to the affected areas, thanked the Department of Labor for providing the additional recovery assistance.
 
“The effects last long after the blazes are extinguished,” said Congressman Garamendi. “People who have lost their homes and businesses often need continued help to get back on their feet. I’m very pleased that the Department of Labor has provided $4 million in continued funding to help people who were displaced by wildfires get back to work. This additional grant will make a big difference to the people who need it most.”
 
According to a Department of Labor statement, Dislocated Worker Grants are supported by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.

The grants temporarily expand the service capacity of dislocated worker training and employment programs at the state and local levels by providing funding assistance in response to large, unexpected economic events which cause significant job losses, the agency said.

The Department of Labor said the grants generally provide resources to states and local workforce investment boards to reemploy laid-off workers quickly by offering training to increase occupational skills.

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.