LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport man was arrested over the weekend after police said he broke into a woman's home and tried to touch her.

Nathaniel Fulton Hendrickson, 44, was taken into custody early on Saturday morning, shortly after the incident occurred, according to the Lakeport Police Department.

Around midnight on Saturday Lakeport Police officers – assisted by Lake County Sheriff's Office deputies – responded to the report of a burglary to an occupied residence in the city, police said.

The lone 22-year-old female occupant of the home reported that a male subject who she didn't know entered her residence and approached her, stating he wanted to touch her. Police said the woman armed herself with a knife and the man fled the residence.

Officers canvassed the area and quickly got information which led to the positive identification of Hendrickson as the suspect, according to police.

Police reported that Hendrickson was located by officers at his residence several blocks from the victim's home. Further investigation determined that he was under the influence of methamphetamine and on probation.

Hendrickson was arrested for first-degree burglary, being under the influence of methamphetamine, a probation violation and attempted sexual battery, according to the police report.

On Tuesday, the Lake County District Attorney's Office formally charged Hendrickson with residential burglary and being under the influence of methamphetamine, police reported.

Hendrickson remained in custody on Wednesday at the Lake County jail and the investigation is ongoing, police said.

Jail records indicated that bail for Hendrickson – whose booking sheet lists him as a bartender – is set at $50,000.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission has given unanimous approval to a plan to convert an existing retail space in the city's downtown to a new pub and grill slated to open later this summer.

Carrie Caron and Carma Jordan of Twisted Sisters Eatery and Events LLC went before the commission last Wednesday to ask for approval of their project, located at 350 N. Main St.

The commission considered a minor architectural and design review, and zoning permit for outdoor dining and live entertainment at the rear of the property.

The building, which the sisters have purchased, has housed retail shops. The conversion they're planning – turning it into the Twisted Sisters Pub and Grill – includes remodeling of the exterior and interior, a new entry, new signage and the outdoor dining area.

Associate Planner Dan Chance presented the report to the commission, explaining that the restaurant would include a bar, banquet room, new kitchen and bathrooms, plus the outdoor dining area and deck at the building's rear.

The remodel will include removing some interior walls, and a glass sculpture of a tree will grace the new entry way, with a metal awning along 46 feet of the front of the property and galvanized metal lettering, according to Chance.

Chance said the exterior colors will be gray and black. “We did look at the colors. They were kind of a surprise to us.”

Originally barn wood siding had been suggested, however Chance said city planning staff had concerns it would impact the historical integrity of the building.

With regard to the colors, Chance said staff visited downtowns around the region – St. Helena, Napa and Petaluma – and found buildings with colors similar to those Caron and Jordan are proposing to use.

Staff offered support of the project, with Chance noting that they felt it would improve the building and clean up the back of the property.

As for live entertainment, Chance said the city has developed criteria for implementing rules for that activity, and added that it would have to cease by 10 p.m.

Questions from commissioners included whether there would be enough parking. Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said he didn't necessarily agree that there is a parking problem in downtown Lakeport, although he acknowledged that a lack of parking is perceived to be an issue. He added that, at some point, he would like to do a full audit of the city's downtown parking.

Caron and Jordan were on hand to give additional details on their project and to answer questions from commissioners.

Caron said they are excited to come to Lakeport and are having fun. “We purchased the building so we are definitely here. We want to be here, we're not renting.”

Jordan added that they want to make their new venture the best they possibly can for Lake County.

They explained that the building occupancy will be about 100 customers, with room for overflow in the banquet room. The bar itself will have 20 seats.

Caron said their venue is a beautiful building. Now in the remodeling stage, she said they've removed layers of linoleum and tile and are now down to the original wood floors, which they're restoring.

Commissioner Tom Gayner asked about the theme and what bands they would host. Jordan said they would offer a variety of performers, and that they plan to stage them in the banquet room so people can either sit there and listen to the music or can sit elsewhere in the restaurant without music.

The women also explained that they are running a family business that is meant to be comfortable and inviting to a wide range of customers, and won't be stuffy or high priced.

They are working with a chef from Napa who is acting as their advisor as they create a menu that will use local produce to create what Caron called “comfort food with a twist” and flavor.

Commissioner Suzanne Russell said she didn't like the color scheme of dark gray and black, finding it too jarring. Caron and Jordan maintained that the coloring was part of their theme.

This is their first restaurant. They said they are incorporating into their plan ideas they've gathered during extensive travels.

“This is a good project,” and Lakeport needs it, said Commission Chair Ken Wicks Jr. “This is a step in the right direction.”

He said he hoped to see more such projects coming to the city, and called it an exciting adventure. “I'm very pleased that it showed up.”

The commission unanimously passed three separate motions – giving a categorical exemption from the California Environmental Quality Act, and approving the architectural and design review and zoning permit.

Caron and Jordan they are hoping to open at the start of August.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Clear Lake Area California Highway Patrol will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for soon to-be-licensed, newly licensed, and teenage drivers and their parents or guardians on Wednesday, June 22.

The class will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Clear Lake Area CHP office, located at 5700 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville.

The leading cause of death for Americans 15 to 19 years old is motor vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

The CHP's goal is to reduce the death rate among young drivers as the result of these collisions.

“The CHP is committed to mitigating traffic collisions involving young, inexperienced drivers, because they are preventable,” said Lt. Hector Paredes, commander of the CHP's Clear Lake Area office. “Start Smart is an excellent program that promotes safe driving for young new drivers.”

The “Start Smart” program is aimed at helping newly licensed and future licensed teenage drivers understand the critical responsibilities of driving and to understand that accidents happen, but collisions are 100-percent preventable. 

The program is designed to provide an interactive safe driving awareness class which will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people.

“Start Smart” also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, responsibilities of parents or guardians and collision avoidance techniques.

Space is limited for this class. For more information or reservations, call Officer Kory Reynolds at the CHP office, 707-279-0103.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Rain is back in the forecast as a storm system arrives over Northern California in the middle of the week.

The National Weather Service said the winter-like system is expected to reach Northern California on Wednesday and will remain over the region until Thursday.

The system is anticipated to bring with it showers, isolated thunderstorms and snow in high elevations, the National Weather Service reported.

Lake County's specific forecast calls for a 30- to 40-percent chance of showers beginning after 11 p.m Wednesday, with less than a tenth of an inch of rain expected.

On Thursday, there is a 50-percent chance of rain during the daytime, tapering off to 20 percent on Thursday night before 11 p.m., based on the forecast.

Along with the rain, the forecast calls for winds. Winds ranging up to 17 miles per hour with gusts of up to 24 miles per hour are forecast on Wednesday, but much lighter winds of up to 8 miles per hour are predicted for Thursday.

Temperatures both days are forecast for the low 60s, dropping into the high 40s at night.

From Friday through the weekend and into early next week, conditions are expected to clear, with warming, sunnier conditions and temperatures in the high 80s over the weekend and into the low 90s during daytime hours Monday and Tuesday, according to the forecast.

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. – At the end of a record-breaking year for the county's museums, the Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee and the Friends of the Lake County Museum will host their annual meetings later this month.

The Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum and the Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport have had record numbers of visitors this fiscal year, according to Curator Tony Pierucci.

At both museums, Pierucci said more students have participated in tours and educational programs than any one year in the history of both institutions.

In total, between July 2015 and June 2016, one in five elementary school students in Lake County have come through these two museums on a tour, Pierucci said.

Pierucci said this remarkable increase in outreach is part of a renewed push by the museums and the nonprofits that support them to reengage with the community like never before.

The Lower Lake Historical School Preservation Committee pays for the school buses to bring students to the Schoolhouse Museum. Over the years they have also worked tirelessly to preserve the California Point of Historical Interest that is the Lower Lake Schoolhouse, Pierucci said.

Come be a part of the fun and attend the committee's general membership meeting on Saturday, June 25, at noon at the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum, 16435 Main St. Snacks and refreshments will be provided and officers and board members will be voted in.

The Friends of the Lake County Museum pay for the school buses that transport students to the Historic Courthouse Museum for educational programs and tours, Pierucci said.

With the organization's support, Pierucci said the museum has also been able to purchase professional exhibit supplies and furniture, which you can see on display at the Courthouse Museum’s new exhibit “Crime and Punishment in Lake County: 1861-1930.”

The public is invited to join the Friends at the Historic Courthouse Museum, 255 N. Main St., for the group's annual meeting on Thursday, July 14, at 5:30 p.m. Food and refreshments will be served as the annual report is presented and officers and board members elected.

Both general meetings are a great opportunity to learn more about these two nonprofits and what the museums have planned for the next fiscal year.

You don’t have to be a member to come to the meetings – interested guests are more than welcome.

Visit the museums online at http://museums.lakecountyca.gov/ or https://www.facebook.com/MuseumsOfLakeCountyCa/?fref=ts .

LAKEPORT, Calif.  – The Lake County Library’s free lecture series “Know Lake County” will feature the Lake County Fair on Saturday, June 18, at 2 p.m.

The presentation will take place at the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library, 1425 N. High St.

Debbie Strickler, the chief executive officer of the Lake County Fair will be the guest speaker.

Strickler’s program will cover a brief history of fairs in Lake County, and she will discuss opportunities to enter exhibits in the fair, how to enter exhibits, and will distribute contest premium handbooks.

The 2016 Lake County Fair will take place Sept. 1 to 4. The Web site for the fair is www.lakecountyfair.com .

Fairs in Lake County go back to 1880 when the first was held in Grantsville, now known as Lower Lake.

Fairs were held sporadically over the years until the 49th District Agricultural Association was formed in 1938.

The locations have varied over the years before getting the Martin Street location in 1947.

The fairgrounds expanded several times during the 1950s and 1960s until reaching the current configuration.

Fairs have happened almost every year, except during World War II, when no fair was held.

Lake County PEG TV records the Know Lake County presentations for re-broadcast on PEG TV Channel 8 and on www.lakecountypegtv.org . The presentations are also available on DVD to check out from the Lake County Library.

The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary .

For more information about Know Lake County and other library programs call 707-263-8817.

Jan Cook works for the Lake County Library.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters spent Monday and early Tuesday responding to – and quickly controlling – several small wildland fires around Lake County.

Conditions in the county have been dry, and on Monday there were moderate and sometimes erratic winds reported through the day.

The main fire incident of the day on Monday was a small fire in the early afternoon in the city of Clearlake that necessitated a school evacuation, as Lake County News has reported: www.bit.ly/1rmDa7c .

Then, shortly after 6 p.m., a hay field was reported to be on fire on Upper Lake Lucerne Road in Upper Lake.

Northshore and Cal Fire responded, finding the field and a hay baler on fire, according to radio reports.

The fire was contained within about 15 minutes, reports from the scene indicated. It burned between an acre and a half and two acres. About 40 bales of hay needed to be moved from a truck and an hour of cleanup followed.

Just before 7:30 p.m., a vegetation fire was reported on Point Lakeview Road near Sunrise Drive in Lower Lake.

Cal Fire and local firefighters were dispatched, arriving to find people trying to put out the fire, which was about 20 feet in diameter, according to radio reports. It was under control within 10 minutes of the call and additional units were canceled.

Then, shortly after 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, firefighters were dispatched to a vegetation fire with structures threatened on Mission Way at Mission Rancheria Road near Lakeport.

Arriving Lakeport Fire units reported finding that the fire had been knocked down by people who already were on scene.

Reports from the scene stated that the fire was contained at less than a quarter of an acre, with the incident terminated at 2:20 a.m.

Local fire officials are urging residents to use particular care due to the dry conditions, including not mowing grass after 10 a.m. and having a fire extinguisher handy when working on vegetation.

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.