The most recent financial reports, which candidates had to file last week, covered the period of July 1 through Sept. 30.

The reports show that, altogether, candidates in the races for district attorney and sheriff have raised $139,937.54. A committee supporting incumbent Sheriff Rod Mitchell raised another $1,300, bringing the full campaign fundraising total for the two races to $141,237.54.

The candidate who has raised the largest amount of money so far this year was Mitchell, with $56,442.

Mitchell also raised the most of any candidate in the three-month reporting period, $27,333, of which $26,933 was cash contributions. That's more than the combined total raised by Mitchell's opponent, Francisco Rivero, and the two district attorney candidates, combined.

Rivero brought in $10,058 in contributions for the period, of which $5,000 was a loan to himself. So far this year, Rivero has loaned himself $35,000 of the $48,700.22 in contributions he has reported.

From July 1 to Sept. 30, Mitchell spent $14,292.56 and Rivero $9,454.46; for the year, expenditures for Mitchell totaled $47,077.95, with Rivero spending a total of $37,742.27 so far.

In support of the two sheriff candidates, two committees have formed: Family & Friends of Lake County Law Enforcement in Support of Sheriff Rod Mitchell-2010, which qualified as a committee on Sept. 1, and Families and Friends for Democracy & Justice in Lake County, which has not yet qualified, according to statements of organization.

In the district attorney's race, Doug Rhoades raised more than his opponent, Don Anderson, in the latest finance reporting period, raising $7,927 compared to Anderson's $6,426.

However, Anderson edged past Rhoades in the total contributions for the campaign so far, with $17,603.32 to $17,192 for Rhoades.

For expenditures, Anderson reported $5,779.45 for the reporting period and $17,978.45 year-to-date, with Rhoades reporting $7,158 and $16,631, respectively, for the two time periods.

The full details of the financial statements follow.

DISTRICT ATTORNEY

Don Anderson

Total contributions received this period: $6,436

Monetary contributions: $3,399.50

Nonmonetary contributions: $3,036.50

Itemized contributions: $2,661

Unitemized contributions: $738.50

Loans: $0

Expenditures: $5,779.45

Itemized expenditures: $2,643.88

Unitemized expenditures: $99.07

Beginning cash balance: $39

Total cash ending balance: $695.55

Outstanding debts: $0

Total contributions received year-to-date: $17,603.32

Total loans received year-to-date: $0

Total expenditures year-to-date: $17,978.45

Itemized contributions: $2,661

Law Office of Bill Feeney, Lakeport, attorney; $500 ($700 year-to-date)

R.H. Henning, Kelseyville, retired; $250 ($450 year-to-date)

L.R. Russ Addiss, Kelseyville, self-employed accountant; $500 ($1,125 year-to-date)

Donald Anderson, Lakeport, attorney and candidate; $300 ($1,062.54 year-to-date)

Robert Riggs, Kelseyville, attorney; $250

Robert Bridges, Lakeport, deputy county counsel; $100

Olga Martin-Steele, Clearlake Oaks, retired; $110 ($235 year-to-date)

Barbara Galvan, Huntington Beach, retired; $175 ($320 year-to-date)

First Pick Builders, Lakeport, self-employed general contractor, $106

Mary Ann Schmid, Upper Lake, owner of Lodge at Blue Lakes; $170

Norman J. Valdez Jr., Witter Springs, disabled/unemployed; $100

Janina and Mike Hoskins, Hidden Valley Lake, contractor, Hoskins & Sons; $100

Itemized nonmonetary contributions: $2,610.50

Maurice Kemp, Hidden Valley Lake, attorney, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $251

Barbara Galvan, Huntington Beach, retired, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $434

Ceago Winery, Nice, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $192

Jim and Olga Steele, Clearlake Oaks, retired, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $289

Colleen Chatoff, Glenhaven, Realtor, Chatoff Realty, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $250

Jody Galvan, Middletown, office manager, Storybook Mountain Vineyards, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $470

Colleen Williams, Calistoga, vice president, Storybook Mountain Vineyards, wine for silent auction at fundraiser; $100

Donald Anderson, Lakeport, attorney and candidate, silent auction gifts; $624.50

Itemized expenditures: $2,643.88

Lake County Fair, Lakeport, booth; $350

UCC Rentals, Lakeport, tank for balloons; $140.22

Mary Ann Schmid, Upper Lake, food and venue; $928.22

Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lakeport, filing fees; $276.43

Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lakeport, filing fees; $812.83

Wildhurst Winery, Kelseyville, wine for fundraiser; $136.40

Douglas Rhoades

Total contributions received this period: $7,927

Monetary contributions: $5,869

Nonmonetary contributions: $2,058

Itemized contributions: $4,787

Unitemized contributions: $1,082

Loans: $0

Expenditures: $7,158

Itemized expenditures: $4,980.54

Beginning cash balance: $1,303

Total cash ending balance: $2,055

Outstanding debts: $0

Total contributions received year-to-date: $17,192

Total loans received year-to-date: $0

Total expenditures year-to-date: $16,631

Itemized contributions: $4,787

Laurel Groshong, Lakeport, retired state administrator; $50 ($325 year-to-date)

Nancy Rhoades, Kelseyville, educator, Lake County Probation Department; $500 ($1,390 year-to-date)

Ron Green, Lower Lake, attorney; $100 ($250 year-to-date)

Bill Wolfe, Kelseyville, retired tire salesman; $100 ($200 year-to-date)

Gary Hill Investigations, Finley, investigations; $50 ($150 year-to-date)

Lake County Democratic Central Committee, Clearlake; $500 ($700 year-to-date)

Douglas Rhoades, Kelseyville, attorney; $1,100 ($2,600 year-to-date)

Lowell Grant, Lakeport, Realtor; $50 ($150 year-to-date)

Dana Kearney, Kelseyville, pharmacy tech; $100 ($250 year-to-date)

Jim and Susan Herrmann, Kelseyville, retired utility/nurse; $250 ($350 year-to-date)

Judy Conard, Lakeport, attorney; $100

Wally Holbrook, Kelseyville, Lake County superintendent of schools; $205

Susanne La Faver, Hidden Valley Lake, retired; $100

Bob Borghesani, Kelseyville, lumber company owner; $160

Barry Parkinson, Lakeport, attorney; $300

Lake County Stonewall Club, Clearlake; $200

John Norcio, Lakeport, retired restaurateur; $100

Steve Davis, Lakeport, retired California Highway Patrol commander; $200

Robert Chalk, Kelseyville, retired law enforcement; $200

Dan Christensen, Lakeport, retired businessman; $100 ($199 year-to-date)

Larry Juchert, Lakeport, flooring installer; $120 ($219 year-to-date)

Pam Cochrane, Kelseyville, county auditor; $200 ($299 year-to-date)

Wanda Harris, Hidden Valley Lake, retired; $102 ($127 year-to-date)

Itemized nonmonetary contributions: $1,978

Lakeport English Inn, Lakeport, one night's lodging; $150

Villa La Brenta, Lakeport, wine reception event; $100

Tallman Hotel, Upper Lake, gift certificate; $100

Wildhurst Winery, one case premium wines; $120 ($340 year-to-date)

Doug Rhoades, Kelseyville, attorney and candidate, various items for silent auction; $220

Doug Rhoades, Kelseyville, attorney and candidate, campaign brochures – advertising; $499 ($3,457 year-to-date)

Doug Rhoades, Kelseyville, attorney and candidate, fair booth and worker passes; $560

Doug Rhoades, Kelseyville, attorney and candidate, additional large campaign signs; $239

Itemized expenditures: $4,980.54

Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lakeport, candidate's statement of qualifications for the ballot )June and November), copes of other candidate's 460s; $1,089

Lake County Record-Bee, Lakeport, eight advertisements in newspaper; $467

Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, Kelseyville, candidate fundraiser on Aug. 13; $537

Voter Information Guide G10, Sherman Oaks, slate mailer, full feature listing on Voter Information Guide; $940

American Button Machines, Plano, TX, 1,000 campaign buttons; $103.94

Direct Image Printing, New Hope, MN, campaign material leadership brochures, $243.60

Digital Printing Services, New Hope, MN, 12 4-foot by 8-foot campaign signs, $265

Election Education Guide, Reseda, slate mailer, full feature listing on Election Education Guide, $1,335

SHERIFF

Rodney Mitchell

Total contributions received this period: $27,333

Monetary contributions: $26,933

Nonmonetary contributions: $400

Itemized contributions: $19,318

Unitemized contributions: $7,615

Loans: $0

Expenditures: $14,292.56

Itemized expenditures: $12,890.58

Beginning cash balance: $134.04

Total cash ending balance: $13,700.93

Outstanding debts: $0

Accrued expenses: $926.45

Total contributions received year-to-date: $56,442

Total loans received year-to-date: $0

Total expenditures year-to-date: $47,077.95

Itemized contributions: $19,318

Ken Parlet, Lakeport, Lakeview Market; $100

Helen Behn, Middletown, retired; $200 ($400 year-to-date)

Carl Braito, Kelseyville, Braito's Marina; $150

Frank Grossman, San Carlos, retired; $100

Jessie and Shirley Head, Hidden Valley Lake, retired; $100

Tom Marshall, Hidden Valley Lake, retired; $100 ($200 year-to-date)

James and Hettie Hendrickson, Middletown, Clover Dairy; $50 ($350 year-to-date)

Greg Scott, Lakeport, retired; $100 ($200 year-to-date)

Pamela Irwin, Lakeport, assistant, Wildhurst Vineyards; $100

Denise Hinchcliff, county of Lake investigator; $10 ($109 year-to-date)

Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association, Lakeport; $500

Toni Scully, Lakeport, Scully Packing Co.; $75 ($175 year-to-date)

Robert and Jeanette Bartley, Lakeport, Bartley Pumps; $100 ($200 year-to-date)

Dave and Gerri Brown, Kelseyville, retired; $100 ($150 year-to-date)

Debbie Burnett, Middletown, Lake County sheriff/coroner assistant; $370

Mike and Denise Curran, Kelseyville; county of Lake investigator; $100 ($128 year-to-date)

Steve Davis, Lakeport, retired; $100

Wally Holbrook, Kelseyville, Lake County superintendent of schools; $100

Tom and Ruth Lincoln, Lakeport, Lincoln-Leavitt Insurance; $250 ($450 year-to-date)

Jacob and Lynda Steely, Kelseyville, county of Lake law enforcement; $120

Lloyd and Carol Stottsberry, Cobb, retired; $100

Mark Borghesani, Kelseyville, Kelseyville Lumber; $90 ($189 year-to-date)

Joseph Dutra, Kelseyville, county of Lake law enforcement; $90 ($189 year-to-date)

Kathy Fowler, Lakeport, Fowler Chevrolet; $100

Bill and Dana Kearney, Kelseyville, Northlake Pharmacy; $430 ($630 year-to-date)

Amelia Lincoln, Berkeley, student; $205

Calvin and Irene McCarley, Lower Lake, retired; $70 ($170 year-to-date)

Jerry and MaryAnn McQueen, Lakeport, Northport Trailer Resort; $100

Gil Schoux Sr., Kelseyville, retired; $170

Paul and Lisa Vartabedian, Lakeport, Vartabedian, DDS; $200

Terry and Linda Stewart, Clearlake, Discount Shades and Blinds; $100

Bill Brunetti, Lakeport, Bruno's Property Management; $500

Andrew and Maxine Peterson, Lucerne, retired; $300

Rick Kemp, Kelseyville, retired; $100

Lake Elephants, Lucerne; $1,500

Scott and Nathalie Anthus, Clearlake, survey party chief, DK Consulting; $130

Dorothy Emerson, Cobb, retired; $200

Robert Malley Sr., Clearlake, retired; $50 ($149 year-to-date)

Patricia Moshell-Johnson, San Mateo, retired; $100

Chris Vallerga, Lower Lake, Vallerga Fire Investigations; $100

Carl Webb, Clearlake, retired; $120 ($219 year-to-date)

Ken and Joann Avila, Kelseyville, retired; $100 ($200 year-to-date)

Richard Gorman, Clearlake Oaks, retired; $300 ($500 year-to-date)

Anthony and Claudia Marchese, Lucerne, retired; $50 ($150 year-to-date)

Robert and Patricia Sullivan, Lucerne, Sullivan Termite Control; $170

Bob Borghesani, Kelseyville, Kelseyville Lumber; $50 ($150 year-to-date)

Judy Conard, Lakeport, Conard law office; $100

Gary Hill, Lakeport, Gary Hill Investigations; $100

MaryGrace McMahon, Middletown, not employed; $271

Ron Minudri, Middletown, Minudri Insurance; $590 ($740 year-to-date)

Barry Parkinson, Lakeport, Parkinson law office; $200

Armand and Trena Pauley, Kelseyville, Polestar Computers; $300

Joe and Marian Sanfilippo, Lucerne, retired; $100

Peter and Mary Ann Schmid, Upper Lake, the Lodge at Blue Lakes; $300

Roland Nell Shaul, Kelseyville, retired; $150 ($350 year-to-date)

George and Anita Speake Jr., Kelseyville, retired; $100

John and Joanne VanEck, Kelseyville, VanEck Equestrian Center; $100

William Wolfe, Kelseyville, retired; $100

Mount St. Helena Vineyard, Middletown; $100

Larry and Carolyn Boardman, Finley, retired; $300 ($800 year-to-date)

Patrick Buckley, Lakeport, county of Lake law enforcement; $134

Robert Stack, San Anselmo, retired; $310

Gene Renner, Kelseyville, Tire Pros, $100 ($150 year-to-date)

Marie Ady, Clearlake, Lakeshore Feed & Grain; $220

Ronnie and Janeane Bogner, Clearlake Oaks, Weed Tech; $410

John J. Candido, Lakeport, retired; $170

Susan Constable, Lower Lake, Wynacht Memorials and Monuments; $170 ($220 year-to-date)

Karen Detweiler, Lower Lake; controller, Fowler Chevrolet; $210

Phil Garner, Clearlake Oaks, retired; $75 ($175 year-to-date)

Anne Garner-Austin, Clearlake Oaks, registered nurse, Sutter Lakeside Hospital; $135

Thomas Hewlett, Clearlake, Cooper & Hewlett Dentistry; $100 ($300 year-to-date)

Hedy Montoya, Hidden Valley Lake, director of Catholic Charities; $230

James and Frances Peretti, Lucerne, retired; $50 ($150 year-to-date)

Jim and Teddi Walker, Kelseyville, county of Sonoma electrician; $70 ($170 year-to-date)

Doug and Arlene Carter, Clearlake, retired; $100

John and Pat Norcio, Lakeport, McDonald's; $170 ($320 year-to-date)

Chris and Teena Macedo, Kelseyville; county of Lake law enforcement; $150

Jim and Carolyn Bolander, Middletown, retired; $100

Rodney and Charla Field, Hidden Valley Lake, site manager, Ledcor Construction Co.; $115

Craig Flynn, Cotati, Windsor Holdings and Windsor One; $1,500 ($4,000 year-to-date)

Richard Kuehn, Lucerne, Copper Cross Vineyards; $250 ($500 year-to-date)

George Lafave, Hidden Valley Lake, Lafave Construction; $390

Kristina Ryan-Rockwell, Hidden Valley Lake, not employed; $100

Charles and Kathleen Sloan, Hidden Valley Lake, Kann Du Construction; $225

James Totten, Hidden Valley Lake, JT Auto Glass, $1,003

Ben Lawson, Clearlake Oaks, Island Park Resort; $100

Cindy Radoumis, Kelseyville; county of Lake law enforcement; $100

Dennis Pluth, Clearlake Oaks, retired; $100 ($199 year-to-date)

Ed and Michelle Lavelle, Middletown, Crump, Bruchler & Lavelle Law Office; $174

Bob and Paula Piveronas, Lakeport, retired; $111

Mike and Ramona McKell, Middletown, retired; $1,000 ($1,500 year-to-date)

Thomas Moore, Kelseyville, retired; $175

Itemized nonmonetary contributions: $400

Albert H. League III, West Sacramento, Mentor Research, research time; $400

Itemized expenditures: $12,890.58

Kelseyville Lumber, Kelseyville, miscellaneous supplies for outdoor signage; $937.25

Lee's Sporting Goods, Lakeport, embroidered shirts; $365.40

Lake County Rodeo Association, Lakeport, advertising at rodeo event; $250

Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lakeport, balance for candidate's statement, candidate's statement, voter file; $1,311.72

Lake County Fair, Lakeport, fair booth fee, admission tickets and parking passes; $677

Chris Jones, Newcastle, consultant fee; $1,500

Lake County Chamber of Commerce, Lakeport, event admission and booth fee; $129

Lake County Welders Supply, Lakeport, helium tanks; $373.04

Computel Computer Systems, Waltham, MA, document research and retrieval; $116.50

Displays 2 Go, Bristol, RI, display items; $451.99

Banners on the Cheap, Austin, TX, printed banners; $2,330.03

Signs on the Cheap, Austin, TX, printed lawn signs; $1,868.14

Vistaprint, Lexington, MA, campaign literature and T-shirts; $1,480.19

Lake County Wine Alliance, Kelseyville, event admission; $125

Loeb's Ink Spot, Lakeport, printing; $134.85

Next Day Flyers, Rancho Dominguez, literature; $679.94

The Flag Co., Acworth, GA, American flags; $160.53

Accrued expenses: $926.45

Kelseyville Lumber, Kelseyville; $926.45

Payments made by an agent or independent contractor: $2,514.63

Bill and Dana Kearney, Kelseyville, fundraiser expenses; $1,436.55

Jessie and Shirley Head, Hidden Valley Lake, fundraiser expenses; $116.33

Ron Minudri, Middletown, fundraiser expenses; $675.36

Rob Brown, Kelseyville, fundraiser expenses, $286.38

Francisco Rivero

Total contributions received this period: $10,058

Monetary contributions: $5,058

Nonmonetary contributions: $0

Itemized contributions: $700

Unitemized contributions: $4,358

Loans: $5,000 (from self)

Expenditures: $9,454.46

Itemized expenditures: $7,673.53

Beginning cash balance: $10,316.39

Total cash ending balance: $10,919.93

Outstanding debts: $35,000

Total contributions received year-to-date: $48,700.22

Total loans received year-to-date: $35,000 (from self)

Total expenditures year-to-date: $37,742.27

Itemized contributions: $700

Patricia Meyer, Cobb, self-employed, Patricia Meyer & Associates; $200 ($290 year-to-date)

Lake County Democratic Club, Kelseyville, $500 ($700 year-to-date)

Itemized expenditures: $7,673.53

Lake County Registrar of Voters, Lakeport, fee for candidate's statement on ballot; $812.83

Perfect Painters, Clearlake, campaign literature; $278.51

Election Guide, Sherman Oaks, advertisement; $2,275

R.A. Hamilton, Hidden Valley Lake, signs and banners; $989.19

Middletown Times Star, Middletown, advertising; $750

The Outlook, Clearlake Oaks, advertising; $556

Rosemary Martin, Kelseyville, catering; $770

Watercolors Restaurant, Kelseyville, catering; $370

Lake County News, Lucerne, advertising; $872

Family & Friends of Lake County Law Enforcement in support of Sheriff Rod Mitchell - 2010

Date qualified as committee: Sept. 1, 2010

Treasurer: Jillian Burnett, Lower Lake

Total contributions received this period: $1,300

Monetary contributions: $1,300

Nonmonetary contributions: $0

Itemized contributions: $1,100

Unitemized contributions: $200

Loans: $0

Expenditures: $1,188

Itemized expenditures: $1,188

Beginning cash balance: $0

Total cash ending balance: $112

Outstanding debts: $0

Total contributions received year-to-date: $1,300

Total loans received year-to-date: $0

Total expenditures year-to-date: $1,188

Itemized contributions: $1,100

David Michel Jr., Kelseyville, retired; $1,000

Robert Jordan, Kelseyville, county of Lake law enforcement; $100

Itemized expenditures: $1,188

Lake County Publishing, Lakeport, newspaper advertisement; $1,188

Families and Friends for Democracy & Justice in Lake County

Date qualified as committee: Not yet qualified

Treasurer: Lawrence Ross, Kelseyville

Total contributions received this period: $0

Monetary contributions: $0

Nonmonetary contributions: $0

Itemized contributions: $0

Unitemized contributions: $0

Loans: $0

Expenditures: $0

Itemized expenditures: $0

Beginning cash balance: $0

Total cash ending balance: $0

Outstanding debts: $00

Total contributions received year-to-date: $0

Total loans received year-to-date: $0

Total expenditures year-to-date: $0

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf .

A driver escaped serious injury when his pickup overturned on Scotts Valley Road on Sunday, October 11, 2010. Photo by Gary McAuley.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A driver escaped injury when his vehicle overturned on Sunday.

The single vehicle collision occurred shortly before 1 p.m. Sunday on Scotts Valley Road just south of Highway 20, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The late model Ford pickup with a camper shell rolled over but the driver was able to get out on his own, based on reports from the scene.

Along with the CHP Northshore Fire Protection District sent a battalion chief, an engine, ambulance and a medic unit.

Additional information about the crash's cause wasn't immediately available late Sunday.

Gary McAuley contributed to this report.

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Northshore Fire personnel and California Highway Patrol responded to the scene of the crash, which took place about a quarter mile from Highway 20 outside of Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Gary McAuley.

On Saturday, October 9, 2010, volunteer Dennis Locke captained the Clearlake Oaks Key's Property Owners Association weed-harvester cleaning the shoreline around Clarks Island. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

The Clarks Island Sustainability Initiative sponsored and promoted a cleanup day at the island, which is located between Tower Mart and the Clearlake Oaks Boat Launch, near Island Drive on East Highway 20.

Following the county redevelopment agency's purchase in 2008 of the former trailer park, the redevelopment agency has relocated the dozen mobile home residents, removed debris and rezoned Clarks Island as open space, as Lake County News has reported.

The community-based Clarks Island Sustainability Initiative formed earlier this year under the direction of District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing to begin the process of rehabilitating the island.

Volunteer Holly Harris pulled overgrowth by hand during the Clarks Island cleanup on Saturday, October 9, 2010, in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

On Saturday the group of volunteers cleaned up debris and mowed, and hauled some invasive weeds out of the water.

When Clarks Island was a trailer park, locals planted many plants and trees which have been left in place for now, including apricots, black and green figs, persimmons, many verities of hollyhocks, choke cherries, crab apple and blackberries.

Still head, the county has hired a contractor to remove and replace a crumbling break wall on the island's Highway 20 side.

The group also is looking for a contractor who will donate time to pulling the many rotting piers left behind from the days when the island was a trailer park.

Plans for the island include creating floating islands to help control algae blooms in the area.

Volunteer Chuck Lamb stacked cuttings for later removal during the Clarks Island cleanup on Saturday, October 9, 2010. Lamb and his wife, Holly Harris, also are very active members of Konocti Trails, which has helped publicize the Clark's Island project. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

A natural building project is set to start soon, with volunteers needed to help make adobe bricks, and build walls, roofing and other details.

Call 707-263-2580 for a schedule or more information.

Miguel Lanigan contributed to this report.

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Volunteer, local anthropologist Dr. John Parker, hauled away debris during the Clarks Island cleanup on Saturday, October 9, 2010, in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

Lake County Parks director Kim Clymire dispatched two parks workers to help in the cleanup on Saturday, October 9, 2010, in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Above is county park staffer Bill Chapin using a chainsaw to trim a broken fig tree branch. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

Carol Ruttan, a biologist with Lake County Department of Water Resources, came as a volunteer for the Clarks Island cleanup on Saturday, October 9, 2010, in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

The bridge leading over to Clarks Island from the E. Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks, Calif. Photo by Miguel Lanigan.

Dr. Shermain Hardesty of the University of California, Davis, will discuss the economic and social benefits generated by a regional food system and the history of food production in Lake County at a workshop on Thursday, October 21, 2010, in Lakeport, Calif. Courtesy photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – As a follow up to the Local Foods Forum held in March of this year, the Health Leadership Network (HLN) and Lake County’s UC Cooperative Extension Office are organizing an afternoon workshop on Thursday, Oct. 21, entitled: “Growing Our Local Food Economy.”

The workshop is sponsored by a grant from the California Department of Food & Agriculture and Lake County Public Health Department.

The workshop will focus on post-harvest considerations including food processing, storage, distribution and markets.

The afternoon will open with demonstrations by the Lake County Community Co-Op (www.lakeco-op.org) and the Lake County Farm Bureau (www.lakecountygrown.com) of their respective online food ordering systems.

Ted Herrera and Maria Giovanni, of Local Added Value Agriculture (LAVA), also will talk briefly about the products they are currently making and selling in Lake County.

As a follow up to her March 2010 presentation at the Local Foods Forum, Dr. Shermain Hardesty, extension economist, agricultural and resource economics at the University of California, Davis, will review the economic and social benefits generated by a regional food system and the history of food production in Lake County.

Her October presentation, entitled “Building the Nuts & Bolts of Local Food Systems,” will be participatory, asking those in attendance to help identify core infrastructure components needed for a regional food system and determine which already exist in Lake County.

That step will be followed by an exercise to estimate total food demand in the county, brainstorm a list of the specific crops and processed foods that have the potential to be produced in Lake County, and prioritize the top ten crops/products on the list.

Next, attendees will help Dr. Hardesty compare the infrastructure needed to produce and market those products highlighting critical missing components. The final step will be to outline the next steps to move forward with the development process, emphasizing partnerships, utilizing existing resources and/or rebuilding those that existed in the past.

Workshop participants will also hear from Ben Ratto about how the Bay Area Collaborative’s food distribution system works as well as from Colleen Rentsch and Michelle Malm about the Farm-to-School program they’ve created for students of the Kelseyville Unified School District.

Colleen Rentsch is a local farmer and operator of Seely’s Farm Stand; Michelle Malm is Kelseyville Unified’s Director of Food Services.

California Farm-to-School expert Gail Feenstra will present

The meeting will take place from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge, at the corner of Highway 53 and Highway 20.

The town hall is one in a regular series of meetings hosted by District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing.

Topics will include updates on local projects and the health of Clear Lake. Thompson also will give an update on issues and events in Congress.

The agenda also includes an open forum to discuss issues of interest to the community of Clearlake Oaks.

Free tables will be set up for local groups, businesses or organizations wishing to distribute informational literature.

Parking at the Moose Lodge is limited, so carpooling is encouraged.

For more information, contact Rushing at 707-263-2368 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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Yearling goats at Yerba Santa Dairy in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Lake County’s only commercial dairy lies outside Lakeport on picturesque Scotts Valley Road. Named for the herb that grows wild in nearby hills, Yerba Santa Goat Dairy is run by cheese-making brothers Javier and Daniel Salmon.

The only access into the dairy is via a rustic bridge slung over a shallow gorge in which a swollen creek flows after the winter rains. Three low-lying meadows are home to 87 milk goats, and a couple dozen yearlings – milk goats in waiting, so to speak – make their home in a fenced area at the edge of the meadow.

It is here that the brothers from Lima, Peru create the cheeses that are sought after locally, as well as throughout much of the San Francisco Bay Area.

This is the time of year that cheese production slows, as the milk goats have been carrying young since mid-September. Two very busy bucks have impregnated the entire herd, and the twice-a-day milking cycle has dwindled to one.

Bags of cheese hang overnight at Yerba Santa Dairy in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Come November, the does will not be milked at all. Instead, they’ll spend the winter wandering the hills, eating brush and the coveted Yerba Santa herb. Their babies will arrive in late February and early March, and after they’ve had a month or so to nurse, milking and cheese production will once again begin.

The Salmons also produce cheeses under the Bodega label, carried over from the dairy’s former location in Sonoma County. Generally their cheeses are available from April through October, though some locations may have a supply they can sell beyond October.

Milking more than 80 goats is a three-hour process, which means that in the peak of season, a full six hours of each day is spent coaxing milk from the does. Milking begins on machines (they have four in their milking barn) and is finished by hand.

The milk is pumped directly to a bulk tank, where it’s stored for a day at 38 degrees. The tank can hold up to 250 gallons, but peak-of-season production is generally about 80 gallons a day.

After a brief storage in the bulk tank, the milk is pumped into a neighboring room where handcrafted French and Spanish style cheeses are created. Both raw and pasteurized cheeses are made at the dairy.

Tubs of fromage blanc at Yerba Santa Dairy in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel.

Younger brother Daniel handles making the raw cheeses, which include a hard shepherd’s cheese, wonderful for grating; chevito, a semisoft cheese; and cabrello, which is similar to manchego, the historic sheep’s milk cheese made in Spain.

Raw cheeses are aged and allowed to mature for 60 days, while the pasteurized cheeses are sold fresh to stores, restaurants and the public.

Older brother Javier is in charge of pasteurized cheese production, which is generally a two-day process. After the milk is pasteurized, a culture is added. Once the cheese reaches the desired acidity, vegetarian rennet is thrown into the mix, causing the cheese to “clabber” or thicken.

The thickened product is put into cheesecloth bags and left to hang overnight, allowing the whey to drain from the cheese. The Salmons feed the resulting whey, a yellow liquid, to their goats. I was told by Javier that goat’s whey is traditionally drunk in Russia for longevity of life.

By morning, the content of the hanging bags is ready to process into fromage blanc, a creamy, spreadable cheese in tubs; chevre, fresh cheese shaped in soft balls; or fresco, a feta-like cheese with a short shelf life sold in tall wedges.

The Yerba Santa herd includes Alpine, Swiss Saneen and La Mancha goats. Photo by Esther Oertel.

While many of the cheeses are flavored only with natural sea salt, others have ranch-grown herbs or peppers added. While I was there, a bowl of roasted Serrano peppers, bright green with blackened skin, stood ready to be mixed in with a batch of fromage blanc.

Goat’s milk doesn’t have to be homogenized. Unlike cow’s milk, which separates with cream rising to the top, the fat molecules in goats’ milk remain suspended in the liquid.

Goat’s milk is lower in fat than cow’s milk, and because the fat molecules are much smaller, it’s easier to digest. Its molecular makeup is closer to that of human milk, in fact, which gives many unable to tolerate cow’s milk an alternative for dairy products.

Cheese has been made from goat’s milk for thousands of years, and is likely one of the earliest made dairy products. While cow’s milk cheese has dominated the scene in the U.S., most of the world eats more cheese made from goat’s milk than from cow’s.

Like cow’s milk, goat’s milk is a very good source of calcium and the amino acid tryptophan. It is also a good source of protein, phosphorus, riboflavin (vitamin B2) and potassium.

Yerba Santa

The full, 12-page Proposition 19 analysis can be found at www.boe.ca.gov/news/pdf/Proposition%2019%20draft%20analysis.pdf.

Proposition 19 on the November 2010 ballot would make personal use of marijuana legal on a statewide basis with no statewide commercial sale provision.

Proposition 19 also would authorize local governments to regulate and control specified commercial marijuana activities, in addition to allowing local governments to impose marijuana fees or taxes at their discretion.

“Proposition 19 gives Californians an opportunity to have a serious, healthy debate regarding the legal status of marijuana in our state,” Chairwoman Yee said. “However, it is important for Californians to have the information to understand the differences between this proposal and other marijuana legalization proposals that have been debated in the Legislature.

Yee referenced BOE’s 2009 analysis of Assembly Bill 390 by Assembly Member Tom Ammiano, which proposed to legalize commercial sale of marijuana, in addition to legalizing recreational use of marijuana.

Moreover, AB 390 proposed specific revenue-generating provisions including a $50 per ounce excise fee on marijuana sales, in addition to facilitating sales tax collection on retail purchases of non-medical marijuana by legalizing those sales.

The BOE estimated that these provisions could generate up to $1.4 billion in revenue to the state.

"The BOE's revenue estimate was a sound analysis based on a specific proposal with specified revenue measures applicable to a defined commercial market, where supply, demand, and price could reasonably be estimated," said Yee.

In contrast, Proposition 19 would authorize personal use of marijuana only on a statewide basis, while containing no provisions for statewide legalization of commercial marijuana sales. It does not enact any specific tax or fee.

The ballot measure allows local jurisdictions to regulate the commercial production and retail sale of marijuana. It also allows local governments to choose to impose licensing fees or implement differing tax schemes or rates within their local jurisdiction.

The sale of marijuana is a taxable activity under current sales and use tax law. Sales tax revenue generated from such sales would depend on how many and which localities choose to make those sales legal and the amount of marijuana purchased, both of which are unknown at this time.

"Proposition 19's proposal to give local governments the option to authorize marijuana sales, with local regulation and taxes, leaves too many unknown variables to develop a credible statewide revenue estimate," said Yee.

Yee was elected to her post in November 2006. Her district includes many of California's coastal counties, from Del Norte to Santa Barbara, and includes the entire San Francisco Bay Area and Lake County.

The five-member California State Board of Equalization (BOE) is a publicly elected tax board. The BOE collects more than $48 billion annually in taxes and fees supporting state and local government services.

It hears business tax appeals, acts as the appellate body for franchise and personal income tax appeals, and serves a significant role in the assessment and administration of property taxes.

For more information on other taxes and fees in California, visit www.taxes.ca.gov.

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Because the earthquake did not involve slip near the surface of the Earth, the study suggests that it did not release all of the strain that has built up on faults in the area over the past two centuries, and so future surface rupturing earthquakes in this region are likely.

The paper also suggests that similar events may be hidden from the prehistoric earthquake record both in Haiti and in other similar tectonic settings such as the San Andreas fault in California.

Gavin Hayes, a U.S. Geological Survey geophysicist, along with colleagues from USGS, California Institute of Technology, NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and the University of Texas at Austin, used a combination of seismological observations, geologic field data and satellite geodetic measurements to analyze the earthquake source.

Initially the Haiti earthquake was thought to be the consequence of movement along a single fault, which accommodates the motion between the Caribbean and North American plates.

By modeling the patterns of surface deformation, the team was able to assess which fault was responsible. Their results showed that the earthquake may not have been caused by the simple rupture of a single fault, but instead may have involved a complex series of faults.

The pattern of surface deformation was dominated by movement on a previously unknown, subsurface thrust fault, named the Léogâne fault, which did not rupture the surface.

Hayes, a post-doctoral researcher, is contracted to work for the USGS by Synergetic, Inc.

This is one of several papers to be published this month in a special issue of Nature Geoscience on the Haiti earthquake.

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“During YSS, we'll see triple the [usual] number of launches, flybys and orbital insertions,” said Jim Green, director of Planetary Science at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration headquarters. “There hasn't been anything quite like it in the history of the Space Age.”

Naturally, it's a Martian year.

“These events will unfold over the next 23 months, the length of a year on the Red Planet,” explained Green. “History will remember the period October 2010 through August 2012 as a golden age of planetary exploration.”

The action begins near the end of October with a visit to Comet Hartley 2.

On Oct. 20, Hartley 2 will have a close encounter with Earth; only 11 million miles away, it will be faintly visible to the naked eye and become a splendid target for backyard telescopes.

Amateur astronomers can watch the comet as NASA's Deep Impact/EPOXI spacecraft dives into its vast green atmosphere and plunges toward the icy core. On Nov. 4 EPOXI will fly a mere 435 miles from Hartley's nucleus, mapping the surface and studying outbursts of gas at close-range.

Later in November, NASA astrobiologists will launch O/OREOS, a shoebox-sized satellite designed to test the durability of life in space.

Short for “Organism/ORganic Exposure to Orbital Stresses,” O/OREOS will expose a collection of organic molecules and microbes to solar and cosmic radiation. Could space be a natural habitat for these “micronauts?” O/OREOS may provide some answers.

Bonus: The same rocket that delivers O/OREOS to space will carry an experimental solar sail.

NanoSail-D will unfurl in Earth orbit and circle our planet for months. Occasionally, the sail will catch a sunbeam and redirect it harmlessly to the ground below where sky watchers can witness history's first “solar sail flares.”

On Dec. 7, Japan's Akatsuki (Venus Climate Orbiter) spacecraft grabs the spotlight when it enters orbit around Venus.

The mission aims to understand how a planet so similar to Earth in size and orbit went so terribly wrong.

Venus is bone-dry, shrouded by acid clouds and beset by a case of global warming hot enough to melt lead.

Instruments on Akatsuki will probe Venus from the top of its super-cloudy atmosphere all the way to the volcano-pocked surface below, providing the kind of detailed information researchers need for comparative planetary.

“Take a deep breath,” said Green, “because that was just the first three months of YSS!”

The action continues in 2011 as Stardust NExT encounters comet Tempel 1 (Feb. 14), MESSENGER enters orbit around Mercury (March 18), and Dawn begins its approach to asteroid Vesta (May).

“For a full month Dawn will be able to see Vesta even more clearly than Hubble can,” said Green. “The only way to top that would be to go into orbit.”

And that is exactly what Dawn will do in July 2011: insert itself into orbit for a full-year study of the second-most massive body in the asteroid belt. Although Vesta is not classified as a planet, it is a full-fledged alien world that is expected to mesmerize researchers as it reveals itself to Dawn's cameras.

Next comes the launch of the Juno spacecraft to Jupiter (August), the launch of GRAIL to map the gravitational field of the Moon (September), and the launch of a roving science lab named “Curiosity” to Mars (November).

“The second half of 2011 will be as busy as some entire decades of the Space Age,” said Green.

Even then, YSS has months to go.

The year 2012 opens with Mars rover Opportunity running the first-ever Martian marathon. The dogged rover is trundling toward the heart of Endeavour Crater, a city-sized impact basin almost two dozen miles from Opportunity's original landing site.

“Opportunity is already under the influence of the crater,” said Green. “The ground beneath the rover's wheels is sloping gently down toward its destination – a welcome feeling for any marathoner.”

Sometime in mid-2012, Opportunity will reach Endeavour's lip and look over the edge deeper into the heart of Mars than any previous robotic explorer.

The only thing more marvelous than the view will be the rover itself. Originally designed to travel no more than 0.6 miles, Opportunity's rest stop at Endeavour will put it just miles away from finishing the kind of epic Greek run that athletes on Earth can only dream about.

Meanwhile, halfway across the solar system, Dawn will fire up its ion engines and prepare to leave Vesta. For the first time in space history, a spacecraft orbiting one alien world will break orbit and take off for another. Dawn's next target is dwarf planet Ceres, nearly spherical, rich in water ice, and totally unexplored.

The Year of the Solar System concludes in August 2012 when Curiosity lands on Mars. The roving nuclear-powered science lab will take off across the red sands sniffing the air for methane (a possible sign of life) and sampling rocks and soil for organic molecules. Curiosity's advanced sensors and unprecedented mobility are expected to open a new chapter in exploration of the Red Planet.

“So the end,” said Green, “is just the beginning. These missions will keep us busy long after YSS is history.”

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

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Supervisor Jim Comstock has organized the meeting with Caltrans' District 1 Director Charlie Fielder and his staff, which will take place from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 12, at the Calpine Visitor Center, 15500 Central Park Road, Middletown.

“We want to get Caltrans' attention,” Comstock said. “We just weren't getting any answers that fit right.”

This summer, Caltrans completed two rubberized chip seal projects, one along 12 miles of Highway 29 from the Lake/Napa County lines to the Coyote Creek Bridge, and the second along 8.5 miles on Highway 175 from Cobb to Middletown, as Lake County News has reported. Pavement striping was just finished on the Highway 29 portion last Friday.

Caltrans reported that the total combined cost of the two projects – completed by International Surfacing Systems of West Sacramento – was about $2.1 million.

Caltrans reported that the rubberized chip seal strategy was intended to seal and preserve the existing pavement while providing increased winter traction and a good binding surface for future paving projects, Frisbie explained.

The chip seals in Lake County were the first in the district to use half-inch aggregate rather than the more common 3/8-inch aggregate, Caltrans said.

The agency said such chip seals allow the treatment of three times more pavement than an asphalt thin blanket overlay could. Caltrans said it's also a green technology, using 40,000 recycled tires just for the Lake County projects alone.

But south county residents are none too pleased with the outcome of the projects, said Comstock.

He took a road trip around the county with Fielder and some of his staff to look at the work, and Comstock said Fielder agreed that there were issues.

Comstock said several years ago Caltrans did an open grade asphalt project, which provided a good road surface but failed sooner than expected.

“There are areas where it's completely worn through,” said Comstock.

However, he was told a grinder was broken which resulted in no asphalt grinding to prepare the road surface before the chip seal projects began. Instead the contractor put the chip seal over the areas where the pavement was worn through.

That, coupled with the larger aggregate, provided what Comstock said is not an ideal driving surface.

“It is dangerous to drive on. It does throw you around a little bit,” he said, adding that it's worse if you're pulling a trailer.

Comstock said the chip sealed was put over brand new pavement done in front of the Hidden Valley Lake and Twin Pine Casino entrances.

“We went from some bad to some good to all bad,” he said.

Frisbie said Caltrans has received complaints about the road work. He said the larger, half-inch rock isn't the kind of finish that Caltrans wants to be on the road for a long time, and they plan to repave.

He said people have expressed concern that the projects have been a waste of money. However, he said the chip seal does a good job of sealing little cracks in the pavement and waterproofing it. It also will help new asphalt bind to the old. Because of that, they often will put down a chip seal and then immediately pave over it.

Repaving a portion of Highway 175 – which also will include a section of the highway at Highway 101 in Mendocino County and another section of Highway 175 bounded by Highway 29 – won't take place until next summer's construction season, he said.

The repaving on Highway 29, however, is probably two or three years down the road, Frisbie said.

Comstock said Fielder indicated to him that they're making an effort to get funds to redo the highway sooner.

Comstock said people are not happy.

“Two to three years, that's just not acceptable,” he said.

Comstock pointed out that Caltrans was able to quickly get funds to repave an eight-mile portion of Highway 29 outside of Lakeport earlier this year.

Middletown businesswoman Linda Diehl-Darms started a petition for area residents to express their concern, said Comstock.

They've collected more than 1,000 signatures, with the petitions gathered up around Sept. 15, he said.

“I told the folks in Middletown I would hand deliver them to Caltrans,” Comstock said of the petitions.

He said he plans to hand the petitions over to Caltrans on Tuesday.

If anyone hasn't signed the petition and wants to, Comstock said he'll make sure they get the chance at the Tuesday meeting.

He said Caltrans will present information on the projects and what they're going to do about the situation. Community members also will have the chance to ask questions.

Comstock said Middletown's streets are county maintained roads that until recently were in “atrocious” shape, and he's worked with county Road Superintendent Steve Stangland and Public Works Director Brent Siemer to address the problem.

The county put $50,000 for asphalt toward a paving project, and county workers assisted by inmate laborers did the work. Comstock said they've been able to get many of the town's streets repaved that way.

“They're way better than the highway now, which isn't much of a standard to go by,” he said.

Comstock said the Caltrans chip seal projects hadn't looked good to him, even before they started. “The finished product seems to have borne out my concerns.”

All state jobs are supposed to have an inspector on site during such projects, and Comstock wondered why the chip seal work continued.

“We haven't gotten an answer to that yet,” he said.

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Middletown's Jereomy Hoefer on a two-yard touchdown carry to give Middletown an early 7-0 lead over the Clear Lake Cardinals on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – By a score of 42-0, the Clear Lake Cardinals of Lakeport fell victim to a decisively superior Middletown Mustangs football team in Middletown’s homecoming Friday night.

Amid pageantry that included a parade of floats, flag presentations by horses in full gallop and military personnel, and the crowning of the homecoming king and queen, the Mustangs ran up the score early in the game, leading 28-0 at the end of the first quarter.

“We just seem to be wrapping up the game in the first quarter in our last three games,” Middletown’s head coach Bill Foltmer said after the win.

The Mustangs have won their last four games, three of them shutouts.

Clear Lake quarterback Steven Edwards throws a pass against the Middletown Mustangs on Friday, October 8, 2010. He later left the game with an injury. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

Scoring highlights of the first quarter included a two-yard scamper by Jereomy Hoefer after a botched Cardinal punt attempt on their opening possession, a 32-yard dash by Middletown running back David Pike and a 15-yard screen from quarterback Kyle Brown to wide receiver Connor Chick, all resulting in touchdowns for the Mustangs.

Due to injuries and other factors, Clear Lake head coach Schad Schweitzer said his team was using their third string quarterback for most of the game against Middletown.

“We knew what we were up against,” Schweitzer said after the loss. “Today, Goliath won. David didn’t win.”

The Mustangs continued to dominate in the second quarter, when Pike took a handoff from Brown in Middletown’s opening drive and ran it six yards into the Cardinals' end zone for his second touchdown of the game.

After Danny Cardenas made his fifth extra point of the evening, Middletown held a commanding 35-0 lead going into halftime.

Middletown's Chris Oatman after one of his two receptions against the Cardinals on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

Foltmer noted Clear Lake had “a key lineman that was hurt” and due to injuries and other factors the Cardinals were “not the same team as they were earlier this year.”

The Mustangs scored quickly to open up the third quarter, capped by a 57-yard run by David Pike that broadened their lead to 42-0.

The Cardinals' only threat of the game came late in the fourth quarter, when they took 10 plays to drive the ball from their own seven-yard line to Middletown’s two-yard line.

Clear Lake’s Tyler Beets nearly scored on a 46-yard run, but with seconds to go, the Cardinals failed to convert on a first-and-goal opportunity from Middletown’s four-yard line and time ran out.

“The team didn’t quit,” Schweitzer said of his Cardinals, calling this game “something to build off of.”

Jamie Lopez (No. 3) was forced into quarterbacking duties for the Cardinals on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

Middletown quarterback Kyle Brown completed eight of 12 passes against Clear Lake for a total of 158 yards, and the Mustangs ran the ball 20 times for 264 yards rushing and 422 yards total offense against the Cardinals.

Looking ahead to Middletown’s Oct. 22 match against Ft. Bragg (5-0), Foltmer said, “We have a tough game coming up.”

He added, “the (North Central 1 – North) league is going to be a little bit tougher.”

The Clear Lake Cardinals host the Cloverdale Eagles (0-5) in Lakeport next Friday, Oct. 15, while the Mustangs travel to St. Helena (1-4) to take on the Saints.

In JV action, the Cardinals were more competitive, but still lost to Middletown 35-22.

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Middletown's Luke Parker and DJ Brookshire stop a run by Clear Lake's Tanner Mansell on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Ed Oswalt.

A Cal Fire helicopter dropped water on a fire above Nice, Calif., on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Deb Clarke.

NICE, Calif. – A four-wheel all-terrain vehicle is believed to be the cause of a Friday afternoon fire in Nice.

The fire, dispatched at around 4:30 p.m., was located on the hillside above Lakeview Drive and Dodge Road, according to Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart.

Hart said the fire burned about three to five acres of vegetation, and did not threaten any structures.

Northshore Fire sent Hart, four engines and two medic units, with Cal Fire sending multiple engines, a dozer and aircraft, he said. The US Forest Service also sent resources to the fire.

Firefighters contained the fire after about an hour, he said.

Nice resident Deb Clarke lives near the scene of the fire and witnessed the suppression efforts.

“The good news is my neighbor on the hill caught the blaze and the Northshore firefighters showed up quick,” she said.

Clarke watched as firefighters dug a fire line, cleared downed trees and used a spotter plane and a helicopter with a bucket to drop water on the blaze.

Hart said the fire was attributed to a quad runner, which firefighters found at the scene.

Firefighters work on a hillside above Lakeview Drive and Dodge Road in Nice, Calif., where a small fire burned on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Deb Clarke.

“We still have not been able to find the owner,” he said.

Firefighters were remaining on scene overnight to mop up, Hart said.

Clarke said she's been worried about what she called “the deadly combo of dry grass and motorcycles” for awhile.

“Every time I see them going up the private property trails, I cringe,” she said.

While her stepson is a semi-pro motorcycle racer, sparks that can come from the vehicles are particularly dangerous right now, she said.

Also on Friday evening, a fire was reported in Clearlake Park, although additional information wasn't immediately available.

A third fire, reported just after 7 p.m. in Clover Valley, burned a pump house, Hart said.

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Firefighters from Northshore Fire and Cal Fire responded to the small wildland fire in Nice, Calif., on Friday, October 8, 2010. Photo by Deb Clarke.