Thursday, 28 March 2024

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Clear Lake flooded the roadway at the corner of E and Esplanade streets in Lakeport, Calif., on Tuesday, March 22, 2011. Photo by Sharon Thornton.

 



LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County got a brief break from the rain on Tuesday, but with the winter storms ramping back up and as the lake gets closer to flood stage, local officials have urged community members to be prepared.


Clear Lake was at 8.63 feet Rumsey just before midnight Tuesday, with the Cache Creek Dam releasing at 3,350 cubic feet per second.


Lake County Water Resources predicted Tuesday that the lake would be at flood stage, or 9 feet Rumsey, by Thursday morning and could hit 9.4 feet Rumsey by Sunday.


With rains and rising lake levels, the National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a flood watch for southern Lake County, which is in effect through late Thursday night, along with winter weather and wind advisories for Lake County.


Forecasters are predicting two strong storms will hit the interior of Northern California over the next two days, with the first bringing moderate to heavy rain and strong winds into Wednesday, with a second storm bringing another round of moderate to heavy rains and stronger winds on Thursday, according to the advisories.


The Lake County Office of Emergency Services issued a public advisory warning of a potentially severe weather event over the next three to four days due to the storm systems moving through the area, with the potential to drop 2 to 4 inches of rain.


Intermittent thunderstorms also are expected to pass through the county, officials reported.


The National Weather Service's wind watch warns of strong southerly winds of between 20 and 30 miles per hour, and gusts up to 45 miles per hour. The watch is in effect until 5 p.m. Wednesday.


The city of Lakeport on Tuesday issued the following list of areas that could experience flooding, including: Martin Street from Main to Starr streets; Main Street to Martin, C and 10th streets; Forbes Street at Sixth, Ninth, 10th and 11th streets; Armstrong Street between Brush and Starr streets; Russell Street between First and Second streets; Spur Street between Berry and Sixth streets; High Street north of 17th Street; Lakeshore Boulevard between Rainbow Road and Giselman Street; North Street at 10th Street; 10th Street between Forbes and Manzanita streets; First Street between Russell and Starr streets; Brush Street between Armstrong and First streets; 16th Street between Mellor Drive and Hartley Street; and Esplanade. Low-lying areas near Clear Lake will also be affected by the rising waters and wave action.


If flooding does occur, Lakeport city crews will install barricades. Barricaded roadways are not passable and are to be avoided. The city's report said barricades are placed in order to prohibit vehicles from entering high water areas, and drivers are advised that Lakeport Police may cite non-authorized vehicles found driving past barricades. Cars traveling through high water in these barricaded areas can stall out and also cause property damage by creating waves.

 

City officials said that in order to protect Library Park, aqua dams – expected to arrive on Thursday – had been ordered.


They also had closed the Library Park playground, with the entrance to the main walkway adjacent to the shoreline in Library Park set to be barricaded in the interest of public safety. The walkway, because of the high water, wave action and debris, is closed to the public and is to be avoided. The public is urged to stay out of this area in order to remain safe.

 

 

 

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Clear Lake was going over the sea wall at Library Park in Lakeport, Calif., on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, in the wake of heavy rains. Photo by Sharon Thornton.
 

 

 


Flood related problems in the City of Lakeport can be reported to the Lakeport Public Works Department during regular working hours by calling 707-263-0751. Emergency situations, or after hour problems, should be reported to the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.

 

 

During this weather event, the Office of Emergency Services strongly urges the public to avoid any unnecessary travel. As winds and rain increase starting late Wednesday or early Thursday, road surfaces may become hazardous and adverse conditions could limit visibility.


Those who must drive are advised to use extreme caution, the agency said. Speeds should be lowered and distances between vehicles should be increased as appropriate. Motorists are encouraged to be equipped with flares, flashlights, a cell phone, a first aid kit, boots and other extra clothing if they must travel.


With the soil already saturated from previous rains, mud and rock slides are likely and high winds may result in falling trees and power outages. If generator power becomes necessary, the Office of Emergency Services urges homeowners to first contact Pacific Gas & Electric before starting up as utilizing generators can re-energize power lines and potentially cause serious injury or death to responders and utility workers.


Officials said residents in low-lying or flood prone areas who will need sand bags and sand should obtain them now.


Both sand and sandbags are available at Mendo Mill, 2465 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-8400; Kelseyville Lumber, 3505 Merritt Road, Kelseyville, 707-279-4298 (the store expects a new shipment of 10,000 empty sand bags to arrive on Wednesday); and the city of Clearlake corporation yard, located at Old Highway 53 and Airport Road.


Sandbags only can be picked up at Rainbow Agricultural Services, 1975 County Road 524, Lakeport, 707-279-0550; Lake Builders Supply, 3694 E. Highway20, Nice, 707-274-6607; and Mendo Mill, 5255 Old Highway 53, Clearlake

 

Sand only can be picked up R.B. Peters, 78 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, 707-263-3678; Pivniska Trucking, 85 West Highway 20, Upper Lake, 707-275-3203; Layne Paving and Trucking, 3700 Old Highway 53, Clearlake, 707-994-6324; and Clear Lake Lava, 14572 East Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, 707-998-1115.


The Office of Emergency Service offers the following public safety tips for severe storms or other adverse weather conditions:


  • Standing water on roadways can cause a vehicle to hydroplane and a loss of the vehicle’s brake system. Decrease your speed and maintain awareness of your surroundings while driving.

  • Dress appropriately with head and hands covered when going outdoors in temperatures below freezing.

  • Bring pets inside and provide shelter for farm animals.

  • Have an emergency household supply kit, including nonperishable foods and drinking water stored in bottles or other containers in case water or other utility services are interrupted.

  • Ensure flashlights and battery-powered radios are in good working order and have an ample supply of batteries on hand. Candles and other open-flame light sources are not recommended.

  • If there is a power outage, do not call 911. Use a customer service number for information.


Important numbers to keep on hand are published below.


  • Sheriff’s dispatch, nonemergency: 707-263-2690.

  • Clearlake Police Department: 707-994-8251.

  • Lakeport Police Department: 707-263-5491.

  • Lakeport Public Works Department: 707-263-0751.

  • PG&E: 800-743-5000.

  • ATT: 611 or 866-346-1168.

  • American Red Cross Emergency: 800-696-3873; Local office: 707-263-8451.


Additional disaster resource information can be found in the local yellow pages of the phone book.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

 

 

 

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The city of Lakeport closed the playground at Library Park in Lakeport, Calif., on Tuesday, March 22, 2011, due to the stormy conditions. Photo by Sharon Thornton.
 

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The Cache Creek Dam release near Lower Lake, Calif., at 9:30 a.m., Monday, March 21, 2011. Photo courtesy of Lake County Water Resources.




THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN UPDATED WITH INFO ON FREE SAND AND SANDBAGS FOR CLEARLAKE RESIDENTS.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Monday Clear Lake's level continued to rise closer to flood stage, which it's expected to hit by Wednesday because of more rain that's predicted to fall this week.


Early Tuesday morning, Clear Lake was at 8.54 feet Rumsey, according to a US Geological Survey gauge on the lake. Flood stage is at 9 feet Rumsey.


The stream gauge at the Cache Creek Dam showed it was releasing 3,170 cubic feet per second early Tuesday in an attempt to keep the lake level from hitting the flood stage.


Lake County Water Resources Engineer Tom Smythe said the dam is designed to release four and a half times as much water as can get down Cache Creek.


Yet, with the heavy rains the creeks are running with more water than can get down to the dam to be released, he said.


“They'll continue releasing pretty much at capacity,” he said.


Cache Creek Dam currently is releasing almost 2 inches per day off of Clear Lake, but on Monday morning inflow was approximately twice the outflow, Water Resources reported.


For every 1 inch of rain that falls at lake level, Clear Lake will rise approximately 5 inches, and with an estimated 3.9 inches of rain set to fall over the coming week, county Water Resources staff estimated Monday that the lake could hit the flood stage on Wednesday and 9.5 feet Rumsey on Friday.


Smythe said the last time the lake was at flood stage was in 1998, when it reached 11.4 feet Rumsey.


Even with the lake not quite at flood level, many homes in low lying areas in Lakeport were reported to be flooding or in danger of being flooded.


Smythe said portions of Esplanade are close to 7.3 feet Rumsey, and residents there last week reported that they already were getting sandbags ready.


“Some of those lower areas are going to flood,” said Smythe, adding that many houses built since 1978 are now elevated because of flooding potential.


For those concerned about flooding, Water Resources said sandbags are available at the following merchants: Rainbow Ag, Lakeport, 707-279-0550; Mendo Mill, Lakeport, 707-263-8400; Kelseyville Lumber, 707-279-4298; and Lake Builders Supply, Nice, 707-274-6607.


Additionally, sand can be picked up at the following locations: R.B. Peters, 78 Soda Bay Road, Lakeport, 707-263-3678; Mendo Mill, 2465 S. Main St., Lakeport, 707-263-8400; Kelseyville Lumber, 3555 N. Main St., 707-279-4298; Pivniska Trucking, 85 W. Highway 20, Upper Lake, 707-275-3203; Layne Paving and Trucking, 3700 Old Highway 53, Clearlake, 707-994-6324; Clear Lake Lava, 14572 E. Highway 20, Clearlake Oaks, 707-998-1115.


The city of Clearlake also is making sand and sandbags available to city residents. Officials have staged the materials outside of the city's corporation yard, located at Old Highway 53 and Airport Road. An estimated 15 yards of sand is available, along with the sandbags, on a first-come, first-served basis.


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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

SACRAMENTO – A federal grant is assisting the California Highway Patrol with the push to reduce driving under the influence on state highways.


California continues to record a drop in the number of deaths related to driving under the influence (DUI).


While the news is encouraging, it is important to remember the factors that contributed to the decrease, among them, enforcement.


“Law enforcement throughout the state continues to do their part by removing impaired drivers from the roadway,” said California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Joe Farrow. “With renewed grant funding we can continue to turn up the heat on drunk drivers before they kill or injure innocent people.”


The CHP’s “Border to Border II DUI Enforcement Program” is funded by a federal grant which will enable officers to combat impaired drivers thus continuing to reduce the number of alcohol-involved fatal and injury collisions statewide, as well as the number of people affected by the devastation it causes.


Utilizing grant-funded overtime, the CHP will conduct sobriety and driver license checkpoints, DUI task force operations and deploy DUI enforcement patrol operations statewide.


However, enforcement alone will not solve the problem. Education through public awareness campaigns is another key component in reducing the number of people killed and injured every year by impaired drivers.


“Drinking alcohol then getting behind the wheel is not acceptable behavior,” said Commissioner Farrow. “Not only do you endanger yourself and your passengers, you put the lives of everyone on the road at risk.”


Of the more than 65,000 collisions in California in 2008, 14.5 percent of the crashes were alcohol-involved. These collisions resulted in 837 people killed and more than 13,000 injured.


“Impaired drivers destroy lives,” added Commissioner Farrow. “Our goal is to get these drivers off the road, and we will do that through enforcement and with the help of the motoring public.”


Funding for this program is provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.


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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Layoff notices went out last week to teachers around the county, and while the numbers are not as large as in past years, educators remain concerned about the ultimate impact of deeper cuts in classrooms on students.


The preliminary pink slip notices, required to be made by March 15, went out to 19 teachers countywide, according to a survey conducted by the Lake County Office of Education.


The survey found that four districts sent out the notices – Konocti, 15; Middletown, 2; Lakeport, 1; and Upper Lake Elementary, 1.


Statewide, more than 19,100 layoff notices went out to teachers, according to an estimate provided by Middletown Unified teacher Larry Allen, who is a California Teachers Association Board member.


He said that number is slightly under the number of notices sent in 2010. “Last year we had about 24,000 pink slips at this time.”


A deadline for classified employees arrives later in April, according to the Lake County Office of Education.


Classified employees also are expected to be hit hard statewide and locally.


Carolyn Constantino, a spokesperson for the California School Employees Association – which represents 70 percent of the state's classified employees – said so far this school year more than 3,000 classified employees statewide who are in the group's membership have been notified of layoffs based on district budget projections, and another 3,000 are expected to be laid off at the end of the school year.


There could be more layoffs outside of the group's membership, she added.


Allen – who represents teachers from the Oregon Boarder down the coast to San Francisco, along with Lake, Napa and Solano counties – said more than 3,000 pink slips were issued just in that region alone.


Last year, the California Teachers Association lost 16,000 members, and lost another 16,000 members the year before that, Allen said.


“It's devastating to everybody,” he said.


Kelseyville Unified was one of the districts able to avoid layoff notices.


“We had two retirements so that helped us for this year,” said district Superintendent Dave McQueen.


Those two elementary teaching jobs were slated to be cut as part of Kelseyville Unified's financial recovery plan, which the board of trustees approved last week, he said.


Konocti Unified Superintendent Bill MacDougall did not return calls seeking comment about his district's layoff notices.


The notices to teachers went out at about the same time California Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson warned districts to plan for the worst in case temporary taxes aren't approved by voters and expire July 1.


Torlakson had declared a financial state of emergency in California's schools in January.


State education officials reported that California's schools have been hit by $18 billion in cuts over the last three years, which they said is roughly equivalent to one-third of the state's annual spending on K-12 schools each year.


“Californians cherish their schools,” Torlakson said in a statement. “Before we miss the chance to help our state's 6.2 million schoolchildren weather this financial emergency, people have a right to know the consequences.”


In a letter to county school superintendents sent earlier this month, Torlakson said time is running dangerously short to place a tax extension before voters.


Torlakson's office estimated that without the tax extensions the state may cut school spending by as much as $4.5 billion or 10 percent of the K-12 annual budget.


The California Teachers Association has joined with Torlakson in urging passage of the taxes in a special vote this summer.


“The first stop gap is if the governor can get his proposed tax extensions on the ballot and passed,” said Allen, noting that will help schools to begin to plug the budget hole.


“If that doesn't happen it's going to be even worse,” he said. “I can't imagine how we're going to function with up to 50 kids in a classroom.”


Allen said there also are efforts under way to change the way schools are funded in order to make education funding more stable.


If that doesn't happen, he said the impact on schools and all of their associated programs – such as sports and after school programs – will be significant.


“It's going to look third world,” Allen said.


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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A 13-hour Search and Rescue (SAR) operation coordinated by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office in the Mendocino National Forest on Sunday has resulted in the safe return of two visitors from out of county.


Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said 34-year-old Ambrosio Maldonaldo of Ripon and 60-year-old Gilberto San Miguel of Modesto were found cold, hungry but otherwise unharmed on Sunday night.


At 11 a.m. Sunday sheriff’s dispatch received a call from Lake Pillsbury resident Steve Bettencourt, who reported that two relatives, Maldonaldo and San Miguel, had left his home on Saturday and were stranded in the snow somewhere in the Elk Mountain area of the National Forest, Bauman said.


The men were reportedly visiting Bettencourt in Lake Pillsbury and had left to return home on Saturday at about 4 p.m., Bauman said.


Several hours after leaving Lake Pillsbury, Maldonaldo and San Miguel called Bettencourt and told him they had become stuck in the snow on their way down the mountain. Bauman said they told Bettencourt they were going to remain with their vehicle until the following morning when they would attempt to walk out.


By mid-morning on Sunday, the two men had been unable to walk out due to weather conditions but did manage to get within cell phone range to call Bettencourt again for help, Bauman said.


As sheriff’s Search and Rescue personnel were being alerted, U.S. Forest Service personnel attempted to access the area from the Mendocino County portion of the forest but could not get through due to adverse conditions, according to Bauman.


He said sheriff’s personnel and Search and Rescue volunteers staged at the Middle Creek campground in Upper Lake to coordinate search efforts. A Sonoma County Sheriff’s helicopter was requested to respond to assist with the search but the aircraft was canceled while en route due to weather conditions.


At approximately 1 p.m. Sunday, a Search and Rescue four wheel drive team attempted to reach the area the two men were believed to be in but Bauman said the team was forced to turn around before reaching the summit of Elk Mountain due to conditions.


He said additional resources were called to the area to assist, including a Mendocino County Search and Rescue snowmobile team, snow plows from the Lake County Public Works Department and a Cal Fire “snow cat” stationed out of the Boggs State Forest. The Sheriff’s Mobile Command Post also was deployed to the Middle Creek Campground to act as an operations center.


As night time fell, resources worked to clear the roadway into the search area and Search and Rescue coordinators continued to try and narrow down the exact location of the men, Bauman reported.


Bauman said that once the route on Elk Mountain Road had been cleared by county snow plows, the Cal Fire “snow cat” was hauled to the summit of Elk Mountain and then deployed with Search and Rescue and Cal Fire personnel on board to venture further north in search of the two men.


At approximately 9:45 p.m., the Cal Fire snow cat located Maldonado and San Miguel sheltered in their vehicle on Elk Mountain Road, approximately four miles north of Horse Mountain, Bauman said.


The two men were transported down the mountain to the Sheriff’s Command Post where they were fed, and then lodged for the night in a local motel. Bauman said family members were scheduled to pick up both men on Monday.


Bauman said the sheriff’s office was very pleased with the coordination and outcome of Sunday’s Search and Rescue operation.


Sheriff Frank Rivero expressed his deepest gratitude to the Search and Rescue Coordinator Lt. Chris Macedo and to the Lake County Search and Rescue volunteers for their efforts.


Rivero also commended and thanked the allied agencies that supported the rescue, including the U.S. Forest Service, Cal Fire, Mendocino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue and the Lake County Public Works Department.


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A water main break caused a major slipout on Widgeon Way above Clearlake Oaks, Calif., with the erosion extending down to Highway 20 below. Photo by Bill Rett.
 

 

 

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Heavy winds and rain resulted in downed power lines and power outages, damaged docks and impassable roads in areas of Lake County over the weekend, while the rising level of Clear Lake made flooding a possibility.


Firefighters, police and road crews were among the first responders dealing with the fallout from the winter weather.


Some of that fallout included stranded subjects – including an elderly man – caught in the snow on Elk Mountain Road above Upper Lake since Saturday. Radio reports from the scene indicated Lake County Search and Rescue located the man and at least one other person late Sunday night after it appeared the search was being called off for the night.


Meantime, Clear Lake's level was going up, rising to 8.45 feet Rumsey early Monday morning, and pushing closer to the flood stage, which is at 9 feet Rumsey. Lake County Water Resources officials had estimated last week that the heavy rains could take the lake to 8.50 feet Rumsey by Wednesday.


The US Geological Survey's gauges around the county showed streams and creeks running at high levels.


County Road Superintendent Steve Stangland said Sunday evening that the rising lake level made flooding a possibility in the areas of Lakeshore Boulevard in north Lakeport, shoreline areas of Nice including that town's Lakeshore Boulevard, and the Clear Lake Keys subdivision in Clearlake Oaks.


Stangland said his road crews worked through Saturday night and into Sunday morning, responding to flooding, and rock and mud slides.

 

 

 

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Clear Lake left behind debris at Library Park in Lakeport, Calif., following storms on Saturday, March 19, and Sunday, March 20, 2011. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

 

 


The high water had caused some flooding on Lakeshore Boulevard in north Lakeport late Saturday night, with road crews removing debris there as well as from the Lakeshore Boulevard area of Nice, and removing a downed tree from Black Oak Drive in Nice, with that roadway reopened later Sunday, Stangland said.


With the ground already saturated, an early Sunday morning water main break on Widgeon Way in Clearlake Oaks resulted in a large landslide that closed the road between Hillside Lane and Laurel Avenue and ran down the hill toward Highway 20, according to nearby resident Chuck Lamb.


Lamb said water was out at his home and that of many other residents in the area.


Stangland said Clearlake Oaks County Water District Crews planned to work through Sunday night to get the water line fixed.


In Clearlake, Sgt. Tim Hobbs said Clearlake Police officers responded on Sunday morning to about five calls of trees down and blocking city streets. He said city Public Works crews responded to clear the downed trees from roadways.


While Hobbs said that, as of Sunday afternoon, they had not received reports of flooding, during a check he made of Lakeshore Drive he saw the water line was within a few feet of many houses and their docks were up at the top or over the top of their pilings.

 

 

 

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A houseboat that broke loose from its mooring near the Lakeport Yacht Club in Lakeport, Calif., on Saturday, March 19, 2011, came to rest near the Regency Inn. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

 

 


He said police also received several reports of docks that were floating around near the shore not attached to their pilings, and added that creeks in the city were a few feet from overflowing.

 

In Lakeport, Clear Lake lapped at the edges of Library Park, and the shoreline was littered with debris.


Big wind gusts overnight were blamed for damage done to some area resorts, including the Skylark Motel.


Priya Dias, who along with husband David DeLuca has owned the Skylark since 2005, said their fence was blown down and their metal docks were damaged.


“The wind broke our dock in the middle,” she said Sunday afternoon.


With parts of their docks floating free, two ramps that led out to the docks had fallen into the water, with both of them being totally submerged, Dias said.


She said the ground was totally saturated, with the lake filled “to the brim,” raising her concerns for what might happen if the lake hits flood stage. “It's scary,” she said.

 

 

 

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After a night of high winds and torrential rains on Saturday, March 19, 2011, these boats at the damaged docks next to the Regency Motel in Lakeport await repair. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

 

 


Donna Queenen, who lives nearby, reported a 35-foot houseboat came loose from its moorings at the Lakeport Yacht Club and hit her deck, eventually lodging between a stump by her deck and the Regency Inn's retaining wall.


She also reported the docks had come loose at the Anchorage Inn, Regency Inn and Lucky Four Resort.


Downed trees in various parts of the county contributed to fallen power lines, with a report Sunday morning that a falling tree hitting lines caused a pole to snap in Nice.


Pacific Gas & Electric reported several outages around the county that resulted from damaged equipment or other, unspecified causes. Listed in PG&E's outage reports were Hidden Valley Lake, Kelseyville, Cobb, Lakeport and Nice, with no estimated time of restoration available on any of those locations late Sunday.


Downed power lines closed Westridge Drive in Riviera Heights and a slide closed one lane of Siegler Canyon Road south of Perini Drive near Lower Lake, Stangland said.

 

 

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Although Clear Lake isn't yet at flood stage, at Lakeside County Park near Lakeport, Calif., some park fixtures like these benches and picnic tables were close to being submerged on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Photo by Terre Logsdon.

 

Elsewhere, flooding caused a closure on Scotts Valley Road at mile post marker 3.50, with a detour available on Hendricks Road. Stangland said Eickoff Road in Lakeport also was closed Sunday due to flooding, and a large slipout has resulted in a one-lane closure on Stubbs Road in Clearlake Oaks.


Stangland said Elk Mountain Road and Bartlett Springs Road were restricted to vehicles with four-by-four capability and chains because of snow.


Other parts of the region also were getting pummeled by the wet winter conditions, with neighboring Glenn County reporting damaged homes, flattened orchards and flooded roads and high streams.


Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones reported the roof of one woman's trailer was peeled off, while many of the area's almond trees fell over because of the wind – with gusts reported at 60 miles per hour – and saturated ground.


Jones, who deployed more deputies to react to conditions, reported no injuries or evacuations as of Sunday evening.


Glenn County's Office of Emergency Services activated an operations center, with monitoring going on along several stretches of the Sacramento River, predicted to be above flood stage on Monday.


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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

 

 

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Piles of debris were deposited along Clear Lake's shoreline in Lakeport, Calif., as a result of the storm on Saturday, March 19, and Sunday, March 20, 2011. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

NICE, Calif. – A woman was taken to the hospital with a serious head injury following a two-car collision Tuesday night.


The crash occurred at around 11 p.m. at Lakeview and Highway 20 in Nice, according to the California Highway Patrol.


Reports from the scene indicated a small Mazda sports car collided with a four wheel drive pickup.


The woman driving the sports car was found bleeding and unconscious in the vehicle. She was not wearing a seat belt and sustained a major head injury. Northshore Fire transported her to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, radio reports indicated.


The other driver was not reported to be hurt, but there were said to be “walking wounded” on scene in addition to the injured woman.


The CHP said Lakeview was blocked for a short time following the crash.


Initial reports from the scene indicated alcohol use by the woman in the sports car may have been a factor in the collision.


The names of those involved was not available Tuesday night.


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THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY UPGRADED THE UKIAH-AREA QUAKE FROM MAGNITUDE 3.4 TO 3.5.

 

 

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A number of moderate-sized earthquakes have shaken parts of Lake and Mendocino counties over the last several days.


The most recent was a 3.5-magnitude quake recorded just beneath the earth's surface and centered 11 miles west of Ukiah at 1:42 p.m. Monday, according to the US Geological Survey.


The US Geological Survey received 68 shake reports from 15 zip codes regarding the quake, with most of the reports coming from Ukiah and other areas of Mendocino County, but some coming from Brookings, Ore., 346 miles away, Los Angeles, 719 miles from the quake, and Palm Desert, 871 miles distant.


Other recent quakes of note included a 3.1-magnitude temblor reported at 8:29 a.m. Thursday, March 17, one mile northeast of The Geysers, four miles west southwest of Cobb and six miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, the survey reported.


That quake, which occurred at a depth of 2.5 miles, resulted in 14 responses from 10 zip codes, including Kelseyville, Lakeport, Middletown and Hidden Valley Lake, as well as Cottonwood, 170 miles north.


On Sunday, March 20, at 1:17 a.m. a 3.5-magnitude earthquake, monitored at four-tenths of a mile underground, was reported two miles east southeast of The Geysers, four miles southwest of Cobb and four miles west of Anderson Springs, the US Geological Survey reported.


For that quake, 17 responses in 13 zip codes were submitted to the survey. No county residents made reports, but residents in San Francisco, San Mateo, Chico, Sacramento, Stockton and San Jose did.


Also on Sunday there was a 3.2-magnitude quake reported at 3:08 p.m., which the survey said occurred at a depth of seven-tenths of a mile. Its epicenter was located two miles west of Cobb, four miles northeast of The Geysers and five miles northwest of Anderson Springs.


Six shake reports from six area codes were submitted to the US Geological Survey. Areas that were the source of reports included San Francisco, Hayward, Pittsburg, Oakland, Petaluma and Modesto.


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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

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Olive oil tasting with Sierra d'Oro at the second-annual Kelseyville Olive Festival on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

 

 

 



KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Olives, olive oils, olive trees, local wines and locally-brewed beers formed the centerpiece of this year's Kelseyville Olive Festival, a family-friendly event held Sunday, March 20, at the Chacewater Olive Mill in Kelseyville.


Rainy weather didn't dampen the spirits of the eventgoers at the second annual festival, which highlighted all things olive-related.


A silent auction, beer and wine tasting, and wine store sale proceeds from the event benefit the programs of the Lake Family Resource Center, while admission to the event – including games such as the popular olive pit spitting contest – is free of charge.


Held mostly indoors, festival goers enjoyed sampling olive oils from Apollo Olive Oil, Canino Ridge, Ceago Vinegarden, Chasewater Olive Mill, Clearlake Oaks Olive Oil, Olivino, Robledo Family Winery, Rosa d'Oro, Sierra d'Oro, Sutter Buttes Olive Ranch, the Villa Barone and Loasa Farms, as well as offerings from Christensen Foods and Main Street Bakery.


Kelseyville-based wineries were also featured including Robledo Family Winery, Rosa d'Oro, Wildhurst, Moore Family Winery and Bell Hill.


Beer also was offered by the Lake County Homebrewers – including one with plans to open a beer-tasting brewery by the end of the year in downtown Kelseyville – who will return to the annual Amateur Wine & Beer Festival held each June in Lakeport's Library Park.


The festival proved the perfect way to usher in spring in Lake County: with lots of local goods including olive oils, wines, beer and bread.


E-mail Terre Logsdon 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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

 

 

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Wines grown and produced in Kelseyville - including Bell Hill, Robledo Family Winery, Rosa d'Oro Vineyards, Moore Family Winery and Wildhurst Vineyards offered their wines for sale at the second-annual Kelseyville Olive Festival on Sunday, March 20, 2011. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

 

 

 

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Chris and Carolyn Ruttan of Canino Ridge Olives in Lower Lake, Calif., took part in the festival. Photo by Terre Logsdon.
 

SANTA ROSA, Calif. – Following the devastating earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disasters in Japan, the American Red Cross has made an initial contribution of $10 million to the Japanese Red Cross Society to assist efforts to provide medical care and relief assistance.


“Our hearts go out to the people of Japan and all of the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami, in Japan and California,” said Tim Miller, chief executive officer of American Red Cross in Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties. “We are grateful that local donors have been so generous and that we are able to contribute to the fundraising effort that enables the Red Cross to help so many.”


American Red Cross and Japanese Red Cross have a history of mutual support. The Japanese Red Cross sent support to the American Red Cross after September 11 and Hurricane Katrina. The American Red Cross aided the Japanese during the Kobe earthquake in 1995.


The Japanese Red Cross is a highly experienced disaster relief organization with two million volunteers.


These local volunteers in Japan are distributing relief items, hot meals and deployed nearly 171 medical teams, as well as 2,400 nurses trained to provide emotional support and counseling for those affect by the disasters.


Evacuations from the exclusion zone around the nuclear power plant are also being supported by the Japanese Red Cross.


According to the federal government, Hawaii, Alaska, the U.S. Territories and the U.S. West Coast are not expected to experience any harmful levels of radioactivity. Public health officials for the state

of California and counties are updating information frequently (links to their sites are available at the local Red Cross Web site, www.arcsm.org).


The American Red Cross works in close coordination with local and federal government agencies to be ready to respond to the large-scale needs created by catastrophic events.


Searching for U.S. citizens and other loved ones


Those trying to contact U.S. citizens living in or traveling in Japan should contact the U.S. Department of State, Office of Overseas Citizens Services, at 888-407-4747 or 202-647-5225.


People in Japan and other countries in the Pacific can register at www.redcross.org (or

http://www.icrc.org/familylinks) to inform their family and friends that they are safe and provide their current contact details.


People in the U.S. looking for loved ones can check the ICRC list for information. They can also register the names of family members and friends, encouraging them to get in touch.


As of March 16, the Red Cross family linking site, available in six languages, had logged more than 4,500 inquiries of people looking for loved ones or others letting them know they are safe.


Currently, all American Red Cross Service to the Armed Forces staff stationed at military installations in the Far East are preparing for noncombatant evacuation operations in Japan to support military

operations involving registration of evacuees, escort duty and assisting in military sheltering operations.


Scam/fraud alert


There are several scams and frauds in the form of email and text messaging for donations on behalf of the American Red Cross for Japan, New Zealand and Haiti; the purchase of American Red Cross first aid supplies that are to be shipped abroad; and the impersonation of the British Red Cross.


Red Cross is asking the local media and the public to be aware of these scams, which may:


  • Direct individuals to phony or fake Web sites;

  • Request donations of monies through money transfer companies, such as Western Union;

  • Offer “employment” for individuals to collect monies on behalf of the American Red Cross for a percentage;

  • Attempt to buy American Red Cross first aid kits, etc. from chapters to be shipped overseas (South Africa, India, Japan, etc.), but first the chapter must pay “a shipper” via Western Union, with cash or use of a credit card. The “buyer” of American Red Cross first aid kits will supply the chapter with either stolen or unauthorized credit cards to send money to the “shipper;” and/or state there is an appeal from the “British Red Cross” and request individuals to send monies to an email address, Western Union or via other transfer companies.


How people can help


Individuals can assist the Red Cross response effort, both internationally and locally, by making a financial donation in a variety of ways:


  • All of Redwood Credit Union’s branches are now accepting donations from members and the public to assist the Red Cross response effort in Japan; along Friedman Brothers who has donation cans available in Santa Rosa and Ukiah stores and G & G markets, with donation cans located in Santa Rosa and Petaluma stores.

  • Secure online sites: www.arcsm.org or www.redcross.org .

  • By phone: 707-577-7600.

  • By texting REDCROSS to 90999; this enables donors to make a $10 donation to help those affected by the earthquake in Japan and tsunami throughout the Pacific.

  • By U.S. mail to: American Red Cross, Sonoma, Mendocino, & Lake Counties, 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The region's winter weather took an odd twist, literally, on Monday when a tornado was spotted touching down in neighboring Colusa County.


The National Weather Service in Sacramento issued a tornado warning Monday for north central Colusa and south central Glenn counties shortly after trained weather spotters saw the tornado in an open area west of Maxwell in north central Colusa County at about 3 p.m.


The tornado was reported to be moving east toward Delevan at a rate of 15 miles per hour, the National Weather Service reported.


The National Weather Service's tornado watch stayed in effect until 4:15 p.m. Monday.


The agency said later Monday that the tornado did not do any damage and was subsequently classified as an “F0,” the lowest ranking on the enhanced Fujita Scale.


Tornadoes in that rating are estimated to have wind speeds less than 73 miles per hour, according to the National Weather Service's Storm Prediction Center.


At about the same time as the Colusa County tornado was spotted, a funnel cloud was reported near Highway 25 south of Gilroy, according to another National Weather Service Statement.


The agency said that funnel in Gilroy retreated back into the cloud before it touched ground.


Such funnel clouds usually extend a few hundred feet down from the base of the parent cloud, rotate and then dissipate within a few minutes, according to the statement. However, anyone who sees a funnel cloud is still urged to seek shelter inside a sturdy and safe structure.


Monday's tornado news comes just days after what was believed to be a small tornado touched down long enough to hit a business and some homes in Santa Rosa, according to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat.


That tornado, which hit last Friday, left damage in its wake, including tearing off a large section of a commercial building's roof, the newspaper reported.

 

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, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Police officers conducting a probation search on Saturday arrested a local man for possession of several illegal drugs and paraphernalia, and for being a felon in possession of firearms.


Brandon Charles Thomas, 28, of Clearlake was arrested Saturday afternoon, according to a report from Sgt. Tim Hobbs.


At 2 p.m. Saturday Clearlake Police officers responded to Thomas' residence on Vista Street to conduct a probation search, Hobbs said.


The residence, Hobbs explained, is located in one of the city's newly formed community oriented policing beats that has had a high level of reported narcotics activity.


During the search Thomas was found to be in possession of approximately 2 pounds of processed marijuana, cocaine, large quantities of Ecstasy and morphine sulfate, numerous types of packaging material, a digital scale, a .380-caliber semiautomatic handgun and a loaded, sawed off 12-gauge shotgun, Hobbs said.


Thomas was booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of being a felon in possession of a firearm, felon in possession of ammunition, possession of a controlled substances for sales (Ecstasy), possession of a narcotic controlled substance for sales (cocaine), possession of a narcotic controlled substance for sales (morphine sulfate) and possession of marijuana for sales, Hobbs said.


Officers obtained a bail enhancement to $100,000, according to Hobbs.


Jail records indicated Thomas remained in custody late Sunday.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews.

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