News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Here’s a great way to fulfill your New Year’s resolution to read more books – sign up for the Lake County Library’s Winter Reading Challenge which starts Jan. 3 and ends Feb. 29.

January is a perfect time to catch up on all those great books you’ve been eager to read by challenging yourself to read more through the library this winter.

Everyone can participate – babies, toddlers, children, teens and adults are all welcome in the challenge.

If your children don’t read on their own yet, you can still sign them up and read with them. If you don’t have a library card, it’s easy to get one by bringing your photo ID to your nearest library branch.

Children who sign up will receive reading logs from the library. When they return their library books, the library staff will log the reading points. Every page read counts as one point toward the challenge goal of 1,000 points. Kids get stickers for their reading logs and they receive small prizes as they hit reading milestones.

Adults and teens can sign up and start reading library books. When they return the books, they get credit for pages read, and for every 200 pages they get tickets for the raffle jar. Contestants can read eBooks or listen to audiobooks to participate in the reading challenge.

If you complete the 1,000 point challenge you get to pick out a brand new book donated by the Friends of the Lake County Library, sign your name in it, and be the first person to check it out.

Each branch library will award a raffle prize for teens and one for adults. The raffle drawings will take place at the end of the program and the winners will be announced on March 3. Raffle baskets contain books and cold-weather treats for adults. Teens get candy bouquets.

For more information about the Winter Reading Challenge can be found at http://library.lakecountyca.gov under Events.

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

Jan Cook is a library technician for the Lake County Library.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a kennel filled with big dogs waiting for adoption.

The kennels also have many dogs that need to be reunited with their owners. To find the lost/found pet section, click here.

The following dogs are ready for adoption.

‘Blue’

“Blue” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a short blue and white coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 2420.

‘Burke’

“Burke” is a male Labrador Retriever with a short black coat with white markings.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 2628.

‘Charlotte’

“Charlotte” is a female Akita mix.

She is dog No. 3040.

‘Clarice’

“Clarice” is a female German Shepherd mix puppy.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 3402.

‘Deejay’

“Deejay” is a female German Shepherd mix with a short tan and white coat.

She is dog No. 3413.

‘Fable’

“Fable” is a female Alaskan Malamute mix with a brown and buff coat.

She is dog No. 3044.

‘Linus’

“Linus” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.

He is dog No. 3255.

‘Precious’

“Precious” is a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a short black coat.

She is dog No. 3268.

‘Tempest’

“Tempest” is a female German Shepherd mix with a medium-length black and tan coat.

She is dog No. 3429.

‘Woodrow’

“Woodrow” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a black and white coat.

He is dog No. 3281.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair Foundation is planning a February fundraiser to help it with its goal of improving the county’s fairgrounds and hosting educational events.

The Wrangler Round-Up Dinner and Dance will take place from 6 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 8, at the Little Theater at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.

The evening will include dinner with smoked tri tip, garlic cheddar mashed potatoes, salad, French bread and a no-host bar, plus dancing to a mix of old and new country music, with some rock and roll mixed in.

There also will be a live auction, 50/50 drawing, a raffle and dessert auction.

The cost is $50 per person or $90 per couple. Sponsorships also are available.

Proceeds support the nonprofit foundation’s efforts at the fairgrounds, where it hosts the yearly agriculture day event, and has raised funds to purchase equipment and renovate facilities.

To purchase tickets or for additional information contact Jeff Warrenburg at 925-381-0359 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; Debbie Strickler at 707-245-7087 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; at the Lake County Fairgrounds office, 401 Martin St., Lakeport; online at www.lakecountyfairfoundation.com; or by mail to the Lake County Fair Foundation, P.O. Box 967, Lakeport, CA 95453.

The next Lake County Fair Foundation meeting will take place at the fairgrounds at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28. Community members are encouraged to attend and get involved in order to preserve the local fair into the future.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A man whose vehicle went into Clear Lake on Tuesday afternoon survived thanks to the quick action of people arriving at the scene.

Shortly before 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, a vehicle was reported to have gone into Clear Lake along Highway 20 west of Paradise Cove, located east of Lucerne.

Initial radio reports indicated the vehicle was in the lake, on its top, and that it had been swerving before going off the roadway.

A short time later, California Highway Patrol arrived at the scene and reported there was one male subject trapped in the vehicle but that his head was above the water, and that a rescuer was in the water with him.

Northshore Fire personnel who arrived at the scene went into the water and in about five minutes had successfully extricated the man from the car and removed him from the water, according to radio reports.

After assessing the man’s condition, firefighters determined he was uninjured, according to incident command.

Following the rescue, firefighters conducted a hazardous materials assessment and incident command asked dispatch to contact Lake County Environmental Health, as there was a sheen on the water, possibly from oil or gas from the vehicle.

Incident command reported that a boom was put out to absorb any materials from the car.

The CHP reported later that the California Department of Fish and Wildlife also was contacted about the hazmat concerns.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Sunday afternoon traffic stop led to a Clearlake man’s arrest on numerous weapons charges.

The Clearlake Police Department said Jesus Munoz-Griego, 18, was arrested in the case.

At 2:12 p.m. Sunday, Officer Chris Kelleher was patrolling the area of Highlands Way near Vista Robles Way when he observed a black 2001 Toyota Echo turning right onto Highlands Way from Old Highway 53 at a high rate of speed and driving on the wrong side of the roadway, according to the report.

The report said Officer Kelleher conducted a traffic stop on the vehicle for several vehicle code violations.

As Officer Kelleher began approaching the driver’s side of the vehicle, he noticed the driver, Munoz-Griego, was reaching down at the driver floorboard, police said.

Due to Munoz-Griego’s actions, Officer Kelleher opened Munoz-Griego’s door and ordered him out of the vehicle along with the passengers, according to the report.

During the investigation, it was discovered that Munoz-Griego did not have a valid California driver's license and he was placed under arrest.

Police said that during a search of the vehicle, Officer Kelleher located a loaded black Tec 9 with a high capacity magazine capable of holding 32 rounds of 9 millimeter ammunition lying on the driver floorboard in a bag next to a large knife. Several more rounds of various ammunition were located scattered throughout the vehicle along with a glass smoking methamphetamine pipe.

While examining the firearm, Officer Kelleher discovered that the serial number to the firearm had been scratched off, police said.

The Clearlake Police Department said Munoz-Griego was arrested on probable cause for numerous firearm and weapon violations along with operating a motor vehicle without a valid California driver's license and transported to the Lake County Jail for booking.

California has a new tool in its efforts to build wildfire resilience and improve long-term forest management in the face of climate change.

The California Board of Forestry and Fire Protection has certified a new program that it says will help minimize wildland fire risk across the state while ensuring the highest level of environmental oversight.

The California Vegetation Treatment Program, or CalVTP, will create efficiencies within the regulatory process to scale up fuel treatment and forest restoration projects toward meeting the state’s goal of treating 500,000 acres of non-federal lands annually.

“I commend the Board of Forestry and Fire Protection for working with the environmental community, state regulators and public safety officials to develop a long-term solution to increase the pace and scale of critical vegetation treatment in a way that safely and responsibly protects our environment,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “The scale of the wildfire crisis in California is unprecedented, and we need a response to match the scale and severity of this challenge.”

Improved vegetation treatments, including fuel breaks that slow wildfires to protect communities, and projects that restore natural fire regimes, are part of a suite of actions Gov. Newsom called for within days of assuming office earlier this year.

Other priority actions include hardening homes and improving communities’ preparation to survive wildfire.

The CalVTP reflects more than a decade of careful work to analyze potential environmental impacts associated with different types of vegetation management, consistent with the California Environmental Quality Act, or CEQA.

This programmatic analysis will reduce redundancies in each project’s environmental review by allowing project sponsors to build upon verified environmental analysis contained in the CalVTP as they begin their site-specific study for their individual projects.

Earlier this year, citing extreme peril posed by megafires, Gov. Newsom declared a state of emergency to fast-track 35 critical forest-management projects to protect more than 200 of California’s highest-risk communities and redirected National Guard members from the border to undertake fire prevention activities throughout the state.

To ensure necessary work could get underway immediately, the emergency proclamation suspended certain requirements and regulations as needed to carry out its directives, including CEQA.

By expediting the process, these emergency projects are on track to finish in less than one year, rather than a typical pace of three to five years.

In November, two of these emergency fuel breaks were used to protect Santa Barbara residents during the wind-driven Cave fire, resulting in no lives or structures lost.

As part of the long-term solution, Cal Fire developed the CalVTP to enable projects to move forward efficiently while maintaining and protecting California’s diverse vegetation and habitats.

State officials said the program will help Cal Fire and other public agencies comply with CEQA while delivering projects more quickly and affordably on over 20 million acres of land that is the responsibility of the state.

Projects that will benefit from CalVTP include:

– Wildland-urban interface fuel reduction, including removal of vegetation to prevent or slow the spread of fires between wildlands and buildings.
– Fuel breaks that support fire suppression activities by providing emergency responders with strategic staging areas and access to otherwise remote landscapes for fire control.
– Restoration in ecosystems where natural fire regimes have been altered due to fire exclusion, including restoring ecological processes, conditions, and resiliency to more closely reflect historic vegetative composition, structure, and habitat values.

The CalVTP does not support commercial timber harvest or development.

To further achieve wildfire resilience in California, the state continues to work with federal partners, including the U.S. Forest Service. The federal government owns nearly 58 percent of California’s forestlands. The state owns 3 percent, while 40 percent is privately held.

To protect public safety and ecology, experts agree 1 million acres of California forest and wildlands must be treated annually across jurisdictions. The federal government is working to match the state’s 500,000-acre annual treatment goals, though it has been hampered by years of federal budget and staffing cuts.

While the CalVTP is a critical tool to responsibly scale up vegetation treatment on state- and privately-owned land, state officials said efforts must simultaneously scale up on federal land.