LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has five cats ready to find their new families.
The following cats and kittens at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.
This male domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 39, ID No. 13198. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic short hair kitten
This male domestic short hair kitten has a brown tabby coat with white markings and green eyes.
He is in cat room kennel No. 39, ID No. 13198.
This male domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 88, ID No. 13244. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male domestic short hair kitten
This male domestic short hair kitten has a buff and white coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 88, ID No. 13244.
“Bones” is a male domestic long hair kitten in cat room kennel No. 115c, ID No. 13045. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Bones’
“Bones” is a male domestic long hair kitten with a gray tabby and white coat and green eyes.
He is in cat room kennel No. 115c, ID No. 13045.
This female domestic short hair kitten is in cat room kennel No. 141, ID No 13235. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic short hair kitten
This female domestic short hair kitten has an all-black coat and gold eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 141, ID No 13235.
This female domestic short hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 144, ID No. 13245. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female domestic short hair
This female domestic short hair has a gray tabby coat and green eyes.
She is in cat room kennel No. 144, ID No. 13245.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Authorities want to speak to Darlene Geneva Anderson, 53, regarding the murder of 70-year-old Nicky Smith of Lucerne, California, on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photo. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – After having taken two suspects into custody the previous night, authorities on Sunday continued to investigate the murder of a Lucerne man and said they are trying to locate a woman who they think may have information about the case.
Authorities said they want to speak to Darlene Geneva Anderson, 53, in connection with the Saturday murder of 70-year-old Nicky Smith.
Lt. Corey Paulich said detectives believe Anderson may have relevant information related to the investigation. She may be living in the Nice or Lucerne area.
On Saturday morning, Smith’s body was found on the side of the road in the 4550 block of Scotts Valley Road near Lakeport, as Lake County News has reported.
Hours later, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said it had identified Daniel Wayne Ford, 49, of Lakeport and Michael Sean Shaffer, 35, of Upper Lake as the suspects in Smith’s killing.
At 8 p.m. Saturday, Shaffer was contacted and arrested during a traffic stop in Nice. Paulich said detectives questioned Shaffer, who denied any knowledge or involvement with Smith’s death.
Then, at approximately 10 p.m., Ford was contacted and arrested at Running Creek Casino in Upper Lake. Paulich said Ford did not wish to speak to detectives about this investigation.
Shaffer and Ford were both booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of murder, kidnapping, robbery and carjacking. Ford had an additional parole violation and Shaffer had an additional probation violation, Paulich said.
Paulich said both men remain in custody on their respective parole and probation violations as well as $1 million dollar bail.
From left, Daniel Wayne Ford, 49, of Lakeport, California, and Michael Sean Shaffer, 35, of Upper Lake, California, were booked into the Lake County Jail early on the morning of Sunday, November 24, 2019, morning for the killing of 70-year-old Nicky Smith of Lucerne, California, on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Lake County Jail photos. Based on a review of local crime records, both men appear to have extensive criminal histories.
“We have had considerable contact with both suspects,” Paulich told Lake County News.
As for why the men killed Smith, Paulich said detectives are still interviewing people to determine the motive.
During the initial investigation, authorities located a separate but related crime scene in the intersection of Eickhoff and Scotts Valley Roads, Paulich said.
There, they found blood which Paulich said they are confident is related to the crime based on the location and information from witnesses. However, he said they are waiting for testing to confirm it.
So far authorities have not reported locating Smith’s truck, a 2012 dark green Toyota Tundra with the license number NASTOSR, which they believe was stolen after his death.
Anyone with information on Anderson’s location or this investigation is asked to contact Sheriff’s Central Dispatch at 707-263-2690.
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.
From left, Daniel Wayne Ford, 49, of Lakeport, California, and Michael Sean Shaffer, 35, of Upper Lake, California, have been arrested for the killing of 70-year-old Nicky Smith of Lucerne, California, on Saturday, November 23, 2019. Lake County Sheriff’s Office photos. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two men who authorities were seeking for the murder of a Lucerne man on Saturday morning are now in custody.
Sheriff’s Lt. Corey Paulich said Daniel Wayne Ford, 49, of Lakeport and Michael Sean Shaffer, 35, of Upper Lake were arrested Saturday night.
The news came within hours of the sheriff’s office asking the community for leads as to the whereabouts of the two men, who detectives believe killed 70-year-old Nicky Smith on Saturday morning.
Smith’s body was found on the side of the road in the 4550 block of Scotts Valley Road in Lakeport shortly before 7:30 a.m. Saturday, as Lake County News has reported.
The discovery of Smith’s body launched an investigation during which Paulich said investigators identified Ford and Shaffer as the suspects and also located a separate but related crime scene in the area of Eickhoff Road and Scotts Valley Road.
Paulich told Lake County News late Saturday that he didn’t yet have details about where Ford and Shaffer were found.
Detectives were still out following up on leads, Paulich said at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday.
Smith’s truck, a 2012 dark green Toyota Tundra with the license number NASTOSR, remains missing, Paulich said.
Paulich said the truck is believed to have been stolen after Smith’s death.
Anyone with information regarding this investigation is asked to contact Sheriff’s Central Dispatch at 707-263-2690.
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.
The public was invited to try their hand at cracking and grinding acorns at the community garden at the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium in Lakeport, Calif. Photo by Esther Oertel. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The sun was warm and bright on a recent fall day when my granddaughter and I visited the community garden on the campus of the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium in Lakeport.
The well-designed garden was lush with end-of-season greenery. Wooden benches, picnic tables and a centerpiece gazebo for tribal elders provided lots of seating for events and classes that are held there on a seasonal basis. It was obvious that the space was well-tended and well-used.
We were there that day to learn about the traditional preparation of local acorns for culinary use.
While my granddaughter hunted for strawberries among the raised beds, I listened with rapt attention as Patty Franklin of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians demonstrated acorn processing step by step with her daughter and son assisting.
Acorns may be cracked with a mallet on a hard surface such as stone. Shown here are acorns from valley oaks. Photo by Esther Oertel. Franklin has been instrumental in attempts to revive the tradition of gathering and processing acorns for food. She pointed out that this free resource provides 6 grams of protein and other key nutrients for every ounce of flour.
While edible acorns come from a variety of oak tree species in Lake County, Franklin prefers gathering acorns from valley oaks for a practical reason: the nuts are bigger (long and bullet-shaped, in contrast to shorter, rounder types), thus providing more food for less effort.
According to Franklin, peak acorn gathering season is from the end of September through November, though they can be gathered into winter and through much of spring.
Once gathered, acorns should be sorted, casting aside any not suitable for use, such as those that have holes caused by the larvae of long-snouted acorn weevils or other pests.
The acorns should then be cracked open to retrieve the nut meat within. This can be done by laying acorns on a hard surface and using a hammer or mallet to crack them. In earlier times, a stone hammer on a flat rock was used.
Using a stone mortar and pestle is the traditional method of grinding acorns into flour. Photo by Esther Oertel. The acorn meat should then be dried, either spread out in the sun or in an oven set on a low temperature. It typically takes a few days in the sun to achieve the appropriate level dryness. Of course, if the air is humid or pests are a problem, this wouldn’t be a good method. If using an oven, a close watch should be kept on them to avoid burning.
Once dried, the acorn meat can be ground into flour. The traditional method for this is with a stone mortar and pestle, though a nut grinder, blender or food processor can be used. Franklin prefers the more time-consuming method of mortar and pestle, as it helps one to slow down and appreciate the effort that goes into food preparation.
At this point, the flour should be sifted to remove any large pieces that might remain. They can be tossed back into the mortar for further grinding. An open-weave basket was traditionally used for the sifting process; however, today a metal sieve may be used.
Because acorns contain a bitter-tasting tannin, the flour must go through a process of leaching with water prior to using it. There are several methods for this, and Franklin recommends using one of two, either drip leaching or leaching in a jar.
Her favorite method is drip leaching, as it’s faster and less labor-intensive. Flour should be put in a colander well-lined with fine cheesecloth and allowed to stand for 24 hours under a faucet turned to a slow drip. The water will collect in the colander and slowly drain out throughout the period, allowing tannins to be leached out of the flour.
To use the jar method, put the flour in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, cover the flour with plenty of water, and store the jar in the refrigerator for ten days. The water should be changed twice a day. The water will change color as the tannins release.
Once leaching is complete, the flour may be frozen and stored, dried and stored, or used immediately.
Bread made from acorn flour has a deliciously nutty flavor. Photo by Esther Oertel. Weeks earlier I had had the privilege of sitting with Millie Simon of the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians as she graciously shared with me her memories of traditional foods she ate while growing up.
In those days, there were only a handful of families living on the rancheria, most of them Simons.
Her father provided meat for the family by hunting, and they regularly ate deer and rabbit, as well as fish from local creeks, mostly steelhead trout.
Her parents ate a traditional native diet, and she recalls meals that included foods gathered from the wild, such as watercress, clover, blackberries and wild strawberries.
Pine nuts from the cones of native trees were also collected. Simon had a hand in this and remembers competing with the squirrels for them.
Seaweed was also a staple in their home, usually during May and June, and was cooked on the woodstove in flavorful fat.
Gathering and processing acorns was a regular activity in her family. They collected the short, stubby nuts from tanoak trees, which, from what I understand from other sources, is the acorn considered the tastiest.
Their method of processing acorns included a one-year drying time in their shells. In Simon’s family, the season’s haul was stored near the fireplace until ready for use the following year.
This long-handled tool typically used for collecting walnuts is handy for preserving the back when gathering acorns. Photo by Esther Oertel. Once the acorns were cracked and ground, Simon’s family leached the flour by soaking it in water, which typically took three to four days. The flour was put in a wire mesh strainer lined with cloth. Water was added to cover the flour, allowing it to soak as the water slowly drained out. This was repeated until the flour was free of bitterness, at times taking up to five days.
A traditional way to use acorn flour is to make acorn mush, done originally by adding red-hot rocks to flour and water in a watertight basket. The rocks were stirred with a stick to avoid burning the basket until the mixture thickened.
Sometimes dried elderberries or dried fish were added to the mush while cooking.
The flour and water mixture could also be baked in an oven, making a kind of bread.
Today’s recipe is for acorn bread, courtesy of Patty Franklin. She brought samples from a freshly baked loaf to her presentation, and it was delicious, with a pleasant nutty flavor. My granddaughter liked it, too; she asked for seconds, and that’s an honest compliment.
I wish to extend my thanks to Patty Franklin of the Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Millie Simon of the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, Sonia Chamberlain of the Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, and personal friend Kathy Roberts for their invaluable assistance on this column.
Acorn bread
Ingredients
1 cup acorn meal (leached) 1 cup all-purpose flour 3 teaspoons baking powder 1 teaspoon salt 3 tablespoons sugar 1 egg, beaten 1 cup milk 3 tablespoons oil
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Grease a square baking pan (8 inches by 8 inches).
Sift the dry ingredients together.
Add the liquids, stirring just enough to moisten.
Pour into greased pan and bake 30 minutes.
Cool on rack.
Recipe courtesy of Patty Franklin, Scotts Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
Musicians perform at a previous “Christmas at the Ranch” at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park in Lower Lake, California. Courtesy photo. LOWER LAKE, Calif. – As it has for the past 30 years, the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association will again host its annual Victorian “Christmas at the Ranch” open house at the historic ranch house at Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
The event will take place on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is free to the public.
The ranch house will be warmed by cheery wood fires. Coffee, hot cider, tea, cookies and other refreshments will be served.
AMIA Board Members and volunteers will be available at the Christmas event to answer questions about the ranch House and how Christmas was celebrated in Victorian days.
The Christmas tree set up in the ranch house parlor will have Victorian-style decorations and Santa Claus will be present at the event for visiting with children of all ages.
Singing along is encouraged as local musicians volunteer their time, performing Christmas carols throughout the day.
For more information about the event, contact AMIA at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-995-2658.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has many types of terriers waiting for new homes for Thanksgiving.
Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Australian Shepherd, Chihuahua, Patterdale terrier/Fell terrier, pit bull, shepherd and wirehaired terrier.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
This female terrier is in kennel No. 11, ID No. 13262. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female terrier
This female terrier has a short brindle and gray coat.
She is in kennel No. 11, ID No. 13262.
“Pessie May” ia a female Chihuahua in kennel No. 17a, ID No. 13225. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Pessie May’
“Pessie May” ia a female Chihuahua with a short white and tan coat.
She has been spayed.
She is in kennel No. 17a, ID No. 13225.
This male wirehaired terrier is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13251. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male wirehaired terrier
This male wirehaired terrier has a short black coat.
He is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 13251.
This male Patterdale terrier/Fell terrier is in kennel No. 23, ID No. 13194. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Patterdale terrier/Fell terrier
This male Patteradle or Fell terrier has a short brown and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 23, ID No. 13194.
“Scrappy” is a female wirehaired terrier in kennel No. 27a, ID No. 13174. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Scrappy’
“Scrappy” is a female wirehaired terrier with a coarse tan coat.
She is in kennel No. 27a, ID No. 13174.
This male Australian Shepherd is in kennel No. 28, ID No. 13250. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Male Australian Shepherd
This male Australian Shepherd has a long black and white coat.
He is in kennel No. 28, ID No. 13250.
“Max” is a male pit bull terrier in kennel No. 31, ID No. 13173. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Max’
“Max” is a male pit bull terrier with a short tan and white coat.
He has been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 31, ID No. 13173.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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