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LUCERNE, Calif. – A fire in an abandoned RV on the side of Highway 20 in Lucerne temporarily closed the roadway and threatened a nearby structure late Wednesday night.
The RV, which had been parked at the corner of 12th Avenue and Highway 20 in front of a now-closed restaurant, was first reported to be on fire shortly before 11:30 a.m.
A large plume of smoke rose through town and was visible blocks away.
The RV fire caught utility lines above it on fire as well, but a nearby tree and the closed restaurant structure did not appear to be badly damaged.
At one point during the fire, before Northshore Fire personnel arrived, there was a loud explosion, likely from a propane tank inside of the vehicle blowing up.
The fire resulted in authorities closing Highway 20 in both directions for nearly an hour, starting shortly after 11:30 a.m.
Reports from the incident command stated the fire was contained just before 12:15 a.m. Thursday, with the incident terminated 15 minutes later.
The CHP reported that the utility lines that were damaged are being handled by Mediacom. No power lines were reported to be involved.
It was not immediately clear if the vehicle fire was an arson.
However, it was not far away from the site of another suspicious car fire, which occurred in January in an alley between 12th and 13th avenues, as Lake County News has reported.
The RV was reportedly parked in that location for more than a month, and had been red-tagged by both Lake County Code Enforcement and the California Highway Patrol.
A neighbor told Lake County News that he had made calls to both agencies about the vehicle, to no avail. Lake County News also sent a written request for information to the Community Development Department about the vehicle earlier this week but had received no reply.
Someone had painted “please tow” on the side of the vehicle last week, the neighbor reported.
The CHP was on scene at the incident early Thursday and was reported to be waiting for the vehicle to be towed.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office has issued an updated tally of ballots still to count in the June 5 primary.
The preliminary vote counts reported on election night are far from final, and getting to the final election numbers is the process Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley and her staff are now undertaking, one that includes a number of checks and balances.
“The process of certifying election results, also known as the official canvass, is mandated by state law to make sure the public can have confidence in the integrity of the final results,” Fridley said in her Wednesday update.
While Fridley said her office won’t be updating the election count until it’s finalized, she did give an update on the number of ballots to be counted during the official canvass and offered a breakdown by district.
She told the Board of Supervisors at its budget hearings this week that there is an increasing trend of absentee voters waiting to the last minute to vote, which results in her staff having more ballots to count during the official canvass period.
The updated number of vote-by-mail – or absentee – ballots remaining to be counted during the official canvass period is as follows:
– Vote-by-Mail, or VBM, ballots remaining to be processed and counted: 5,289.
– Provisional ballots issued at the polls: 524.
– Conditional voter registration provisional ballots: 62.
– VBM ballots that require further review for various reasons: 187.
– Grand total: 6,062.
Fridley explained that “polls provisional ballots” are cast at the polling places on Election Day.
She said there are a variety of reasons a voter is issued a provisional ballot, including the voter’s name being highlighted on the active voter roster list as a vote-by-mail voter and the poll worker being unable to verify if the voter has returned his or her vote-by-mail ballot; the voter has moved and the new address doesn’t match the Active voter roster list or the voter moved within the county but did not re-register to vote at his/her new address; voter is voting in the wrong voting precinct and not his/her assigned voting precinct; the voter is required to provide ID, but is unable to do so; and the voter’s eligibility to vote cannot be determined by the poll worker.
Fridley said “conditional voter registration provisional ballots” can only be issued to a person personally visiting the Lake County Registrar of Voters no later than the close of the polls (prior to 8 p.m.) on Election Day. These voters are Lake County residents who miss the voter registration deadline but they still have the option to vote in an election by conditionally registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot.
Fridley said polls provisional ballots, conditional voter registration provisional ballots and vote-by-mail ballots requiring further review may be entirely counted, partially counted or not counted.
The breakdown of ballots remaining to be counted by countywide offices, congressional districts, Supervisorial Districts 2 and 3, unincorporated county-Measure G, and Community Services District-Measure F is as follows:
– Countywide offices: 5,476 VBM and 586 provisional.
– Congressional District 3: 2,260 VBM and 276 provisional.
– Congressional District 5: 3,216 VBM and 310 provisional.
– County Supervisor District 2: 605 VBM and 80 provisional.
– County Supervisor District 3: 1,024 VBM and 131 provisional.
– County of Lake - Measure “G”: 4,233 VBM and 445 provisional.
– Butler-Keys CSD – Measure “F”: 16 VBM and 0 provisional.
Fridley’s office has 30 days from Election Day to complete the official canvass and certify the final election results.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis 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 preliminary vote counts reported on election night are far from final, and getting to the final election numbers is the process Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley and her staff are now undertaking, one that includes a number of checks and balances.
“The process of certifying election results, also known as the official canvass, is mandated by state law to make sure the public can have confidence in the integrity of the final results,” Fridley said in her Wednesday update.
While Fridley said her office won’t be updating the election count until it’s finalized, she did give an update on the number of ballots to be counted during the official canvass and offered a breakdown by district.
She told the Board of Supervisors at its budget hearings this week that there is an increasing trend of absentee voters waiting to the last minute to vote, which results in her staff having more ballots to count during the official canvass period.
The updated number of vote-by-mail – or absentee – ballots remaining to be counted during the official canvass period is as follows:
– Vote-by-Mail, or VBM, ballots remaining to be processed and counted: 5,289.
– Provisional ballots issued at the polls: 524.
– Conditional voter registration provisional ballots: 62.
– VBM ballots that require further review for various reasons: 187.
– Grand total: 6,062.
Fridley explained that “polls provisional ballots” are cast at the polling places on Election Day.
She said there are a variety of reasons a voter is issued a provisional ballot, including the voter’s name being highlighted on the active voter roster list as a vote-by-mail voter and the poll worker being unable to verify if the voter has returned his or her vote-by-mail ballot; the voter has moved and the new address doesn’t match the Active voter roster list or the voter moved within the county but did not re-register to vote at his/her new address; voter is voting in the wrong voting precinct and not his/her assigned voting precinct; the voter is required to provide ID, but is unable to do so; and the voter’s eligibility to vote cannot be determined by the poll worker.
Fridley said “conditional voter registration provisional ballots” can only be issued to a person personally visiting the Lake County Registrar of Voters no later than the close of the polls (prior to 8 p.m.) on Election Day. These voters are Lake County residents who miss the voter registration deadline but they still have the option to vote in an election by conditionally registering to vote and casting a provisional ballot.
Fridley said polls provisional ballots, conditional voter registration provisional ballots and vote-by-mail ballots requiring further review may be entirely counted, partially counted or not counted.
The breakdown of ballots remaining to be counted by countywide offices, congressional districts, Supervisorial Districts 2 and 3, unincorporated county-Measure G, and Community Services District-Measure F is as follows:
– Countywide offices: 5,476 VBM and 586 provisional.
– Congressional District 3: 2,260 VBM and 276 provisional.
– Congressional District 5: 3,216 VBM and 310 provisional.
– County Supervisor District 2: 605 VBM and 80 provisional.
– County Supervisor District 3: 1,024 VBM and 131 provisional.
– County of Lake - Measure “G”: 4,233 VBM and 445 provisional.
– Butler-Keys CSD – Measure “F”: 16 VBM and 0 provisional.
Fridley’s office has 30 days from Election Day to complete the official canvass and certify the final election results.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Golden State Water Co. reported that it recently filed to decrease water rates for all service areas to pass cost savings from the new lower federal corporate income tax requirement through to customers.
If approved as submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission, rates for residential customers in the Clearlake service area will decrease by 4.33 percent on July 1, the company reported..
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 lowered the nation’s federal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2018.
As directed by the CPUC, Golden State Water is tracking the impact of the new corporate tax rate and other changes in tax law, and will submit a separate filing to credit customers for any revenue surplus resulting from the reduced tax expense during the period from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2018.
“Golden State Water is regulated by the state of California to ensure water bills reflect the full cost of providing water service and making capital investments that are critical to continue providing quality, reliable water service to customers,” said Denise Kruger, senior vice president of regulated utilities for Golden State Water. “The new tax law reduces our costs, and we are eager to pass along those savings to our customers.”
The new federal corporate income tax rate will also lower rates proposed in Golden State Water’s General Rate Case filing for 2019-2021.
Golden State Water is working with the CPUC to adjust the rate proposal and revenue requirement to reflect the lower tax requirement, which was signed into law after the rate case was filed in July 2017.
For more information regarding Golden State Water, customers are encouraged to call the 24-hour Customer Service Center at 800-999-4033, visit www.gswater.com or follow @GoldenStateH2O on Facebook and Twitter.
If approved as submitted to the California Public Utilities Commission, rates for residential customers in the Clearlake service area will decrease by 4.33 percent on July 1, the company reported..
The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 lowered the nation’s federal corporate income tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, effective Jan. 1, 2018.
As directed by the CPUC, Golden State Water is tracking the impact of the new corporate tax rate and other changes in tax law, and will submit a separate filing to credit customers for any revenue surplus resulting from the reduced tax expense during the period from Jan. 1 to June 30, 2018.
“Golden State Water is regulated by the state of California to ensure water bills reflect the full cost of providing water service and making capital investments that are critical to continue providing quality, reliable water service to customers,” said Denise Kruger, senior vice president of regulated utilities for Golden State Water. “The new tax law reduces our costs, and we are eager to pass along those savings to our customers.”
The new federal corporate income tax rate will also lower rates proposed in Golden State Water’s General Rate Case filing for 2019-2021.
Golden State Water is working with the CPUC to adjust the rate proposal and revenue requirement to reflect the lower tax requirement, which was signed into law after the rate case was filed in July 2017.
For more information regarding Golden State Water, customers are encouraged to call the 24-hour Customer Service Center at 800-999-4033, visit www.gswater.com or follow @GoldenStateH2O on Facebook and Twitter.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library’s Know Lake County program for June will feature the LakeWorks Art Gallery.
The free program will take place on Saturday, June 16, at 2 p.m. at the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library, located at 1425 N. High St.
Cheri Kessner, owner of LakeWorks and Watershed Books will present the program.
LakeWorks features the works of local artists, artisans, writers and musicians in the gallery adjacent to Watershed Books at 305 N. Main St.
The LakeWorks Web site is http://www.watershedbookco.com/lakeworks.
Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Lake County Library.
The monthly Know Lake County lectures feature speakers from a wide array of organizations and disciplines, each representing some aspect of Lake County.
Lake County PEG TV records each Know Lake County program, broadcasts it on cable Channel 8, posts it on YouTube and creates DVDs that become part of the Lake County Library’s circulation collection. More information about PEG TV can be found at www.lakecountypegtv.org .
The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary.
The library is located at 1425 N. High St. For more information call 707-263-8817.
Jan Cook is a technician with the Lake County Library.
The free program will take place on Saturday, June 16, at 2 p.m. at the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library, located at 1425 N. High St.
Cheri Kessner, owner of LakeWorks and Watershed Books will present the program.
LakeWorks features the works of local artists, artisans, writers and musicians in the gallery adjacent to Watershed Books at 305 N. Main St.
The LakeWorks Web site is http://www.watershedbookco.com/lakeworks.
Refreshments will be provided by the Friends of the Lake County Library.
The monthly Know Lake County lectures feature speakers from a wide array of organizations and disciplines, each representing some aspect of Lake County.
Lake County PEG TV records each Know Lake County program, broadcasts it on cable Channel 8, posts it on YouTube and creates DVDs that become part of the Lake County Library’s circulation collection. More information about PEG TV can be found at www.lakecountypegtv.org .
The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and Facebook at www.Facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary.
The library is located at 1425 N. High St. For more information call 707-263-8817.
Jan Cook is a technician with the Lake County Library.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Sonoma County officials said a woman from Richmond, Va., was arrested Monday for warrants related to February’s home invasion robberies and a murder in Sonoma County.
Amber Hembree, age 20, also known as “Skittles,” was arrested for the crimes, according to Sgt. Spencer Crum of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
Hembree and four men are accused of committing two Sonoma County home invasion robberies on Feb. 8, Crum said. One home invasion robbery occurred in the 1900 block of Fulton Road, the other in the 3600 block of Melcon Lane, both in unincorporated Santa Rosa.
Crum said that in both of these cases victims were tied up; two men, one at at each home, were shot. In the robbery on Melcon Lane, the victim, 54-year-old Jose Luis Torres, died as a result of his wounds. The victim from Fulton Road has survived his injury.
Detectives found the suspects’ car in Vallejo following the robberies, a pursuit ensued around Mare Island. Crum said the suspects ultimately crashed and fled on foot in Vallejo.
All four of the men were taken into custody that day but Hembree managed to escape after fleeing from the car crash, Crum said.
Crum said Sonoma County Sheriff’s detectives obtained a no-bail warrant for Hembree, charging her with one count of murder, four counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping.
He said detectives have continued to work leads in the case which led them to a home in Chester, Va. Detectives then alerted the US Marshals Service as to Hembree’s probable location.
On Monday morning, agents from the US Marshals Service found Hembree hiding in an attic of the home located in the 12000 block of Chestertowne Road. Crum said she was armed with a stolen, loaded handgun but was taken into custody without incident and was booked into a jail in Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond, Va.
Detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office immediately flew to Virginia to interview Hembree. Crum said she was due to be in court on Wednesday morning and is expected to be extradited to Sonoma County soon.
Sheriff Rob Giordano expressed his appreciation to the US Marshals Service. “Interagency cooperation of this serious case was so valuable. Along with the perseverance of our detective team, we hope to give the families some resolution. Our sincere thanks goes out to the US Marshals for their dedication and commitment.”
Amber Hembree, age 20, also known as “Skittles,” was arrested for the crimes, according to Sgt. Spencer Crum of the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office.
Hembree and four men are accused of committing two Sonoma County home invasion robberies on Feb. 8, Crum said. One home invasion robbery occurred in the 1900 block of Fulton Road, the other in the 3600 block of Melcon Lane, both in unincorporated Santa Rosa.
Crum said that in both of these cases victims were tied up; two men, one at at each home, were shot. In the robbery on Melcon Lane, the victim, 54-year-old Jose Luis Torres, died as a result of his wounds. The victim from Fulton Road has survived his injury.
Detectives found the suspects’ car in Vallejo following the robberies, a pursuit ensued around Mare Island. Crum said the suspects ultimately crashed and fled on foot in Vallejo.
All four of the men were taken into custody that day but Hembree managed to escape after fleeing from the car crash, Crum said.
Crum said Sonoma County Sheriff’s detectives obtained a no-bail warrant for Hembree, charging her with one count of murder, four counts of robbery and one count of kidnapping.
He said detectives have continued to work leads in the case which led them to a home in Chester, Va. Detectives then alerted the US Marshals Service as to Hembree’s probable location.
On Monday morning, agents from the US Marshals Service found Hembree hiding in an attic of the home located in the 12000 block of Chestertowne Road. Crum said she was armed with a stolen, loaded handgun but was taken into custody without incident and was booked into a jail in Chesterfield County, a suburb of Richmond, Va.
Detectives from the Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office immediately flew to Virginia to interview Hembree. Crum said she was due to be in court on Wednesday morning and is expected to be extradited to Sonoma County soon.
Sheriff Rob Giordano expressed his appreciation to the US Marshals Service. “Interagency cooperation of this serious case was so valuable. Along with the perseverance of our detective team, we hope to give the families some resolution. Our sincere thanks goes out to the US Marshals for their dedication and commitment.”
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport couple accused of selling young women into prostitution has entered not guilty pleas in the case and will be up for preliminary hearing next week.
Sam Lindsey Massette, 37, and Krystina Marie Pickersgill, 27, were in Lake County Superior Court on Tuesday morning for the entry of pleas, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
“They entered pleas of not guilty,” he said.
They are charged with felony counts of human trafficking, pimping and pandering, procuring for prostitution, and conspiring with other individuals whose identities are not yet known for the purposes of human trafficking, pimping and prostitution.
It’s also alleged that Massette has a prior serious felony conviction for a February 2002 vehicular manslaughter in which he ran over a 16-year-old during a San Francisco gang fight.
The couple will have their preliminary hearing on Wednesday, June 20, Anderson said.
Massette and Pickersgill were arrested on June 5 following a two-month-long investigation that began when a young woman who said they sold her into prostitution in the Bay Area approached Anderson at an April production of “Jane Doe in Wonderland,” a play about human trafficking.
That young woman is identified in court documents as “T.P.”
It’s alleged that from Sept. 21 to 30, 2017, she was taken by Massette and Pickersgill to San Francisco, where they rented a hotel room and hired her out as a prostitute over the course of two weekends, using Internet ads. Anderson said she later left under her own power.
While Massette and Pickersgill currently are only charged for “T.P.,” more charges are expected, Anderson said.
That’s because Anderson said the number of potential victims continues to grow, and his office continues to receive many calls about the case.
On Tuesday, he said there were about five or six victims, about twice the number he had cited the week the couple were arrested.
“They’re coming forward all over the place,” he said of the newest group of possible victims.
He added, “I anticipate other charges being filed fairly soon” – possibly by the end of this week.
Anderson said he and his staff are hearing from parents about how people have attempted to lure their children, and students also are coming forward to share their stories.
“It seems like it getting a lot bigger than anyone anticipated,” he said.
Both Massette and Pickersgill remain in the Lake County Jail, with bail for each set at $1 million.
On Tuesday afternoon, Anderson spoke to the Board of Supervisors during budget hearings for the county’s 2018-19 recommended budget.
He told the board he didn’t yet know the extent of human trafficking but hoped to have a handle on it by the end of his term, which is up in January.
What he knows so far is that traffickers are seeking out 14-, 15- and 16-year-old girls for prostitution.
“It is my intent to formulate a human trafficking task force,” He said.
Anderson said that task force will begin with law enforcement and eventually expand to include representatives from social organizations and the county’s high schools.
Anyone with information about Massette or Pickersgill and attempts to lure young people into prostitution are encouraged to call the District Attorney’s Office at 707-263-2251.
Email Elizabeth Larson at