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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Firefighters are battling a wildland fire along Highway 20 east of Clearlake Oaks.
The Mule fire near the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision was first reported at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to radio reports.
The California Highway Patrol’s incident reports stated that the fire began as the result of a motorhome that caught fire along Highway 20 and spread rapidly to the nearby hillside.
Firefighters from Northshore Fire, Lake County Fire and Cal Fire are working at the scene, which is reported to be a quarter-mile east of the entrance to the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision, located about 13 miles east of Clearlake Oaks.
The sheriff’s office issued an evacuation order for the Double Eagle Ranch as a result of the fire just after 3 p.m., canceling that order about a half-hour later.
Cal Fire’s air attack has been actively working the incident, using Copter 104 from Boggs Mountain, Copter 101 from Howard Forest and tankers from Beale Air Force Base, according to radio reports.
Just before 3:55 p.m., air attack estimated the fire’s size to be 20 acres, with helicopters working to control a spot fire ahead of the main fire.
The sheriff’s office said Highway 20 is open to one lane of traffic.
The agency said motorists should travel through the area with caution, as there are numerous fire trucks and emergency vehicles in the area.
A four-acre fire at the entrance to the Double Eagle Ranch was controlled on Aug. 27, as Lake County News has reported.
Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.
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 Mule fire near the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision was first reported at about 2:45 p.m. Tuesday, according to radio reports.
The California Highway Patrol’s incident reports stated that the fire began as the result of a motorhome that caught fire along Highway 20 and spread rapidly to the nearby hillside.
Firefighters from Northshore Fire, Lake County Fire and Cal Fire are working at the scene, which is reported to be a quarter-mile east of the entrance to the Double Eagle Ranch subdivision, located about 13 miles east of Clearlake Oaks.
The sheriff’s office issued an evacuation order for the Double Eagle Ranch as a result of the fire just after 3 p.m., canceling that order about a half-hour later.
Cal Fire’s air attack has been actively working the incident, using Copter 104 from Boggs Mountain, Copter 101 from Howard Forest and tankers from Beale Air Force Base, according to radio reports.
Just before 3:55 p.m., air attack estimated the fire’s size to be 20 acres, with helicopters working to control a spot fire ahead of the main fire.
The sheriff’s office said Highway 20 is open to one lane of traffic.
The agency said motorists should travel through the area with caution, as there are numerous fire trucks and emergency vehicles in the area.
A four-acre fire at the entrance to the Double Eagle Ranch was controlled on Aug. 27, as Lake County News has reported.
Additional information will be reported as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake has welcomed three new officers to its police department.
During a formal swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 31, Mauricio Barreto and Jonathon Reynolds took their oaths as police officers and Officer Melinda Wymer was sworn in as a new animal control officer, according to City Manager Greg Folsom.
Reynolds is new to law enforcement, while Barreto is a law enforcement veteran, having previously worked for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Folsom said several experienced officers recently resigned to take positions with other agencies, which created opportunities to hire new officers.
“We are proud to bring Officers Barreto and Officer Reynolds onto our team as new police officers, and we are very happy to be bringing on Animal Control Officer Wymer as an additional resource for our Animal Control unit,” said acting Police Chief Tim Celli.
Folsom and Mayor Russ Perdock were in attendance at the swearing in.
“The Clearlake Police Department does an amazing job with the resources that they have and Officers Barreto and Reynolds will help us with our goal of improving safety in our community,” said Folsom. “Animal Control Officer Wymer will be a great asset as well as we increase our capacity by bringing on a second animal control officer.”
During a formal swearing-in ceremony at City Hall on Thursday, Aug. 31, Mauricio Barreto and Jonathon Reynolds took their oaths as police officers and Officer Melinda Wymer was sworn in as a new animal control officer, according to City Manager Greg Folsom.
Reynolds is new to law enforcement, while Barreto is a law enforcement veteran, having previously worked for the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Folsom said several experienced officers recently resigned to take positions with other agencies, which created opportunities to hire new officers.
“We are proud to bring Officers Barreto and Officer Reynolds onto our team as new police officers, and we are very happy to be bringing on Animal Control Officer Wymer as an additional resource for our Animal Control unit,” said acting Police Chief Tim Celli.
Folsom and Mayor Russ Perdock were in attendance at the swearing in.
“The Clearlake Police Department does an amazing job with the resources that they have and Officers Barreto and Reynolds will help us with our goal of improving safety in our community,” said Folsom. “Animal Control Officer Wymer will be a great asset as well as we increase our capacity by bringing on a second animal control officer.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s unemployment rate ticked up again in July, as did the rest of California’s, according to the latest report on joblessness statewide.
The California Employment Development Department reported that Lake County’s July unemployment rate was 6 percent, up from a revised 5.7 percent in June 2017, and below the year-ago estimate of 6.4 percent.
California’s overall unemployment rate in July was 4.8 percent, up from 4.7 percent in June. In July 2016, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent.
The report said California’s employers added 82,600 nonfarm payroll jobs in July; California has
now gained a total of 2,597,500 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
Nationwide, the U.S. unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point in July to 4.3 percent, with employers nationwide adding 209,000 nonfarm payroll jobs. The nationwide unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July 2016.
The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 16,784,100 in July, a net gain of 82,600 jobs from June, according to a survey of 71,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, July 2016 to July 2017, shows an increase of 276,300 jobs, up 1.7 percent.
The federal household survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed Californians over the month but an increase over the year.
The survey estimated that the number of Californians holding jobs in July was 18,212,000, a decrease of 25,000 from June, but up 140,000 from the employment total in July of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 925,000 in July – up by 24,000 over the month,
but down by 114,000 compared with July of last year.
In Lake County, the “total farm” employment category rose by 12.6 percent in July, while the total “nonfarm” category dropped by 1.6 percent.
Within the nonfarm category, subcategories showing the largest gains were 6.3 percent, federal government, financial activities, 2.7 percent; and mining, and logging and construction, 1.5 percent. Largest losses were in wholesale trade, 8.3 percent; leisure and hospitality, 4.3 percent; government, 3.5 percent; and goods producing, 1.7 percent.
The Employment Development Department said jobless rates for the various communities within Lake County in July are as follows, from lowest to highest: Cobb, 1.2 percent; Nice, 3.1 percent; north Lakeport, 3.2 percent; Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown, tied, 3.3 percent; Lakeport, 4.1 percent; Kelseyville, 4.2 percent; Upper Lake, 5.9 percent; Lucerne, 7.5 percent; city of Clearlake, 9 percent; Clearlake Oaks, 9.2 percent; and Lower Lake, 12.6 percent.
Lake County’s jobless rate in July earned it a ranking of No. 34 out of the state’s 58 counties.
Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings in July were Colusa, 11.6 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 8 percent, No. 46; Mendocino, 4.8 percent, No. 15; Napa, 3.9 percent, No. 5; Sonoma, 3.9 percent, No. 5; and Yolo, 5.3 percent, No. 23.
The lowest unemployment statewide, 3.2 percent, was in San Mateo County, while Imperial had the highest, 24.2 percent.
The Employment Development Department also reported that there were 343,729 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the July survey week, compared with
330,417 in June and 353,609 in July of last year.
At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 45,264 in July, compared with 46,876 in June and 42,923 in July of last year, the agency said.
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 California Employment Development Department reported that Lake County’s July unemployment rate was 6 percent, up from a revised 5.7 percent in June 2017, and below the year-ago estimate of 6.4 percent.
California’s overall unemployment rate in July was 4.8 percent, up from 4.7 percent in June. In July 2016, the unemployment rate was 5.4 percent.
The report said California’s employers added 82,600 nonfarm payroll jobs in July; California has
now gained a total of 2,597,500 jobs since the economic expansion began in February 2010.
The unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,100 California households.
Nationwide, the U.S. unemployment rate decreased 0.1 percentage point in July to 4.3 percent, with employers nationwide adding 209,000 nonfarm payroll jobs. The nationwide unemployment rate was 4.9 percent in July 2016.
The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California totaled 16,784,100 in July, a net gain of 82,600 jobs from June, according to a survey of 71,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-over change, July 2016 to July 2017, shows an increase of 276,300 jobs, up 1.7 percent.
The federal household survey, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, shows a decrease in the number of employed Californians over the month but an increase over the year.
The survey estimated that the number of Californians holding jobs in July was 18,212,000, a decrease of 25,000 from June, but up 140,000 from the employment total in July of last year.
The number of unemployed Californians was 925,000 in July – up by 24,000 over the month,
but down by 114,000 compared with July of last year.
In Lake County, the “total farm” employment category rose by 12.6 percent in July, while the total “nonfarm” category dropped by 1.6 percent.
Within the nonfarm category, subcategories showing the largest gains were 6.3 percent, federal government, financial activities, 2.7 percent; and mining, and logging and construction, 1.5 percent. Largest losses were in wholesale trade, 8.3 percent; leisure and hospitality, 4.3 percent; government, 3.5 percent; and goods producing, 1.7 percent.
The Employment Development Department said jobless rates for the various communities within Lake County in July are as follows, from lowest to highest: Cobb, 1.2 percent; Nice, 3.1 percent; north Lakeport, 3.2 percent; Hidden Valley Lake and Middletown, tied, 3.3 percent; Lakeport, 4.1 percent; Kelseyville, 4.2 percent; Upper Lake, 5.9 percent; Lucerne, 7.5 percent; city of Clearlake, 9 percent; Clearlake Oaks, 9.2 percent; and Lower Lake, 12.6 percent.
Lake County’s jobless rate in July earned it a ranking of No. 34 out of the state’s 58 counties.
Neighboring county jobless rates and rankings in July were Colusa, 11.6 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 8 percent, No. 46; Mendocino, 4.8 percent, No. 15; Napa, 3.9 percent, No. 5; Sonoma, 3.9 percent, No. 5; and Yolo, 5.3 percent, No. 23.
The lowest unemployment statewide, 3.2 percent, was in San Mateo County, while Imperial had the highest, 24.2 percent.
The Employment Development Department also reported that there were 343,729 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the July survey week, compared with
330,417 in June and 353,609 in July of last year.
At the same time, new claims for Unemployment Insurance were 45,264 in July, compared with 46,876 in June and 42,923 in July of last year, the agency said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has issued an update on plans for a memorial service this weekend for a fallen deputy.
Deputy Rob Rumfelt, 50, died in the line of duty on Aug. 22 in Lakeport following a fight with a domestic violence suspect and a vehicle crash, as Lake County News has reported.
Sgt. Corey Paulich said Rumfelt’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Clear Lake High School’s Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.
The service is scheduled to begin promptly at 10 a.m., Paulich said.
Paulich said parking for public vehicles will be provided at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street. The public will be shuttled from the fairgrounds to Clear Lake High School and then back to the fairgrounds after the memorial service.
No privately owned vehicles will be permitted to park on the school grounds due to the lack of available spaces, Paulich said. Personnel will be available at the fairgrounds to assist the public regarding where to park, as well as where to catch the shuttle.
He said shuttle services will begin at 7:30 a.m. to transport the public to the high school. The last shuttle from the fairgrounds to the high school will be at 9 a.m. Shuttles back to the fairgrounds will begin shortly after the services end.
Paulich said it’s anticipated that a large amount of law enforcement and fire personnel will be arriving throughout the morning resulting in heavy traffic flow around the school campuses.
All motorists are being advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes of travel, he said.
Deputy Rob Rumfelt, 50, died in the line of duty on Aug. 22 in Lakeport following a fight with a domestic violence suspect and a vehicle crash, as Lake County News has reported.
Sgt. Corey Paulich said Rumfelt’s memorial service will be held on Saturday, Sept. 9, at Clear Lake High School’s Don Owens Stadium in Lakeport.
The service is scheduled to begin promptly at 10 a.m., Paulich said.
Paulich said parking for public vehicles will be provided at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street. The public will be shuttled from the fairgrounds to Clear Lake High School and then back to the fairgrounds after the memorial service.
No privately owned vehicles will be permitted to park on the school grounds due to the lack of available spaces, Paulich said. Personnel will be available at the fairgrounds to assist the public regarding where to park, as well as where to catch the shuttle.
He said shuttle services will begin at 7:30 a.m. to transport the public to the high school. The last shuttle from the fairgrounds to the high school will be at 9 a.m. Shuttles back to the fairgrounds will begin shortly after the services end.
Paulich said it’s anticipated that a large amount of law enforcement and fire personnel will be arriving throughout the morning resulting in heavy traffic flow around the school campuses.
All motorists are being advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes of travel, he said.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A program offered by Habitat for Humanity Lake County aims at helping to make home improvements specifically for the county’s large veteran population.
World War II veteran Andrew Pappas, 92, is a Kelseyville resident and one of a dwindling number of veterans from that war.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he joined the war effort by entering the U.S. Navy in 1943 at the age of 18 and served in the Pacific Arena as an aviation ordnance crewman aboard the supercarrier U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.
The passage of years has taken away many of the memories of those times, but he remembers firing cannons at people and being shot at.
“Those were frightening times,” he recalls, “but we did our job. It’s what we were there for.”
After his discharge in 1946, he returned to Pennsylvania for a time where he worked for Pennsylvania General Energy for a time as a drafting engineer before moving to Southern California. There he worked for Wilson Sports as a salesman until his retirement.
During that time, Pappas met several sports celebrities and amassed a collection of more than 2,000 varieties of golf balls, which he still owns.
He eventually retired to Lake County, where he spends his time watching television and playing with his dog, Penny.
In gratitude for his service to our country, Habitat for Humanity Lake County, with financial support from the Home Depot Foundation, was honored to be able to provide numerous repairs to his home, in addition to a wheelchair lift that enables him to get in and out of his home.
“I don’t go out much,” Pappas said, “as it’s too hard to go anywhere anymore. But I’m grateful I don’t need to struggle with the stairs anymore.”
If you are a military veteran, or know a military veteran who is need of home repair services, please contact Habitat for Humanity Lake County at 707-994-1100 for information on how to apply.
World War II veteran Andrew Pappas, 92, is a Kelseyville resident and one of a dwindling number of veterans from that war.
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, he joined the war effort by entering the U.S. Navy in 1943 at the age of 18 and served in the Pacific Arena as an aviation ordnance crewman aboard the supercarrier U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.
The passage of years has taken away many of the memories of those times, but he remembers firing cannons at people and being shot at.
“Those were frightening times,” he recalls, “but we did our job. It’s what we were there for.”
After his discharge in 1946, he returned to Pennsylvania for a time where he worked for Pennsylvania General Energy for a time as a drafting engineer before moving to Southern California. There he worked for Wilson Sports as a salesman until his retirement.
During that time, Pappas met several sports celebrities and amassed a collection of more than 2,000 varieties of golf balls, which he still owns.
He eventually retired to Lake County, where he spends his time watching television and playing with his dog, Penny.
In gratitude for his service to our country, Habitat for Humanity Lake County, with financial support from the Home Depot Foundation, was honored to be able to provide numerous repairs to his home, in addition to a wheelchair lift that enables him to get in and out of his home.
“I don’t go out much,” Pappas said, “as it’s too hard to go anywhere anymore. But I’m grateful I don’t need to struggle with the stairs anymore.”
If you are a military veteran, or know a military veteran who is need of home repair services, please contact Habitat for Humanity Lake County at 707-994-1100 for information on how to apply.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Democratic Central Committee will hold its regular monthly business meeting on Thursday, Sept. 7.