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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Saturday, April 8, the Spring of Hope fire benefit will be held from 6 to 9:30 p.m. at Big Valley Hall, 1510 Big Valley Road.
Proceeds will be utilized by Hope City to purchase materials to rebuild homes lost in the Valley and Clayton fires with insufficient or no insurance.
Hope City is a project of the disaster relief agency Hope Crisis Response Network from Elkhart, Ind. They can be found locally at their new office at 21277 Calistoga Street in Middletown, at the former sheriff’s substation.
Spring of Hope will feature dinner music by Levity, a seven-piece acoustic folky-rock band with a sense of humor.
Their members play an interesting array of instruments including: accordion, banjo, dobro, mandola, mandolin, melodica, harmonica, percussion, bass, guitar, saxophone and violin.
Double Standyrd from Ukiah will bring dancing music from 7:15 to 9:30 pm. The six-piece band performs classic rock and blues, Southern rock and other favorites to keep audiences dancing.
Tickets are $10, at the door only. Dinner will be sold for $8, as a benefit for Big Valley Hall renovations.
Big Valley Hall, formerly known as Big Valley Grange, is well known for their first Sunday breakfasts and holiday craft fairs.
Dinner will be homemade beef or vegan Tuscan bean stew on mashed potatoes with salad and homemade dressing. Dessert, soft drinks, wine and beer will be sold separately. Bring extra for the raffle and silent auction.
Thanks to sponsors Jonathan Smith of CANI Painting in Lakeport, Horn's Pest Control in Lakeport, Brad White of American Plumbing Co. in Kelseyville and Lake County Contractors, who have been busy rebuilding on Cobb.
Spring of Hope is produced by Spotlight On Productions in partnership with The Time Bank of Thrive Lake County, KPFZ and individual community members.
More information and photos are on Facebook at Lake County Fire Recovery Benefits. Questions can also be left at 707-278-7126.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Five people suffered injuries ranging from minor to major early Thursday morning as the result of a three-vehicle crash near Lakeport.
The crash occurred at 7 a.m. Thursday on Highway 29 south of Hill Road during rainy conditions, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The wreck involved a 1987 Acura driven by Scott Lester Jr., 26, of Hidden Valley Lake; a 2004 Cadillac driven by 36-year-old Travis Carter of Ukiah; and a 2013 BMW driven by Kathryn Smith, 37, of Lakeport, the CHP said.
The CHP said Lester was driving southbound on Highway 29, while Carter was driving northbound, followed by Smith.
For reasons still under investigation, Lester lost control of his vehicle, which went through the grass and dirt center divide and into Carter’s path. The CHP said Carter was unable to avoid Lester’s Acura, and their cars collided.
Smith saw the collision occur directly ahead of her and swerved to avoid the vehicle debris. The CHP said Smith’s BMW hit the engine block from Lester’s vehicle.
Lester suffered major injuries, including a compound fracture to his right arm and lacerations, and was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital before being transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital via air ambulance, the CHP said.
Travis Carter had moderate injuries, including a complaint of pain to the left side of his body, according to the report.
Riding as Carter’s passengers were 13-year-old Faith Carter and 4-year-old Rosemary Morgan, both also of Ukiah, the CHP said.
The CHP said both children had complaints of pain, with Faith having minor injuries and Rosemary suffering moderate injuries.
Smith also had minor injuries primarily constituting complaints of pain, the CHP said.
The CHP said Smith, Carter and the two children were all taken to Sutter Lakeside for treatment.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Lucerne man who claimed to have been the victim of a shooting last spring has been arrested for perjury, and the man he accused in the case has been exonerated.
Michael Anthony Arreaga, 56, of Lucerne was arrested on March 30 for three counts of perjury, providing false information to a grand jury and filing a false police report, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.
Anderson said Arreaga’s arrest came at the end of a three-month-long investigation by the District Attorney’s Perjury Investigation Unit, which determined that Arreaga had accidentally shot himself in the leg during an altercation at his home involving his adult son, Jason Arreaga, and Jeremy Lee Bryant of Red Bluff.
At the same time, Anderson said the investigation cleared Bryant, 40, who was arrested last April for first-degree burglary, assault with a firearm, attempted robbery and causing great bodily injury, as Lake County News has reported.
Lake County News was unable to reach Bryant’s attorney, Mitchell Hauptman, for comment on the case developments.
Anderson said the case originated on April 18, 2016, when a report was made to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office of a shooting at 6014 East Highway 20 in Lucerne.
Michael Arreaga told sheriff's deputies that Bryant and several other people had forced their way onto the Arreaga property through a security fence and then into the residence. Anderson said Arreaga told authorities that Bryant and the other individuals were there to rob his son, Jason, of marijuana and money.
Anderson said Michael Arreaga told deputies that, fearing for his life and that of his son, he got his rifle and confronted Bryant, who he said grabbed the rifle and struggled with him for control of it.
It was during that struggle that Michael Arreaga claimed that Bryant shot him in the leg, a story corroborated by his son, leading to Bryant’s arrest later that day, Anderson said.
The April 2016 incident came just two months after Jason Arreaga, 32, was acquitted at his second trial for a double homicide case in Humboldt County, as Lake County News has reported.
Then, early on the morning of July 18, 2016, Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to an address in the 14500 block of Walnut for a subject yelling and making threats that he was going to kill the person living at a nearby residence, according to acting Police Chief Tim Celli.
Celli told Lake County News that officers who responded to the scene contacted Jason Arreaga, who was trying to conceal himself behind a nearby Uhaul truck.
Celli said Jason Arreaga was found with a loaded .357-caliber handgun and narcotics and was arrested on a number of charges.
He has remained in custody since that time, with charges against him now including attempted murder and bail being set at more than $1 million, according to jail records.
Anderson said his investigators were monitoring phone calls between Michael Arreaga and his son at the jail, and during their conversations the Arreagas discussed how they were going to try to get Bryant convicted and acknowledged his innocence in the shooting.
The information about Bryant’s innocence got to the investigators on Jan. 5, just two weeks before Bryant’s jury trial was set to start, Anderson said.
On the same day, and after spending almost nine months in custody, Bryant was released from jail, pending further investigation which Anderson said ultimately cleared Bryant of the allegations.
“We didn’t want to convict an innocent person,” said Anderson, who added that, before the information was revealed, the case against Bryant had appeared very strong and likely to lead to a conviction.
As part of the followup investigation, Anderson impaneled a criminal investigative grand jury. On Jan. 27 Michael Arreaga testified before the grand jury, giving the same information that he had reported to the sheriff's deputies.
However, District Attorney's Office investigators determined that during the April 2016 altercation between Jason Arreaga and Jeremy Bryant, Michael Arreaga obtained a rifle and had accidentally shot himself in the leg, Anderson said.
It also was determined that Bryant – who the evidence suggests went to the Arreaga property for a confrontation – never entered the Arreaga residence or struggled with Michael Arreaga for the rifle as Michael Arreaga testified before the grand jury, Anderson said.
Jason Arreaga also testified before the grand jury in January. “He didn’t tell the truth,” said Anderson, but the younger Arreaga’s statements were evasive and not substantive enough to lead to criminal charges against him.
If he’s convicted of all charges, Michael Arreaga – who was in court on Tuesday – faces a maximum sentence of six years in prison, Anderson said.
Michael Arreaga remained in the Lake County Jail on Thursday, with bail set at $50,000.
Anderson said his office is continuing to actively investigate and prosecute perjury cases, and more arrests are anticipated.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A group of volunteers that has played a key role in rescuing pets and livestock from the county’s wildland fires will meet for a training this weekend, with community members interested in joining their ranks invited to attend.
Lake Evacuation & Animal Protection, or LEAP, will hold its annual meeting and training from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 8, at South Lake County Fire Protection District’s Station 60, 21095 Highway 175 in Middletown.
Nehemiah White, deputy director of Lake County Animal Care and Control and LEAP’s coordinator, said the event is both a refresher training for current volunteers and an introduction for those interested in joining.
Topics of the Saturday gathering including a LEAP introduction, fire safety/behavior, training requirements, radio protocols, go kits, LEAP software demonstration (animal management), personal protective equipment and fire shelters, and sand tray.
White said volunteers also will need to complete a volunteer application with the county, participate in online training and, if they want to be able to drive into disaster areas, have a report from the Department of Motor Vehicles approved by the county.
LEAP was formed in 2011 under the auspices of Animal Care and Control, as Lake County News has reported.
In its first year, LEAP had 12 volunteers, according to Animal Care and Control. Today, it has 48 volunteers, not counting staff, to help with staging and working with animals. Another 18 of those volunteers certified to go into the field on rescues, White said.
LEAP has worked to rescue animals from the path of several of the county’s significant wildland fires, including the Wye, Rocky, Jerusalem, Valley and Clayton.
For its work during the Valley fire – rescuing everything from dogs and cats to parrots, tortoises and livestock – LEAP received the 2015 Governor’s Volunteering and Service Award for Governmental Agency of the Year, as Lake County News has reported.
LEAP wasn’t activated during this year’s floods, but Animal Care and Control helped shelter animals from that event, White said.
Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson said White’s first assignment as deputy director was to get a trailer for the agency and LEAP’s operations.
He said the ASPCA awarded the agency a grant in December for a new disaster response trailer.
That trailer is still under construction and is expected to be completed the middle of this month, Davidson said.
For more information about LEAP call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – This winter’s storms have had serious impacts on roads in the Mendocino National Forest, where closures are in effect and repairs need to be completed.
Mendocino National Forest employees continue to inventory and evaluate roads and damage across the forest as weather and conditions permit.
Forest visitors need to be aware that there may be hazards that have not been identified yet as some areas are unsafe for employees to enter.
Several road closures are in effect and additional closures may need to be issued. Employees are noticing that travelers are going around road barriers and even trying to remove debris.
“Ignoring road barriers and trying to remove debris is dangerous for travelers and our employees. There may be more problems beyond the visible damage at the road barrier and removing debris may generate more movement on hillsides,” said Mendocino Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson.
She added, “Please be alert and adhere to all road barriers.”
As the snow continues to recede, many hazards may exist: unstable roads due to saturated soil, blocked roads from downed trees, plugged culverts, deep ruts and running water.
The local weather forecast shows showers and windy conditions likely over the next few days.
Visitors are encouraged to call ahead before traveling to the forest. Please check the forest Web site at https://www.fs.usda.gov/alerts/mendocino/alerts-notices for alerts and notices.
On Wednesday, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) joined Rep. John B. Larson (CT-01) and more than 150 original cosponsors in introducing the Social Security 2100 Act.
This bill would increase Social Security benefits for all beneficiaries, reduce taxes and prevent seniors from retiring into poverty.
“Social Security is the bedrock of our retirement program and a lifeline for seniors,” said Thompson. “Millions of seniors rely on Social Security for most of their income – especially after the 2008 financial crisis wiped out so many traditional pensions. Congress needs to make sure Social Security continues to fulfill its promise to men and women who worked hard, played by the rules, and paid into the system all their lives.”
He added, “This is personal for me. My grandmother worked her entire life, but when she retired, she received a pension of only about $53 a month. If it weren’t for Social Security, she wouldn’t have survived. Millions of American families can share similar stories. I’m proud to join Rep. Larson in introducing this plan to raise benefits and strengthen Social Security for generations to come.”
The Social Security 2100 Act would:
– Increase benefits by 2 percent for all beneficiaries.
– Cut taxes by raising the income thresholds before Social Security is taxed. Currently, individuals who earn $24,000 a year and couples who earn $32,000 a year are taxed on benefits they receive. This plan would raise those thresholds to $50,000 and $100,000 respectively, resulting in a tax cut for about 11 million Americans.
– Raise the new minimum benefit for Social Security to 120 percent of the poverty line, preventing seniors from being able to retire into poverty.
– Change the formula for calculating the Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) to better reflect the actual expenses seniors face.
– Ensure millionaires and billionaires continue to pay into the Social Security Trust Fund at the same rate as everyone else.
Later this month, Reps. Thompson and Larson will hold a series of Town Hall Meetings in California’s Fifth Congressional District to discuss this proposal and hear from local seniors. Additional details will follow.