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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A 5.0-magnitude earthquake shook The Geysers area and resulted in shake reports from around the region on Wednesday morning.
The quake occurred at 8:41 a.m. four miles west northwest of The Geysers, 14 miles north of Healdsburg and 14 miles southwest of Clearlake, at a depth right at the ground surface, the US Geological Survey reported.
A survey map showed the quake's epicenter was just within the Sonoma County boundaries. The Geysers straddles a portion of the southern Lake County boundary with Sonoma County.
It was one of the largest to be ever be reported near The Geysers, based on survey records.
As of noon Wednesday, the survey reported receiving approximately 1,298 shake reports from 132 zip codes that had been made about the quake.
Those shake reports came from around Lake County, the Bay Area and even parts of Southern California, as well as Oregon and Nevada, survey records showed.
Separately, a Cobb-area resident reported to Lake County News that the quake was so strong that it seemed like it was twisting her home.
The 5.0-magnitude quake was followed five minutes later by an earthquake measuring 3.0 in magnitude, also just below the ground surface, centered four miles west northwest of The Geysers and 12 miles north of Healdsburg and 16 miles southwest of Clearlake, the survey reported.
The second, smaller quake received 11 shake reports from 11 zip codes – including Lakeport, Clearlake, Calistoga and as far away as Galt – as of noon, according to US Geological Survey records.
A 2.6-magnitude quake then occurred mostly within the footprint of the morning's biggest quake at 11:24 a.m., the survey reported.
Those two smaller quakes also were centered in Sonoma County, based on the survey maps.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has both dogs and cats ready for new homes this week, plus a holiday adoption special.
This week's featured animals include three cats and three dogs, in a variety of ages and types.
Community members interested in taking home a new pet also are urged to ask about the city's holiday special on adoptions.
To meet the animals, contact Marcia Taylor, the animal control outreach technician, at 707-994-8201, Extension 103, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or contact Animal Control Officer Jenna Tuller at Extension 115 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those same days or leave a message on Fridays or weekends.
Also follow Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook for the latest updates.
Below are this week's available pets.
'Alexis'
“Alexis” is a 7-month-old female boxer and American Staffordshire Terrier mix.
Shelter staff said she just loves everyone, and likes to run and play, and give kisses. She needs a home for the holidays.
'Garfield'
“Garfield” is a male orange tabby with a short coat.
Shelter staff said he's a young teenager looking for his new family. He is playful and loves a warm lap.
'Madison'
“Madison” is a one-and-a-half-year-old female black Labrador Retriever and German Shepherd mix.
Shelter staff said she likes people and gets along with other dogs. Just show her a leash and she is ready to go with you.
'Rusty'
“Rusty” is a male Chihuahua and Pomeranian mix with a medium-length apricot-colored coat.
He's a very friendly boy who walked right up to the animal control officer in the middle of the street with tail wagging. The owners never even came looking for their lost baby.
He is easy to handle and gets along well with other dogs. If you are looking for a great small dog Rusty is your guy. He also is available for a reduced fee of $60.
'Tigger'
“Tigger” is a young male domestic short hair mix with an orange tabby and white coat.
Shelter staff said he is a “kickback cool cat,” who is ready to go home with you.
'Tommy'
“Tommy” is a young male domestic short hair and Cymric mix cat.
Shelter staff said he is a very nice cat, with a beautiful black and white coat.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The annual Christmas concert of the Lake County Symphony has traditionally played to a packed house, and it looks like this year’s version – taking place on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 3 p.m. – will be the same.
Symphony association members, as well as the general public, who have not yet ordered their tickets are urged to do so. They are $25 each, with premium reserved seats at $30, but are discounted $5 each for members.
They are available online at www.soperreesetheatre.com or at 707-263-0577.
There will also be a full dress rehearsal starting at 11 a.m. to which youths under 18 are admitted free. Others may also attend for an entry fee of just $5.
As is traditional the young musicians of the Symphony Association Youth Orchestra will open the concert when, under the direction of Sue Condit, they perform Henry Mancini’s “Carol for Another Christmas.”
They will also play a medley of Celtic Christmas music by David Giardiniere entitled “A Highland Holiday” featuring “The Sussex Carol,” “Good Christian Men, Rejoice,” and an Irish fiddle tune “A Merry Christmas.” For the latter Condit has added an Irish hand drum called a bodhran as well as a pennywhistle and guitar to reinforce the “fiddle music” sound.
John Parkinson, music director and conductor of the 60-piece symphonic orchestra, promises a full measure of holiday cheer with selections ranging from many of the popular Christmas favorites to the score of Tchaikovsky’s “Nutcracker.”
The latter piece will feature four of the most memorable pieces from this beloved ballet, including “Waltz of the Flowers” and, of course, “The Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy.”
Since its American debut in 1944 by the San Francisco Ballet Co. the “Nutcracker” has grown to be the most-performed ballet in the country, with some dance groups gaining more than 40 percent of their annual revenues from this one composition, almost all of it taking place during the holiday season.
Parkinson has also invited two local vocalists to join the orchestra in presenting Christmas music. They are Cory Cunningham, who is not only an accomplished trombonist – he plays this instrument in the symphony – but also a vocalist who has sung in the past with the orchestra.
Also billed on the program is 92-year-old Lorraine Gatton, who last year wowed the Soper Reese audience with her Tony Bennett-like delivery of a favorite holiday tune.
But Gatton and Cunningham are not the only singers on tap for the performance. In another tradition the entire audience will be invited to join in singing the “Hallelujah Chorus” to conclude the concert.
Volunteers from the Symphony Association will also serve complimentary cookies and juices during intermission, and a selection of premium Lake County wines will also be available at moderate prices, with all proceeds going to support the symphony and Youth Orchestra and their other music-related activities.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday, Dec. 17, ceremonies across Lake County will honor veterans during the holiday season as part of the annual Wreaths Across America Day commemoration.
On this brisk December morning the community is invited help to show the veterans and families of veterans that attend that they will not be forgotten.
Youth organizations and veteran organizations have volunteered to conduct the Wreaths Across America Ceremony this year at Hartley Cemetery, Kelseyville Cemetery, Lower Lake Cemetery, Upper Lake Cemetery and St. Mary’s Cemetery on Saturday starting promptly at 9 a.m.
Seven ceremonial wreaths will be placed to remember all soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines who served, honor their sacrifices and teach younger generations about the high cost of our freedoms.
Wreaths Across America pursues its mission with nationwide wreath-laying events amid the holiday season, and year-round educational outreach inviting all Americans to appreciate our freedoms and the cost at which they are delivered.
Specially designated wreaths for the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Merchant Marine and POW/MIA will be placed on memorials during a ceremony that will be coordinated simultaneously at more than 1,100 participating locations all across the country and overseas.
In 2015, Wreaths Across America and its national network of volunteers laid more than 901,000 memorial wreaths with help from 2,507 fundraising groups, corporate contributions, and donations of trucking, shipping and thousands of helping hands.
The wreaths for Hartley Cemetery will arrive by truck and trailer on Friday and will proceed down Main Street escorted by the Patriot Guard Riders.
The trucks are driven across country by veterans who volunteer each year to honor and remember fallen veterans.
Take an hour amid the hustle and bustle of this holiday season and bring your families to attend one of these heartfelt ceremonies that will be performed by youth organizations including Boy Scouts, Cub Scouts, Clear Lake High School Cheerleaders, 4-H, FFA, CLHS Band, Sheriff Explorers, St. Mary’s Confirmation Kids and K-Corps.
In addition, the Lake County Funeral Honors Team, Patriot Guard Riders and Honor Guard from the Travis Air Force Base will be attending at one of the locations.
Bundle up and show your support for what these veterans and their families have sacrificed. If you can’t make it don’t miss an opportunity to thank a veteran.
Organizers offer their thanks to all of those people, businesses and groups that have so generously sponsored wreaths this year and in the past to assure that veterans in Lake County are honored and remembered.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In the ongoing effort to protect Clear Lake and other county water bodies from invasive mussels, the county of Lake is asking boaters to be sure to get their 2017 Lake County quagga mussel stickers.
Boaters must get their new mussel stickers before using their vessels in any Lake County water body.
The Lake County sticker is required in addition to the mussel sticker from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
Boaters should clean, drain and dry boats after every use, and check in with a participating screener when returning from an out-of-county trip with a boat.
The county's screeners stay up-to-date with those counties in the western United States that are infested. If your vessel needs decontamination, the county offers that service for free.
The community is asked to support the program that’s keeping Lake County mussel-free.
The county also asks that community members and boaters spread the word to anyone who may not know about the most serious biofouling pest ever to be introduced to North American freshwater systems.
A few facts:
• Quagga mussels can colonize hard and soft surfaces, mud, plants, docks, boat engine cooling systems and water pipes.
• One pair of mussels produce millions of offspring in a year.
• Densities in Lake Mead since the first introduction in 2005 have grown to more than 10,000 mussels per square meter. Sixty percent of the animal population in Lake Mead is now quagga mussels.
• Beaches become littered with piles of glass-sharp shells.
• They alter the chemistry and biology of the water ecosystem.
• The basis of the aquatic food chain, plankton, is removed by these voracious feeders.
• Three new pristine lakes in the state of Montana have tested positive for quagga mussels in the past month. Up until now Montana was mussel-free.
For the latest list of screening locations see www.nomussels.com or call 707-263-2344.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Local children’s author, Cliff Vinsonhaler, donated his new book entitled “Rodey” to the Lake County Office of Education’s Hero Project.
The book tells the story of a mouse who wants to live in a house and the adventure he undergoes to make that happen.
“Rodey” is richly illustrated by Steve Ferchaud with fun, colorful images that display lots of action and adventure.
The Hero Project gave the book to families with young children who completed its recent challenge, Read Together and Educate.
The Hero Project is a program that helps parents improve their parenting skills to enrich parent-child relationships to promote healthy early childhood development.
The challenges change themes every two months during the school year to focus on specific activities and practices that parents can do with their children.
The activities and practices are designed to support physical, cognitive, language, social and emotional development in early childhood.
Regularly reading, speaking and singing to children from birth increases a child’s grasp of language, builds literacy skills and positively impacts success in school and life.
To learn more about the Hero Project or to take the current challenge, Eat Together & Nutrition, visit www.lakecountyheroproject.com .
Christine Hutt is communications coordinator for the Lake County Office of Education.