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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Firefighters from several agencies were part of the effort to quickly knock down two early morning fires, one at a home that burned a vehicle and outbuilding and another that did some limited damage at a Lakeport grocery store.
The fires at the residence in the 4800 block of George Road and at Bruno's Shop Smart on Lakeport Boulevard were reported on Thursday at about 3:30 a.m. and 4:15 a.m. respectively, based on radio traffic.
Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison said his district, along with Kelseyville Fire and Cal Fire responded, to the fire at the George Road residence.
He said the family living there was awakened to sounds of popping. They went out to find a pickup on fire, which in turn ignited a nearby shed.
The fire also burned a small amount of grass, with Hutchison pointing out that the family had kept their grass mowed, which kept the fire from spreading.
He said he's not yet 100-percent sure of a final cause, but that it appears to have started with the pickup, which along with the shed was destroyed in the fire.
As they were getting that fire under control, Hutchison and some of the units left to go to the fire at Bruno's, where Lakeport Police officers were on scene clearing the building of about three employees, based on radio reports.
While initial reports indicated the fire was seen on the outside of the building, Hutchison said there actually was not any fire on the exterior. “The fire was contained inside.”
He added, “The fire for the most part was confined to the roof and a flue vent from one of their commercial ovens.”
The main damage was to ceiling tiles, a membrane used to seal the roof and an air pump for ventilating the store's oven. Hutchison said the rooftop unit was destroyed.
He said firefighters had to cut out a 10-foot by 6-foot section of insulation and roof membrane away during overhaul, but did not have to cut down into the metal decking.
Inside, firefighters “shot a little bit of water back inside the bakery section,” but Hutchison said most of the water in the store came through the roof from the firefighting effort on top of the building.
There also was light smoke throughout the entire store when firefighters arrived, which Hutchison said they cleared out using large positive pressure fans at the store entrances.
Pacific Gas and Electric also responded, said Hutchison, and helped isolate the electricity in the bakery and the rooftop so firefighters could safely work on overhaul.
Hutchison said Lakeport Fire's resources included one engine and a ladder truck, Kelseyville Fire sent an engine, Northshore Fire sent three engines and a battalion chief and Cal Fire had an engine and battalion chief on scene. A ladder truck that had been requested from Lake County Fire was canceled en route. Units cleared the scene at about 6:30 a.m.
Hutchison said the incident looked like a classic chimney fire, with a buildup of flammable material in the flue.
He did not offer a damage estimate but said that the structure itself had little overall damage, with the main loss being the rooftop air pump unit.
The store itself is open and operating, said Hutchison, who visited the store later in the day to pick up equipment.
He said the bakery section will have to be closed temporarily for repairs and will need a health department inspection to reopen.
At the store on Thursday afternoon, it was mostly business as usual, with the exception of the bakery services being offline temporarily and some of the impacts from the firefighting effort, according to store manager, Carlos Fagundes.
He said the damage was mostly isolated to the roof, with the only disruption being the water used to fight the fire.
Fagundes said he expected the store to be fully operational on Friday, except for the bakery, where he believed repairs will take about a week.
In the meantime, he said Bruno's will bring in baked goods from a sister store in Clearlake.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A fire early Thursday morning caused damage at a Lakeport grocery store.
The fire at Bruno's Shop Smart, 355 Lakeport Blvd., was first reported just before 4:15 a.m. on Thursday, according to the initial dispatch.
The original report indicated that there was a fire in the roof near the bakery.
At around 3:30 a.m., Lakeport Fire and Cal Fire units had been dispatched to a fire in the 4800 block of George Road where a small outbuilding and about a quarter-acre of vegetation had burned, with units leaving that scene to get to the incident at Bruno's, radio reports indicated.
Just before firefighters arrived at Bruno's, Lakeport Police officers who were at the store reported that fire was showing on the building's south side and on a portion of the roof, with extension into the building.
At that point the officers were working to clear the building, with reports indicating that three employees had been present at that point.
Lakeport Fire units that arrived confirmed there was a working roof fire on the building's south end with extension into the store's bakery area.
Chief Doug Hutchison asked for mutual aid from Northshore Fire as well as a ladder truck from Lake County Fire, in addition to the ladder truck from his district. The Lake County Fire ladder truck later was canceled as firefighters got the blaze under control.
Firefighters worked on the roof of the building, where they reported laying down hose in an effort to reach the fire, which was knocked down at around 5 a.m. The fire was reported to be fully contained at about 5:05 a.m.
Pacific Gas and Electric arrived on scene shortly after 5 a.m. to help with turning off certain electric panels so firefighters could safely work on overhaul, according to radio traffic.
By that point the store's manager also was reported to be on scene and being taken into the building by firefighters to look at damage.
The extent of damage to the store was not immediately available at the time of publishing, with firefighters still engaged in working on overhaul of the fire at that point.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Fair will open on Thursday evening with a parade and offer four days filled with entertainment, competitions and livestock shows.
The fair kicks off with a parade the begins at 5:30 p.m. and moves along Main Street south from Eighth Street and up to the fairgrounds' main gate on Martin Street, led by Grand Marshals Grant and Ross Hardester.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 6 p.m. at which time the gates will open and the “Party with the Animals” – this year's fair theme – begins.
City officials estimate about 2,000 people will be in attendance for the parade and opening night events.
The Lake County Fair is one of the county's summertime events, and is enjoyed by an estimated 35,000 people each year.
The annual event offers music, contests, livestock shows, exhibits and competitions, vendors, food,
and the Midway of Fun.
Admission rates are $10 for adults, $6 for seniors (age 60 and up), $6 for children (ages 6 through 11), and children age 5 and under have free admission.
Thursday is Kids Day, when children age 11 and under are admitted for $3.
For more information visit www.lakecountyfair.com or follow the fair on Facebook.
The Lake County Fairgrounds are located at 401 Martin St., Lakeport.
The full schedule follows.
THURSDAY, SEPT. 1
Special attractions
– Kid's Day, Children 11 and under – $3 admission.
– Draft horse wagon rides.
– Pig racing, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
– Family Fun Area in Fiesta Park; a great place for Mom and Dad to relax with youngsters.
– Mickey the Clown, strolling balloon sculptor Fill-up and magician Ken Garr can be found performing throughout the grounds, plus much, much more.
Schedule
8 a.m.: Junior Rabbit and Cavy Show, Junior Swine Show, Baldwin Pavilion
1 p.m.: Junior Sheep Show, Baldwin Pavilion
3 p.m.: Junior Meat Goat Show, Baldwin Pavilion
5:30 p.m.: Parade begins on Main Street
6 p.m.: Opening ceremonies, main gate; Blue Ribbon Dinner, Academy Park; fair gates open
6 to 9 p.m.: Maker demonstration – Jewelry making by Amy Patton in Lewis Hall
6:30 p.m.: Michael Barrish, singer-songwriter, country soul, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
7 p.m.: Johnny Tsunami, high octane American roots rock, Lake County News Main Stage; maker demonstration, Lake County Arts Council’s Diane Liebe and Richard Schmidt, watercolor sip and paint, Fritch Hall
7:30 p.m.: Fiesta of the Horse, fun-filled horse entertainment event, sponsored by St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake
8 p.m.: Clear Lake Clikkers – Mediacom Gazebo Stage
8:30 p.m.: Johnny Tsunami, high octane American roots rock, Lake County News Main Stage
10 p.m.: Buildings close
11 p.m.: Fair closes
FRIDAY, SEPT. 2
Special attractions
– Carnival pay-one-price day, $30; purchase in the carnival.
– Walk-on contest, favorite summer flower arrangement at Flower Hall. Walk in your entry between 4 and 5 p.m. and join the competition.
– Children’s Story Time.
– Draft horse wagon rides.
– Pig racing, 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
– Mickey the Clown, strolling balloon sculptor Fill-up and magician Ken Garr can be found performing throughout the grounds, plus much, much more.
Schedule
8 a.m.: Junior Poultry and Turkey Show, Baldwin Pavilion
9 a.m.: Open Dairy Goat Show, Alexander Barn Arena; Junior Beef and Dairy Cattle Show, Baldwin Pavilion
9 to 11 a.m.: School tours
12 p.m.: Junior Dairy Goat Show, Baldwin Pavilion
4 p.m.: Gates open; maker demonstration, Lake County Arts Council’s Richard Seisser, pastels, Fritch Hall
4:30 p.m.: David Neft, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
5 p.m.: Fargo Brothers, Americana, Rock 'n' Roll, blues, Lake County News Main Stage; maker demonstration, custom leather by Don McCown, Lewis Hall
5:30 p.m.: Favorite summer flower arrangement contest, Flower Hall; Junior Dog Care and Training, Alexander Barn Arena
6:30 p.m.: David Neft, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
7 p.m.: MendoLake Mudd Bogg Nationals presented by Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino, Main Grandstands; maker demonstration, Kerri Hershey, free motion machine quilting demonstration in Clothing and Textile Building
7:45 p.m.: Fargo Brothers, Americana, Rock 'n' Roll, blues, Lake County News Main Stage
9 p.m.: Fargo Brothers, Americana, Rock 'n' Roll, blues – Lake County News Main Stage
10 p.m.: Buildings close
11 p.m.: Fair closes
SATURDAY, SEPT. 3
Special attractions
– Junior Livestock Auction and Round Robin Competition, Baldwin Pavilion.
– Carnival pay-one-price day, $30; purchase in the carnival.
– Walk-on contest, favorite summer flower arrangement at Flower Hall. Walk in your entry between 4 and 5 p.m. and join the competition.
– Children’s Story Time with Cookie Mouse appearance.
– Draft horse wagon rides, climbing wall, award winning chainsaw carving, plus much more.
– Pig racing: 12:30 p.m., 2:30 p.m., 4:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 8:30 p.m.
– Mickey the Clown, strolling balloon sculptor Fill-up and magician Ken Garr can be found performing throughout the grounds, plus much, much more.
– Music on two stages plus evening grandstand events are all free.
Schedule
10:30 a.m.: Gates open; Junior Livestock buyers registration and luncheon, Baldwin Pavilion
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.: Lake County Library storyteller Barbara Green reading “Cookie Mouse,” Family Fun Area; maker demonstration, Lake County Arts Council’s Marilyn Crayton and Randy Kocker, gourd decorating, Fritch Hall
11:30 a.m.: Majide!, duo of standard jazz classics from the Great American Songbook, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
Noon: Groovy Judy, upbeat, danceable rock, pop and funk, Lake County News Main Stage
1 p.m.: Junior Livestock Auction, Baldwin Pavilion; walk-on contest, Farm Animal Bingo, Lewis Hall; maker demonstration, Lake County Arts Council’s David Stillwell, abalone jewelry, Fritch Hall; kids fun time, candle play with Stephanie Figueroa, Family Fun Area
1:30 p.m.: Majide!, duo of standard jazz classics from the Great American Songbook, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
2 to 4 p.m.: Maker demonstration, Sheila O’Hara, weaving demonstration, Clothing and Textile Building
2 p.m.: Groovy Judy, upbeat, danceable rock, pop and funk, Lake County News Main Stage
2:30 p.m.: Walk on contest, favorite chocolate layer cake contest takes place at Lewis Hall; walk in your entry between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. and join the competition.
3 p.m.: Majide!, duo of standard jazz classics from the Great American Songbook, Mediacom Gazebo Stage
3 to 5 p.m.: Maker demonstration, Desiree Todd, cheese making, Lewis Hall; maker demonstration – Lake County Arts Council’s Sandy Stillwell, memory wire jewelry, Fritch Hall
4 p.m.: Walk on contest, knucklebones contest takes place at Flower Hall; Groovy Judy, upbeat, danceable rock, pop and funk, Lake County News Main Stage
5 p.m.: Austin & Owens, neo-Flamenco and jazz duo – Mediacom Gazebo Stage
5 to 7 p.m.: Maker demonstration, custom leather by Don McCown, Lewis Hall
5:30 p.m.: Maker demonstration, Kerri Hershey, free motion machine quilting demonstration in Clothing and Textile Building
6 p.m.: Round Robin, Baldwin Pavilion; maker demonstration, Two Chick’s Tasty Treats Food Fun, chocolate work, Lewis Hall
6 to 7:30 p.m.: Two Chick’s Tasty Treats, Lewis Hall
6 to 8 p.m.: Goat milking, by hand and machine, Mather Barn
6:30 p.m.: Amateur Talent Contest – Lake County News Main Stage
7 p.m.: Motorcycle TT and Flat Track Racing presented by Twin Pine Casino & Hotel, Main Grandstands; Austin & Owens, neo-Flamenco and jazz duo – Mediacom Gazebo Stage
8 p.m.: Hip Replacements, blues, rock, R&B, Lake County News Main Stage
8:30 p.m.: Austin & Owens, neo-Flamenco and jazz duo – Mediacom Gazebo Stage
9:30 p.m.: Hip Replacements, blues, rock, R&B, Lake County News Main Stage
10 p.m.: Buildings close
11 p.m.: Fair closes
SUNDAY, SEPT. 4
Schedule
11 a.m.: Fair opens
1 p.m.: Finger print animal art, Fritch Hall
2:30 p.m.: Favorite fruit crisp contest, Lewis Hall
6 p.m.: Stock car, dirt and boat races, Grandstands
10 p.m.: Buildings close
11 p.m.: Fair closes
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The last ice age, several thousand years ago, dropped the ocean and allowed the Bering Strait to become a land 1,000 miles wide.
From Asia they came; the First Americans. These men followed the herds across this desolate terrain to North America.
They were a handsome race, varying from five and a half to six feet in height. Hardy people, these first Native Americans shared that world with saber-tooth cats, giant bears and mammoths.
Came a warmer time in what would become Lake County. With the warmth came rain. No longer did the pines and cypress hold court all the way to Clear Lake’s shores. Oaks and chaparral had their day and covered the land.
The transition was swift. By comparison, with the eons it had taken the planet’s heaving tectonic plates to settle down, the last 200 centuries were but a speck of geological time.
The glaciers melted and the oceans rose. Unmolested, the Amerinds prospered besides the shores of Clear Lake. The climate had cold wet winters and hot dry summers.
The first Americans were tool makers. They made stone mills to grind acorns and seeds for meal and bread. They chipped obsidian to make their spearheads for their darts and spears. They made weapons; axes, bows and arrows, spears. They used native copper, animal bone, flint, obsidian and stone. The shorter throwing spear was accurate to 100 feet.
They hooked, harpooned, and netted fish. Made from the reeds of the tule that grew in abundance around Clear Lake, inhabitants became the finest basket weavers in North America. Basketry gave the Indians pots and dishes.
To keep warm through the wet Lake County winters, they wore animal skins and kept fires burning in their wickiups and huts of reeds. They prospered and grew in numbers.
Five thousand years ago Cow Mountain’s southern face fell away. The massive landslide covered the land where Highway 20 runs today. The river channel from Clear lake to the Russian River was blocked.
Clear Lake’s on-again, off-again romance between the Sacramento River and the Russian River ended abruptly and the Lake rose higher than a six-story building. Time and erosion cut a new outlet and Clear Lake flowed with a rush through Cache Creek and into the Sacramento River once more.
There was trading. The first Americans invented a medium of exchange: bead money.
Elephant ear clam shells, found along the coast, used as currency, was called “white money.” Valued according to size, the shells were cut into buttons or discs and strung on a string of the inner bark of one of the milkweed plants.
Red-backed ear shells were Indian bills and coins of currency. According to size, they were worth, in present day coinage, anywhere from a nickel to a dollar each.
Around the shores of Clear Lake there was plenty. Pomo, Yuki, and Miwok lived there. Villages were run by “captains.” There was a class structure and some Amerinds were wealthier than others.
The “tule potato,” roots of the tule reed, furnished nutrients. There were acorns, seeds and a score of edible plants. There was no need for agriculture as it was in other places in the world.
Fish, along with clams, shell fish and mussels, were plentiful. The hills and woods above the lake were filled with deer, bears, and other game. The lakes had fish and fowl. Ducks were caught with slings and skipping stones thrown with such accuracy a single stone could strike several birds.
By 1500 AD the native population of Northern California had grown to more than a third of a million people.
There was light snow in winter and the weather was mild. The land was covered with pine and cypress. As the marshy land around the lake dried, oaks and chaparral appeared.
The groups and tribes remained small and lived separately several miles apart around Clear Lake. Trails to the sea let them travel far for trading, to hunt and to gather salt.
Then came a new and more difficult time for the first Americans. In 1600 AD other men came to the Northern California Coast; first the Spanish, then the Mexicans, and finally, the Americans.
All of them brought the unwelcome baggage of civilization; smallpox, pollution, and genocide. By the turn of the century, 1900, only a fraction the one-time great numbers of Native Americans, that once covered California, was only a memory.
Came a sorry peace to Lake County at last. After a 140 million years, time had run its course.
Under the watchful eye of mighty Konocti, the red mountain continued to stand guard over Clear Lake.
All was still at last ... but the fire beneath our beds did not sleep and some silent night we may yet be wakened from our slumber.
Next time: The discovery of Clear Lake.
Author, storyteller and illustrator Gene Paleno lives in Witter Springs. He is author of “Lake County History: A Mystical Adventure in Time.” The book costs $32, including tax and shipping, and is available through Pal Publishing, P.O. Box 6, Upper Lake, Ca 95485. Contact Paleno at
Legislation to help businesses recover from natural disasters recently passed the California Legislature with unanimous bipartisan support.
The bill – authored by Lake County's representatives in the state Legislature, Assemblyman Bill Dodd (D-Napa) and Sen. Mike McGuire (D-Healdsburg) – will provide tax relief by allowing impacted businesses to defer tax payments without additional costs.
The idea for the bill was brought forward by Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma in the aftermath of the 2015 Valley fire in Lake County.
“When residents and businesses are impacted by disasters, the state needs to step up to help them recover. Giving these businesses additional time and flexibility in their tax deadlines is the least the state can do to help the recovery process,” said Dodd. “I’m proud to help lead these efforts with Sen. Mike McGuire and Chairwoman Fiona Ma. I urge Gov. Brown to sign AB 1559 as soon as possible, so taxpayers struggling from recent wildfires across the state can get relief.”
“Lake County has seen tremendous devastation in the wake of the Valley fire last year, and now the Clayton Fire and small businesses need assistance in the aftermath of these disasters. We’re grateful to partner with Assemblymember Dodd and BOE Member Ma to ensure local business owners have some peace of mind and needed tax relief during this recovery period,” McGuire said.
Over the past several years California has experienced some of the most destructive fires in California's history.
In 2015 Dodd’s Fourth Assembly District contained nearly 58 percent of the total extinguished acreage by Cal Fire across the entire state.
In Lake County alone, the Valley fire destroyed nearly 2,000 structures over a 23-day period, ultimately becoming the third most destructive fire in California history.
The 2016 wildfire season has already devastated communities across the state, with the Clayton fire in Lake County destroying hundreds of buildings.
“The 2015 fire season was historically tragic, with the Butte and Valley fires especially catastrophic for communities across Northern California, and I have been grateful to work with Assemblymember Bill Dodd on passing AB 1559, which will provide tax relief for businesses affected by these kinds of disasters,” said State Board of Equalization Chairwoman Fiona Ma, CPA. “The last thing a business owner needs to worry about is having to pay taxes for a business that just flooded or burned down. Assemblymember Dodd introduced this bill in response to last year’s fire season, but every community across California that has ever experienced a disaster understands why this measure is important and common sense when it’s time to recover and rebuild.”
Under this legislation, the Board of Equalization could grant filing extensions on a quarterly basis to victims of gubernatorially declared disasters for sales tax, use tax, and other taxes.
The bill now moves on to the governor’s desk, where if signed, the bill will take immediate effect statewide.
This could provide relief to businesses impacted by fires from Lower Lake to Big Sur to San Bernardino County.
The bill also would allow the BOE to help victims recover from future major fires, floods, earthquakes and other natural disasters.
Dodd represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Napa, Yolo, Sonoma, Lake, Solano and Colusa counties.
You can learn more about Assemblymember Dodd and the district at www.asm.ca.gov/dodd .
California agencies fighting the spread of invasive quagga and zebra mussels are once again reminding boaters to please remain vigilant over the three-day Labor Day weekend.
Quagga and zebra mussels are invasive freshwater mussels native to Eurasia. They multiply quickly, encrust watercraft and infrastructure, alter water quality and the aquatic food web, and ultimately impact native and sport fish communities.
These mussels spread from one body of water to another by attaching to watercraft, equipment and nearly anything that has been in an infested waterbody.
Microscopic juveniles, invisible to the naked eye, are spread from infested waterbodies in water entrapped in boat engines, bilges, live-wells and buckets.
Quagga mussels have infested 32 waterbodies in Southern California and zebra mussels have infested San Justo Reservoir in San Benito County.
To prevent the spread of these mussels and other aquatic invasive species, people launching vessels at any body of water are subject to watercraft inspections and are strongly encouraged to clean, drain and dry their motorized and non-motorized boats, including personal watercraft, and any equipment that comes into contact with the water before and after recreating.
To ensure watercraft are clean, drained and dry, many local agencies conduct boat inspections. The CDFW website provides a list of these inspection programs ( www.wildlife.ca.gov/mussels ), along with additional information about the invasive mussels and what people can do to help prevent their spread in California.
Prior to traveling, boaters should contact destination waterbodies directly to check for restrictions and requirements.
Take the following steps both before traveling to and before leaving a waterbody to prevent spreading invasive mussels, improve your inspection experience and safeguard California waterways:
– CLEAN: Inspect exposed surfaces and remove all plants and organisms;
– DRAIN: All water, including water contained in lower outboard units, live-wells and bait buckets, and;
– DRY: Allow the watercraft to thoroughly dry between launches. Watercraft should be kept dry for at least five days in warm weather and up to 30 days in cool weather.
In addition to the video above, a detailed guide to cleaning vessels is available on the CDFW Invasive Species Program’s quagga/zebra mussel Web page at www.wildlife.ca.gov/mussels .
Travelers are also advised to be prepared for inspections at California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Border Protection Stations. Over the past nine years, more than one million watercraft entering California have been inspected at the Border Protection Stations.
Inspections, which can also be conducted by CDFW and California State Parks, include a check of boats and personal watercraft, as well as trailers and all onboard items. Contaminated vessels and equipment are subject to decontamination, rejection, quarantine or impoundment.
Quagga and zebra mussels can attach to and damage virtually any submerged surface. They can:
– Ruin a boat engine by blocking the cooling system and causing it to overheat;
– Jam a boat’s steering equipment, putting occupants and others at risk;
– Require frequent scraping and repainting of boat hulls;
– Colonize all underwater substrates such as boat ramps, docks, lines and other underwater surfaces, causing them to require constant cleaning.
– Impose large expenses to owners.
A multi-agency effort that includes CDFW, California State Parks-Department of Boating and Waterways, CDFA and the California Department of Water Resources has been leading an outreach campaign to alert the public to the quagga and zebra mussel threats.
A toll-free hotline, 866-440-9530, is available for those seeking information on quagga or zebra mussels.