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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Looking for a handsome, furry friend suited for fun in the outdoors?
Then, meet “Balto.”
Balto is a male husky-Alaskan Malamute mix at Lake County Animal Care and Control who is hoping someone will come and sweep him away to a new home.
He's a very sweet and personable dog. He greets visitors with good manners and even a kiss.
Balto is very handsome with his brown eyes and soft, gray and white coat.
The shelter's evaluator said he has no food aggression and gets along well when introduced to other dogs his size.
He knows basic commands and walks well on a leash.
Balto is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 4310. He'd love a visit and a new home.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As 2016 has gotten under way, home sales prices are on an upswing while the number of homes for sale has dropped.
The Lake County Association of Realtors, or LCAOR, reported that the January median sales price of single family residences in Lake County rose 7.6 percent over like sales in December 2015. The January median sales price was $232,500 compared to $216,000 in December.
The number of sales in January was 50 which was a 46.2-percent decrease from the 93 sales in December, LCAOR said.
“It is not uncommon to see the number of sales dip in January,” said Erin Woodward, 2016 LCAOR president. “People tend to be preoccupied with other matters in December and that is reflected in the January numbers. The fact that the median price increased over December’s has also been a pattern we have seen over the last few years.”
On a year-over-year basis, the number of sales increased 11 percent, going from 45 in January 2015 to the 50 sales in January 2016.
The January 2016 median price of $232,500 increased 46 percent over the January 2015 median sales price of $159,000.
Sales financed by cash accounted for 32 percent of the transactions, which was up from 25.58 percent of the sales in December and virtually the same when compared to January 2015 sales.
Conventional loans made up 36 percent of the sales, down from 53.5 percent of the sales in December 2015. However, FHA financed sales rose to 18 percent of the sales after financing 10.5 percent of the December sales.
On a statewide basis, the California Association of Realtors reported that existing, single-family home sales totaled 383,670 in January, down 5.4 percent from December 2015 and up 8.8 percent from January 2015.
The median sales price was $468,330 down 4.3 percent from December 2015 and up 9.2 percent from January 2015.
The California Association of Realtors reported that the highest median price in the state was $1.17 million in the city and county of San Francisco.
LAKE COUNTY HOME SALES NUMBERS AT A GLANCE
January 2016
Median price: $232,500
Median days to sell: 78
Units Sold: 50
December 2015
Median price: $216,000
Median days to sell: 92
Units Sold: 93
January 2015
Median price: $159,000
Median days to sell: 112
Units Sold: 45
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The popular Living History Day series continues at the Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum on Saturday, Feb. 27.
On the fourth Saturday of each month local historians come to the main house to visit with guests and answer questions regarding different aspects of Lake County history.
As these visits are recorded, the stories of Lake County’s history are being preserved for future generations.
John Parker, Ph.D., local archaeological researcher, will be available to museum visitors Saturday from noon till 2 p.m.
Dr. Parker’s focus will be on Lake County’s geology, prehistory and history. He will also be demonstrating obsidian chipping during his talk. Join the Ely docents and volunteers for this free, family-friendly event.
The Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum welcomes more docents to greet visitors and share information on our history, our current displays, and our planned events.
Volunteers for maintenance and construction projects are also needed. Come join the fun and become a volunteer at Ely. Applications will be available during the day.
The Lake County Historical Society’s Ely Stage Stop & Country Museum is located at 9921 State Highway 281 (Soda Bay Road) in Kelseyville, near Clear Lake Riviera, just north of Highway 29 - Kit’s Corner.
Current hours of operation are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. each Saturday and Sunday. Private tours can be arranged by appointment.
Visit www.elystagestop.org or www.lakecountyhistory.org , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/eleystagestop or call the museum at 707-533-9990.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The fields for three county supervisorial seats are starting to fill up as the process to run for the June 7 primary election gets under way.
The seats representing Districts 1, 4 and 5 will be up for election again this year.
Supervisors Jim Comstock, Anthony Farrington and Rob Brown hold those seats, respectively. Comstock and Farrington have indicated they will not seek reelection.
Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley explained that the nomination period opened Feb. 16 and will close on March 11 in races where there is an incumbent.
In races which are open, with no incumbent seeking reelection, the nomination period is extended to March 16, she said.
During that period of time, Fridley said all candidates must file a declaration of candidacy form and nomination papers in order to have their names on the June 7 ballot.
Nomination papers require a minimum of 20 signatures and a maximum of 40, Fridley said.
Fridley said candidates may also submit “in-lieu-of-filing fee petitions,” which allow them to collect signatures to offset all or part of the cost of filing fees. That process began at the start of the year, with the deadline for those petitions Thursday, Feb. 25.
Signatures on nomination papers can be counted toward the in-lieu petitions, according to Fridley.
Individuals who have filed Form 501 candidate intention statements and in-lieu petitions include:
– District 1: Voris Brumfield, Middletown; Monica Rosenthal, Middletown; James P. Ryan, Hidden Valley Lake; Jose “Moke” Simon III, Middletown;
– District 4: Ted Mandrones, Philip Murphy, Ron Rose, Martin Scheel and Tina Scott, all of Lakeport;
– District 5: Rob Brown, Kelseyville; Norm Longoria, Kelseyville; Joan Moss, Kelseyville; Philip Reimers, Cobb; John Wesley Stoddard, Kelseyville; Helena Welsh, Cobb.
Farrington also had filed a candidate intention statement in August but in January indicated he would not seek reelection. Beau Moore of Cobb, who had filed that paperwork last February to seek the District 4 seat, indicated late last year he would not in fact pursue the office.
The current annual salary of a county supervisor is $63,720, with Fridley explaining that the filing fee is 1 percent of the annual salary, or $637.20.
To offset the entire filing fee for District 1 a candidate would need to collect 681 valid signatures, 701 for District 4 and 718 for District 5. Fridley said the difference in required signatures between districts is because the numbers are based on voter registration.
During this time, candidates also can file statements to be included in sample ballot booklets, Fridley said.
“No one has done anything final,” she said. “Anybody can back out at this point.”
It's not until candidates file their declarations of candidacy that their names will be on the ballot and they cannot withdraw. “Until they do, we do not consider them official candidates, Fridley said of that step.
In addition to the local offices, federal and state office to go before voters on June 7 include president of the United States, US senator, District 3 and District 5 seats in the US House of Representatives, and District 4 in the California Assembly.
For more information about filing for any of the elective offices contact the Registrar of Voters office in person at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N Forbes St, Room 209, Lakeport, or by phone at 707-263-2372.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A trailer home in Spring Valley was destroyed by a fire on Saturday night.
The first report of the structure fire at 3494 Wolf Creek Road came in at 8:45 p.m. Saturday, according to radio reports.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos said the first arriving engine reported a fully involved structure.
Beristianos said the home – an old travel trailer with a large add-on and a porch – was unoccupied at the time, and no injuries or damage to exposures were reported.
Northshore Fire responded with three engines, two medic units, one water tender and three support apparatus with two command vehicles with 16 personnel. Lake County Fire responded on mutual aid with one engine and three personnel, Beristianos said.
Firefighting efforts were hampered due to a downed power line as a result of the fire, Beristianos said.
He said the home was a total loss.
Units cleared the scene about 2 a.m. Sunday. Beristianos said a deputy was left on scene through the night and reported that what was left of the structure reignited at around 3 a.m. Firefighters returned and put it out.
The cause of the fire is undetermined at this time but is believed to be accidental, Beristianos said Monday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson on Monday filed for reelection in the Fifth Congressional District.
The district includes all of Napa County and parts of Lake, Sonoma, Solano and Contra Costa counties.
“I am incredibly humbled to have a broadly diverse group of supporters including the endorsements of supervisors, mayors, city council members, sheriffs, as well as business and community leaders from our district,” Thompson said.
“I was born, grew up and still live in our district today. It is my highest honor and greatest privilege to work in Congress on behalf of my friends and neighbors at home. I have strong working relationships with local and county officials and community members,” he said.
“Together, we secured federal funds to rebuild after the 2014 South Napa Earthquake and the 2015 Valley Fire in Lake County. And, we acquired assistance to help revitalize Mare Island, invest in Sonoma County’s transportation infrastructure as well as complete the Napa flood project,” he continued.
“In Congress, my No. 1 priority is serving the people of our district. I have worked to grow our economy so that the hard-working people of our district can get ahead and succeed. I have supported job-creating investments in infrastructure and renewable energy, worked to reduce our debt with fiscally-responsible policies and preserved pristine lands in our district. And I’m leading the effort to make sure criminals and the dangerously mentally ill don’t have easy access to guns, while protecting the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding individuals to own firearms,” Thompson said.
“As your representative, I will continue to protect Social Security and Medicare, keep fighting for comprehensive immigration reform and strengthen our national security. As a Vietnam combat veteran, I will continue to support our veterans and their families,” he said.
“Together, we can continue working to find real solutions to the challenges we face today, and ensure that our district remains one of the best places to live, work, raise a family and start a business,” Thompson concluded.
The list of those signing Rep. Thompson’s nomination papers is included below.
Joanne Dowell, board director, Crockett Chamber of Commerce
Richard Zampa, retired president, District Council of Iron Workers of the state of California
Dan Romero, mayor, Hercules
William Shea, president, Rotary Club of Hercules
Jonathan Bash, president, Contra Costa Young Democrats
Tim Farley, Contra Costa Community College District Governing Board member
Carol Hatch, retired district director, Congressman George Miller
Rob Schroder, mayor, Martinez
Peter Murray, council member, Pinole
Roy Swearingen, council member, Pinole
Ridge Greene, chairman, Port Costa Conservation Society
Rob Brown, Lake County supervisor
Kelly Cox, former Lake County administrative officer
Wally Holbrook, former superintendent, Lake County Office of Education
Madelene Lyon, board president, Lake County Office of Education
David Weiss, vineyard management firm owner, Kelseyville
Peter Windrem, attorney at law, Kelseyville
Brian Martin, Lake County sheriff
Monica Rosenthal, small business owner, Middletown
Leon Garcia, mayor, American Canyon
Chris Canning, mayor, Calistoga
Richardo “Ricky” Hurtado, president, Democrats of Napa Valley Club
Hope Lugo, community leader, Napa
Ed Matovcik, businessman, Napa
Barbara Nemko, Napa County superintendent of schools
Joseph Peatman, attorney at law, Napa
John Robertson, Napa County sheriff
Garen and Sharalyn Staglin, business owners, Rutherford
Diane Dillon, Napa County supervisor
Janet Thompson, nurse, St. Helena
Jon Thompson, deputy sheriff, St. Helena
Robert Torres, grapegrower and business owner, Saint Helena
John and Beclee Wilson, economist and Napa County Poet Laureate, St. Helena
John Dunbar, mayor, Yountville
Terry Curtola, former mayor, Vallejo
Osby Davis, mayor, Vallejo
Erin Hannigan, Solano County supervisor
Anthony Intintoli Jr., former mayor, Vallejo
Jimmie Jackson, president, Vallejo Branch of the NAACP
Buck Kamphausen, business owner, Vallejo
LaGuan Lea, business owner, Vallejo
Jon Riley, vice president, Napa And Solano Counties Central Labor Council
Rosemary Thurston, vice president, Solano Community College District Governing Board
Dr. A.C. “Tony” Ubalde Jr., president, Vallejo Unified School District Board of Education
Hazel Wilson, trustee, Vallejo Unified School District Board of Education
Michael Wilson, former Vallejo City Council member
Margret Fishman, Santa Rosa Junior College Board trustee
Gina Belforte, mayor, Rohnert Park
Cheryl Diehm, retired, Santa Rosa
Chris Rogers, Santa Rosa Community Advisory Board member
John Sawyer, mayor, Santa Rosa
Suzanne Smith, executive director, Sonoma County Transportation Authority
William “Willie” Tamayo, business owner, Santa Rosa
Shirlee Zane, Sonoma County supervisor
Laurie Gallian, mayor, Sonoma
Mike Mulas, dairy farmer and grape grower, Sonoma
Ray Mulas, dairy farmer and grape grower, Sonoma