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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A 3.1-magnitude earthquake occurred early Thursday near Angwin in neighboring Napa County.
The quake occurred at 12:23 a.m., according to a preliminary report from the US Geological Survey.
Its epicenter was located 9 miles north northeast of Angwin, 21 miles south southeast of Clearlake and 24 miles northeast of Santa Rosa, at a depth of nearly 7 miles, the US Geological Survey reported.
As of shortly before 2:30 a.m., shake reports had been submitted to the US Geological Survey from Angwin, Calistoga, Fairfax, Napa, Pope Valley, Saint Helena and Santa Rosa.
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ACCUWEATHER GLOBAL WEATHER CENTER – AccuWeather reports a late-season storm is set to track through California towards the end of the week and will bring showers, thunderstorms and even some snow to the drought-stricken state.
The state, which has been dealing with dangerous drought conditions over the past few years, is now coming out of the rainy season which produced very little rain. Snowfall was well below average again this past winter as well.
“Rain and snow this time of the year does not happen too often and it will be nice to see some,” said AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Ken Clark.
A vigorous upper-level area of low pressure will dip down into California Thursday and Friday, helping to produce showers and thunderstorms.
Umbrellas will be needed for those heading outside during their daily routine. Outdoor activities may need to be postponed until a later date to avoid the unsettled weather.
While this storm alone will not put a dent in the drought, every little bit does help.
“Much of central and Southern California will get a quarter to a half of an inch of rain, on average, with locally higher amounts possible,” said Clark.
According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, around 93 percent of the state is currently classified as being in a severe drought or worse. Around 46 percent currently sits in an exceptional drought, the strongest category given.
In an analysis of the percent of normal rainfall for Jan. 1 to May 1, much of the state is well below normal: Los Angeles, 25 percent of normal; San Francisco, 27 percent; San Diego, 24 percent; Fresno, 37 percent; and Sacramento, 44 percent.
A mandatory reduction in water usage is currently in place and has led to water theft across the state.
With enough instability, there will be a few thunderstorms on Friday. Isolated gusts and small hail are possible. Those planning on heading to the beach in Southern California will want to keep an eye to the sky.
Motorists will want to keep an eye out for flooded roadways. Widespread flooding is not expected, but any isolated downpour could cause streets to fill up rapidly.
While rain falls across most of the state, higher elevations will likely see some snow fall during the two days as colder air sweeps in.
“Snow levels will be the lowest on Friday, between 6,000 and 6,500 feet south and 6,500 to 7,000 feet north,” said Clark.
As the weekend moves in, the storm system will move out, bringing back the dry weather that has plagued the state.
Jordan Root is a meteorologist for www.AccuWeather.com .
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A resolution penned by state Sen. Mike McGuire to recognize the importance of geothermal resources has passed the state Senate.
McGuire (D -Healdsburg) – who represents Lake County in the state Senate – was joined in writing SCR 48 by Sen. Ben Hueso (D-San Diego).
It marks May 2015 as Geothermal Awareness Month and May 21 as Geothermal Awareness Day.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (D-CA-5) applauded the California State Senate for passing the resolution.
“Geothermal energy embodies several unique traits, including low integration costs, a small land footprint, and most important, a predictable, consistent and adaptable source of energy production that can accommodate the needs of power grids,” said Thompson. “It is not dependent on the weather, season or time of day, and provides a dependable source of base load power. It supports thousands of jobs across our district and state, and provides counties with important royalty payments which they depend to provide public services. I applaud Senators McGuire and Hueso for passing their resolution recognizing the importance of geothermal energy.”
In 2013 alone, the California Energy Commission found that geothermal energy production in California supplied nearly 24 percent of the state’s renewable energy.
And, the United States Department of Energy projects geothermal electricity generation could quadruple through 2040, helping California and other states meet their renewable energy goals.
Thompson has repeatedly and successfully fought to protect geothermal royalties from harmful federal budget cuts.
Geothermal revenue sharing was first started through the bipartisan Energy Policy Act of 2005. Congress decided that because of the high burdens geothermal production places on the counties where it is developed, the counties should share in the revenue.
Counties use geothermal revenues to pay for governmental services, such as road maintenance, public safety and law enforcement, and conservation easements.
Many of the counties receiving revenue from geothermal receipts are small, rural counties facing uncertain budget situations. The loss of such revenue for these counties could result in the elimination or reduction of essential services.
Revenue sharing has also made counties vested partners in the continued development of geothermal energy – a clean, renewable, and domestic energy source that provides jobs in rural areas.
In Fiscal Year 2014, Lake County received more than $959,000 in geothermal royalties and Sonoma County received more than $1,315,000 in geothermal royalties.
Such royalties have helped Lake County with a number of important projects, including the purchase of 1,500 acres on top of Mt. Konocti which has been turned into the county's largest public park.
“The geothermal industry is a major employer in the local communities where projects are located, providing a diverse range of full-time employment opportunities as well as contractor jobs throughout all phases of development and operation,” the resolution stated.
California is home to the largest geothermal power facility in the world called The Geysers.
Located in Lake and Sonoma counties, The Geysers is one of two places in the entire world where high temperatures and dry steam can be directly converted to generate power.
The Geysers alone accounts for 36 percent of the geothermal energy produced in North America, again illustrating the importance of renewable energy for both California and the nation.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Wednesday Lake County Sheriff's detectives apprehended a man wanted in Nevada in connection to a January home invasion and homicide.
Jared Matthias Wagner, 23, was arrested at the home of his parents in Kelseyville, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
Detectives from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit assisted detectives from the Sparks Police Department with locating and arresting Wagner, Brooks said.
Wagner was taken into custody without incident, Brooks said.
He's charged in Nevada with murder with use of a deadly weapon, battery with the use of a deadly weapon resulting in substantial bodily harm, burglary and attempted robbery with the use of a deadly weapon, Brooks said.
Brooks said Wagner will remain in the Lake County Jail on a no-bail warrant until he can be extradited back to Nevada.
Wagner is one of three suspects who police have sought for the January home invasion that resulted in the death of one of the victims.
According to a report from the Sparks Police Department, on Jan. 22 officers responded to a report of a home invasion.
Officers arrived at the scene and found two men – 68-year-old Robert McDonald and his roommate 51-year-old Keith Moore – with extensive injuries after they were attacked and severely beaten. Police said one of the victims told officers that someone broke in and beat them up.
Five days later, McDonald was taken off life support and died of his injuries, police said.
Moore, meanwhile, continues to recover from numerous serious injuries, according to police.
The Sparks Police investigation led to the identification of three suspects: Wagner, along with 24-year-old Cody Michael Cains and 23-year-old Conor David Samuels. The agency subsequently obtained arrest warrants for all three.
On Wednesday Cains and Samuels also were arrested and booked into the Washoe County, Nev., jail, according to jail records. Both Cains and Samuels are being held without bail.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 707-262-4200 or the Sparks Police Department Detective Division at 775-353-2225.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Rain is in the forecast for the next few days, according to the National Weather Service.
The agency's meteorologists say there are chances of rain Wednesday, Thursday and Friday across Lake County and parts of Northern California.
The National Weather Service's Sacramento office said the late season storm is coming in from the Gulf of Alaska.
In addition to rain across much of Northern California, the storm could also bring snow to the Sierras above 5,500 feet.
The forecast puts the likelihood of rain at 20 percent on Wednesday, rising to 30 percent Wednesday night, with light winds and gusts reaching 20 miles per hour during the day.
Showers are likely on Thursday, with forecasters putting the likelihood of rain at 70 percent during the day and 30 percent at night. Rain amounts are anticipated to be between a tenth and quarter of an inch.
Amounts could be higher if thunderstorms – also a possibility on Thursday – occur, based on the forecast.
There is a 20-percent chance of showers on Friday, with partly sunny conditions also forecast during the day and mostly cloudy conditions at night.
Daytime conditions through Tuesday are forecast to be partly sunny, with cloudy nighttime conditions.
The Lakeport, Middletown and Upper Lake areas could see more rain and thunderstorms during the day and night on Sunday, with rain also possible that day for Cobb, forecasters said.
Temperatures this week will be cooler – around 10 to 20 degrees below normal for mid-May – reaching the high 40s at night and mid 70s during the day, according to the forecast.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association has been named “Cooperating Association of the Year” by the California League of Parks Association, or CALPA.
CALPA serves as a support organization for nonprofit associations such as AMIA that are affiliated with state parks throughout California.
The award was accepted by AMIA Board member Lisa Wilson at the recent CALPA conference at Anza Borrego State Park.
“Members of CALPA gather every year for educational conferences that offer workshops, speakers and a chance to network with other park organizations and State Parks personnel,” stated Wilson. “This year, I represented AMIA at the conference and was thrilled to accept the award for our association in recognition of AMIA’s outstanding efforts in keeping Anderson Marsh State Historic Park open and thriving during the recent State Parks budget crisis.”
Wayne Breece, California State Parks Cooperating Association Program director, praised AMIA’s efforts to keep the park open, stating that “the seven members of the AMIA’s board are passionate about the park. Their efforts to support the interpretation and maintenance of this unique site are an inspiration to all of us.”
“AMIA has been responsible for donating significant funds to State Parks that has allowed Anderson Marsh State Historic Park to stay open and thrive,” said Bill Salata, superintendent of State Parks Clear Lake Sector. “AMIA each year facilitates school field trips by hundreds of Lake County elementary school children and AMIA volunteers lead regular guided nature walks for the pubic and for senior tours. Without the dedication of the AMIA volunteers that lead these interpretive activities, it is doubtful that the robust interpretive program that exists at AMSHP could continue.”
According to Henry Bornstein, AMIA’s Treasurer, “AMIA continues to raise the funds needed to keep Anderson Marsh State Historic Park open and available to the people of Lake County and the Park’s many visitors. With the help of the local community, AMIA will be able to continue to offer its guided nature walks and tours, student field trips and other public events such as its annual old-fashioned ‘Christmas at the Ranch’ open house.”
For information about AMIA or the park, call 707-995-2658, email