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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake Transit Authority this week is rolling out some modifications to an eastbound route and offering new evening service in Lakeport and on the Northshore.
Beginning on Tuesday, the eastbound Route 1 buses heading to Clearlake will operate on Highway 20.
For many years Route 1 traveled eastbound toward Clearlake on Country Club Drive in Lucerne, and westbound toward Lakeport on Highway 20.
However, having to catch the bus on two different streets was confusing to many, Lake Transit reported.
With the addition of new parks over the past several years along the Clear Lake side of Highway 20 in Lucerne, there are new opportunities for Lake Transit passengers to enjoy the shoreline park settings while waiting for the bus.
The old Country Club bus stop signs are being covered and eventually removed, and new bus stop signs are being installed along Highway 20.
You can wait for the bus at the following Highway 20 eastbound locations:
– Second Street, between the crosswalk and the Alpine Park sign.
– Fifth Street near the fire hydrant in front of California Water Service Co.
– Ninth Street at the new Lucerne Harbor Park bus stop.
– 13th Street at the entrance to the community garden park.
– 16th Street at the old abandoned monument sign.
There are no changes to the westbound stops.
Other changes Lake Transit announced this week include new, more frequent schedules on Route 1 and Route 8, which began Monday.
The new schedules will result in evening service on Route 1 along the Northshore, and on Route 8 in Lakeport.
Lake Transit said the new evening schedules are designed to provide service late enough for Mendocino College, Marymount College and Yuba College students to attend night classes and then ride the bus home to communities along the Northshore, including North Lakeport, Upper Lake, Nice, Lucerne, Glenhaven and Clearlake Oaks.
The last buses leave Mendocino College at 9:40 p.m. and Yuba College at 9:37 p.m.
The Route 8 Lakeport bus continues as Route 1 so that no transfer is needed, and, likewise, the Route 1 bus continues in to Lakeport as Route 8.
For more information, call Lake Transit at 707-994-3334 or visit http://laketransit.org/ .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is once again offering two cats for adoption this week.
For the last several weeks the two cats – one male and one female – have been waiting for adoption.
Both are adult domestic short hair mixes.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Domestic short hair mix
This male adult short hair mix cat has a coat with brown and white markings.
He's in cat room kennel No. 48, ID No. 1364.
Domestic short hair
This female domestic short hair mix has a coat with white and brown tabby markings.
She's in cat room kennel No. 73, ID No. 1316.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
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
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Hospice Services of Lake County announced that Corrigan Gommenginger has assumed the position of executive director following the retirement of Anja Koot in December.
Gommenginger has worked in the health care industry for nearly a decade, most recently as the executive director of a hospice in western Washington.
He enjoys the challenges presented by constant change in the health care industry and is dedicated to increasing services to the community.
During his tenure at the Washington hospice, Gommenginger successfully implemented new community programs and expanded caregiver services through a nonmedical homecare program.
He served on the board of directors for Washington State Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, its certificate of need task force, the public policy and finance committees.
His background extends to accounting and finance and he earned the Certified Hospice Administrator accreditation in 2014.
Born and raised in a rural community in northwest Montana, Gommenginger enjoys hiking, cycling and fishing.
He and his partner, Dave, and their two pet corgis are relocating to Lake County and looking forward to enjoying the natural treasures that Lake County offers.
He may be reached at 707-263-6222.
For more information about Hospice Services of Lake County, visit http://www.lakecountyhospice.org/ .
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was injured on Sunday when police said he rode his motorcycle into the path of an oncoming car.
Firefighters were dispatched to the crash, which occurred in the 13000 block Morgan Avenue near Manakee Avenue, just before 12:15 p.m., according to radio reports.
When they got to the scene, Lake County Fire Protection District personnel reported finding one patient with major trauma and called for an air ambulance.
Clearlake Police Sgt. Dominic Ramirez said the crash victim, a Clearlake resident in his late 30s whose name was not released, was riding what appeared to be more like a motorized scooter than an actual motorcycle.
“He was basically cutting through a vacant lot into a roadway,” and went into the road and the path of an oncoming vehicle, Ramirez said.
The rider wasn't wearing a helmet, “Let alone the bike shouldn't have been on the road,” as Ramirez said it wasn't street legal.
Ramirez said the injured man was alert and talking to first responders at the scene.
REACH 18 initially was requested to land at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, with incident command subsequently asking the air ambulance to divert to Redbud Park.
The air ambulance lifted off shortly before 1 p.m. and transported the patient to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, according to radio reports.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – To Karen Schaver dogs and underdogs are one and the same.
“ … Because dogs are innocent and have no choice for what happens to them,” Schaver explained. “Our society created them and then abandoned them. They are underdogs as are any domestic animals and I’ve always been for the underdog.”
But never more than she was 15 years ago when, with her husband Mike, she founded Lake County Animal Services, an alternative to the dog pound or animal shelter.
This past May her organization “homed” its 2,500th dog.
Their service began when the Schavers were stunned to see some small children out in front of a house playing with some puppies from a litter of eight in a most alarming way.
“The kids were naked or had dirty diapers on and were playing with the puppies as if they were footballs,” said Karen Schaver. “The puppies were about 6 weeks old and I just walked over and took them. “Nobody said anything when we took them home.”
Second Chance Dog Rescue, a service with which Schaver was associated at the time, “was a little miffed because they were just ugly black Lake County dogs and there were so many of them. So we broke with Second Chance Rescue and started our own group,” she said.
But then it was the county’s turn to be “miffed” because it reasoned the Schavers had too many dogs on the property they rented for them.
The couple got married and started saving up to buy their own property. “We saved enough to buy 80 acres up the road,” she said.
There have been more crises since then. One this past year involved 10 newborn puppies in the litter of a purebred German Shepherd.
“Because they were purebred they came with a whole set of health issues,” Schaver said.
Two of the 10 died. All of the surviving pups were at risk for a life-threatening intestinal disease. Two of them got the disease, requiring surgery that costs in the neighborhood of $5,000.
An expensive endeavor
Today, you can find Lake County Animal Services on the Old Toll Road in Lakeport.
The number of dogs on the property ranges from five to 35 and they’ve reached the higher figure no less than three times in the last six years.
“If you have two litters that’s 15 to 20 right there,” Schaver said.
Lake County Animal Services adopts each of its dogs for $250. Puppies are adopted out when they reach 8 weeks old, Schaver said.
By the time all the expenses are paid for – dog food, toys, spaying and neutering, and extra medical aid when needed – the organization nets about $40 per dog, Schaver said.
“I work with a lot of veterinarians,” she added, estimating the organization's annual vet bill is $40,000 to $50,000, or about $200 per dog.
The Schavers had no intent of adopting any of the mutts that come to the service. But one of the dogs – a sweet-natured female German Shepherd mix – adopted them.
“Monique came to us to have puppies four years ago. She is 8 now. She was always a good girl, but, boy, she’s got her stubborn side,” Karen Schaver said.
“Mike and I wanted to go to the movies and we left three times, but she got out each time so we finally just took her with us,” she continued.
“She loves cats. She thinks they’re delicious,” Schaver added. “She doesn’t eat them in front of me, but I think she’s done it. She can also scale a six-foot fence and will do it to get where I’m going.”
She said that Monique is no longer up for adoption.
“I’ve worked with her and she’s a marvelous dog,” said Karen. “I couldn’t give her up, although I’ve tried real hard to find her a home. She doesn’t get adopted because of her cat-eating.”
Monique laid contentedly at Schaver's feet, oblivious to the passersby at Safeway in Lakeport, during an interview.
Offering another chance at life
The health of unvaccinated dogs and puppies is an ultra-sensitive issue because of a highly contagious and invisible infection called parvovirus, which causes fever, vomiting, dehydration and diarrhea.
“Sometimes you have no choice but to euthanize them,” said Schaver.
The good news is she’s had a 90-percent success rate in restoring dogs’ health. That’s partly because of a “paranoia,” as she calls it, for keeping the puppies’ environment immaculately clean.
Schaver said that, as far as she knows, her organization is the only one in Northern California that takes in puppies with parvovirus. People from shelters in Humboldt and Mendocino counties call her organization asking for help.
In addition to caring for ill dogs, Lake County Animal Services takes in dogs that are physically and behaviorally challenged dogs.
“We’ve had three-legged dogs, two-legged dogs, blind and deaf dogs,” Schaver said. “They have the same sort of difficulty that people with physical and mental frailties do. Sometimes they’re just real shy.”
She added, “Whether they have a physical disability, a physical illness, or a mental disability, it’s oftentimes very easy to take care of it.”
As part of the effort to find homes for the dogs, Schaver and a group of dedicated volunteers make almost weekly trips to the Bay Area, where they hold adoption events.
Lake County Animal Services, which won a Stars of Lake County Award several years ago for its efforts in the community, is a labor of love for Schaver.
“It’s a labor, an avocation and a need,” she said. “I thought that after 10 years we’d solve the problem. We had a new shelter built for the dogs. We have a clinic now and I thought it would be easy for me to stop. But it’s not stopping. We have to be all over the county. We get calls from people everywhere.”
The time requirement for caring so many dogs is immeasurable.
“We don’t get to take our dogs places,” she said. “We don’t get to take them to the beach, we don’t get to go camping with them anymore. We gave up a lot. When you have so many animals to take care of you can’t leave them.
“I get one to 20 phone calls a week from people who need to give up their dog, one to five calls a week from people who need help with their vet bills and one to 10 calls a week from people who need to get their animals spayed or neutered,” she said.
“But,” she added, “I get one to 50 calls a week from people who want to adopt.”
To learn more about Lake County Animal Services or to donate, visit http://www.lakecountyanimalservices.org/ or www.orphandog.org . A donation button can be found at the main Web site home page. Follow the group on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/LCAnimalServices . Karen Schaver can be contacted at
Email John Lindblom at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Giants World Series trophies were welcomed to Kelseyville on Thursday as part of the World Champions Trophy Tour.
The trophies from 2010, 2012 and 2014 were escorted through town in a parade headed by new Sheriff Brian Martin before arriving at Kelseyville High School, where they went on display Thursday evening.
The Clearlake and Kelseyville Junior Giants leagues hosted this year's Lake County stop on the trophy tour.
The 2010 and 2012 trophies previously had visited Lake County in February 2013, stopping in Lakeport, as Lake County News has reported.
The video above documents the visit and gives more information about the Junior Giants baseball program, which has helped hundreds of Lake County children.
For more information about the Kelseyville Junior Giants League, call Camacho at 707-349-2484; for information about the Clearlake league, call Lake County Youth Services at 707-994-5437.
For more information about the World Champions Trophy Tour, visit http://sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com/sf/fan_forum/trophy_tour.jsp .