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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Habitat for Humanity Lake County is continuing to seek contributions from the community as it pursues a goal of making homes more accessible for seniors, veterans and those with physical challenges.
This year Habitat for Humanity began its “Wheelchair Ramps & Lifts Initiative.”
The initiative's goal included $75,000 to go toward the purchase of wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts to provide Lake County's disabled, low income seniors and veterans the means to get in and out of their homes freely.
To date, the organization has raised $42,800, which has provided wheelchair ramps and wheelchair lifts to individuals and families that desperately needed them.
Among those residents was Korean War veteran Robert Veitch, who was confined to his home prior to Habitat for Humanity’s installation of the ramp.
Habitat for Humanity said the need in Lake County is great and more donations are needed.
If you would like to contribute to this initiative, or if you know someone with a ramp or lift system they no longer need and would be willing to donate, please contact Habitat for Humanity Office at 707-994-1100.
To help Habitat for Humanity continue to give the gift of mobility and home access to those in our community that need it most, call for more information.
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks man is facing a murder charge for the Saturday night shooting death of his wife.
Marc Clark, 58, was arrested late Saturday night and is being held without bail in the Lake County Jail, according to booking records.
He is alleged to have fatally shot his wife, 58-year-old Linda Louise Clark, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Brooks said Clark called authorities to report that he had shot his wife after an argument at their home.
Sheriff's deputies and Northshore Fire Protection District personnel were dispatched to Clark's home – located in the 3100 block of Wolf Creek Road in the Spring Valley subdivision – shortly before 10 p.m. Saturday night, with medic units being canceled a short time later, as Lake County News has reported.
Brooks said an autopsy of Linda Clark is scheduled to take place Tuesday morning.
Lake County Superior Court records show no previous criminal cases filed locally against Marc Clark, and Brooks also reported that the sheriff's office has had no previous contacts with him.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff said that Clark is due to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Tuesday afternoon.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County unemployment rate increased in November, while the state's rate decreased and the federal rate stayed flat.
The Employment Development Department's latest report on joblessness put Lake County's November rate at 9.7 percent, up from a revised 8.8 percent in October and below the year-ago estimate of 11.2 percent.
The report said California’s unemployment rate decreased to 7.2 percent in November, compared to 7.3 percent in October and 8.4 percent in November 2013.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nation's November unemployment rate was 5.8 percent, unchanged from October and down from November 2013's 7 percent.
The Employment Development Department uses two surveys for its report – a federal survey of 5,500 California households that forms the basis of the unemployment rate and a survey of 58,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy.
The report said nonfarm payroll jobs in California increased by 90,100 during the month for a total gain of 1,529,500 jobs since the recovery began in February 2010.
Nonfarm jobs in California totaled 15,650,500 in November, according to the survey of businesses. The report said the year-over-year change, November 2013 to November 2014, showed an increase of 344,100 jobs, up 2.2 percent.
The federal survey of households showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating the
number of Californians holding jobs in November was 17,467,000, an increase of 71,000 from October 2014, and up 474,000 from the employment total in November of last year.
The Employment Development Department said the number of people unemployed in California was 1,355,000 – down by 6,000 over the month, and down by 209,000 compared with November of last year.
Lake County employment details
Marin County continues to have the lowest unemployment in the state, 3.9 percent, gaining it the No. 1 rank, with Imperial County ranking No. 58 based on a 22.6-percent jobless rate.
Lake County's 9.7 percent rate in November earned it a ranking of No. 46, while neighboring counties had the following rankings and rates: Colusa, No. 57, 16.9 percent; Glenn, No. 40, 8.8 percent; Mendocino, No. 16, 6.3 percent; Napa, No. 7, 5.3 percent; Sonoma, No. 5, 5.1 percent; and Yolo, No. 32, 8 percent.
Lake County's civilian workforce in November totaled 26,550 individuals with 2,590 unemployed, down from 26,760 and 2,370 unemployed in October, and 26,500 and 2,970 unemployed in November 2013, based on the report.
Industries showing job growth in Lake County in November included retail trade, 1.9; government, 1 percent; and service producing, 0.2 percent.
Areas where jobs decreased included total farm, -31.3 percent; financial activities, -2.5 percent; other services, -2.2 percent; leisure and hospitality, -2.0 percent; and goods producing, -1.6 percent.
State employment details
In November, across California 11 industry categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; other services; and government – added jobs over the month, gaining 90,100 jobs, the report showed. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest increase over the month, adding 19,000 jobs.
No categories reported job declines over the month, the state said.
In a year-over-year comparison – November 2013 to November 2014 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 344,100 jobs, up 2.2 percent, the Employment Development Department reported.
The state said nine categories posted job gains over the year, adding 348,100 jobs. They included mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality.
Professional and business services posted the largest gains on a numerical basis, adding 119,400 jobs, up 5.1 percent, the report said. Construction posted the largest gains on a percentage basis, up 6.3 percent, adding 40,800 jobs.
Two categories – other services and government – posted job declines over the year, down 4,000 jobs. Government posted the largest decline on a numerical basis, down 3,400 jobs, a 0.1-percent decrease, the state said.
The Employment Development Department's report also reported that were 392,610 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the November 2014 survey week, compared with 392,093 last month and 465,581 last year.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance were 60,211 in November 2014, compared with 52,788 in October and 72,642 in November of last year, the agency said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An informal group of volunteers is organizing with the main purpose of educating the public with regard to laws governing pet ownership.
Coordinator Melinda Young said the intent of Volunteers – Promoting Animal Kindness, or V-PAK, is to help pet owners provide adequate care for their animals, not to report incidents of noncompliance.
V-PAK – which, according to Young, does not intend to seek nonprofit status – currently consists of about 10 volunteers.
“Our goal is to begin by educating children on the humane treatment of animals and help those who have limited finances provide shelter, bedding and better living conditions for animals,” she said.
School presentations that include information about what is lawfully required of pet owners and how to provide that care recently began with Pomo Elementary School Early Start.
Young said presentations are age-appropriate and in story format from the perspective of a dog describing what it is like to be chained, forgotten and often unfed.
Stories illustrate that dogs can be depressed, fearful, anxious, lonely, preyed upon, cold, hot, hurt and that they need people to provide for their needs as domestic pets.
“Beginning with our youngest population of our community, our goal is to change thinking that has been passed down from generation to generation on animal care and treatment,” Young said.
Current pet ownership laws that V-PAK is emphasizing include:
– Must provide and maintain adequate and nutritious food.
– Must provide fresh, clean water at all times.
– Yard must be free of feces daily and in good condition.
– Must not tether a dog to any object for more than three hours.
– Must not deprive an animal of shelter or protection from the weather.
– Must not keep an animal on a chain or rope that may get tangled, or cause injury or prevent the animal from getting to food, water or shelter.
– Must not keep animal in enclosed area without proper exercise.
– Must not keep an animal tethered to an object on less than 6 feet of rope unless present with the animal at all times.
– Must not intentionally hurt, torture, wound or inflict cruelty on any animal.
– Must spay/neuter and obtain dog license and rabies vaccination.
V-PAK also intends to focus on building dog houses and runners to eliminate chaining. The group aims to provide bedding, food and other supplies to dogs, as well as cats in need.
Additional volunteers are being sought.
Those who would like to contribute their time, skills or supplies to effort should contact Melinda Young at 707-995-2342.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two cats are waiting at Lake County Animal Care and Control for new homes as Christmas arrive this week.
The two domestic short hair mixes – one female, one male – have been waiting for homes at the shelter.
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, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.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
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A shooting that occurred late Saturday night was reported to have claimed a woman's life.
The incident was reported shortly before 10 p.m. in the Spring Valley subdivision east of Clearlake Oaks.
Sheriff's deputies, along with medics and firefighters from Northshore Fire Protection District and Cal Fire, responded to the 3100 block of Wolf Creek Road on the report of a gunshot victim, according to radio reports.
Reports from the scene indicated a woman was shot by her husband during an argument.
Medic units arrived at the address shortly before 10:15 p.m. and were directed to stage until sheriff's deputies secured the scene.
They were allowed to go in a few minutes later, and then incoming units were canceled, with the units already on scene released just over 10 minutes from arrival, radio reports indicated.
Sheriff's deputies on scene were reported to have one person in custody, with a mortuary called to the scene, according to the scanner.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at