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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Main Street in Lower Lake was overflowing with blue and white last Friday when Lower Lake High School hosted it inaugural homecoming parade.
The event featured athletes from various sports teams including youth leagues, equine competitors, Trojan race car drivers and elementary students.
Performing arts students also joined in the procession, which was supported with the participation of area car and motorcycle clubs, Lake County Fire Protection District, Clearlake Police Department, Lake County Sheriff's Office, California Highway Patrol and several local businesses.
Students and floats made their way through Lower Lake ahead of the junior varsity and varsity football games with Upper Lake High. Both Lower Lake teams won their games.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service's forecast for Lake County includes chances of rain several days this week.
Lake County received just trace amounts of rain during brief showers last week, with no noticeable impact on Clear Lake, the level of which was at -0.39 feet Rumsey – the special gauge for measuring the lake – on Monday night.
However, chances of more rain – and, therefore, more water in the lake – appear better this week, based on the National Weather Service forecast.
Forecasters are predicting that rain could arrive as early as Tuesday night in the mountains above Upper Lake.
The chances of rain across the entire county on Wednesday range between 20 and 40 percent, increasing to the range of 50 to 60 percent on Wednesday night, according to the forecast.
On Thursday, forecasters predict up to a 60-percent chance of showers, tapering off on Friday and Saturday.
Daytime temperatures will hover in the 70s and 80s, dropping as low as the 50s at night, with some light winds also forecast, the National Weather Service said.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Monday the Park Study Club held a ceremony to lower the community flag at Austin Park.
Members of the Lake County Fire Protection District, Clearlake Public Works, Clearlake Police Department, representatives of city staff and government, as well as first and second grade students from Burns Valley Elementary School joined the club for the event.
Many of the second graders also were present for the flag raising ceremony last spring, “coming full-circle,” according to Healthy Start Site Supervisor Gina Fortino-Dickson, who is also the city's vice mayor.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – One of the most colorful characters in San Francisco's storied history is the inspiration for a new event that is unfolding ahead of the annual 'Shipwreck Day' in downtown Lakeport.
“The Emperor Norton Lost Ransom Treasure Hunt” is now under way, and it's meant to be a fun addition to the Shipwreck Day merriment planned for Saturday, Oct. 18.
The Lakeport Main Street Association will host Shipwreck Day from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in Library Park.
The day will feature folks decked out in pirate garb, with vendors offering grub, grog and other wares, and activities for the entire family, including a pirates bazaar, pirate school and pirate costume contest and music.
There also is the new “illustrated pirate strut,” with more than $300 in prize ink from Prestige and Relentless Tattoo parlors for the “best” and the “worst” tattoos. Swimsuit rules apply; if you can't see the tattoo when you sport your swimsuit, you can't show it.
The new treasure hunt component is named for English-born San Francisco resident Joshua Norton, who in 1859 declared himself emperor of the United States and protector of Mexico.
Norton went so far as to create his own currency – which fellow San Franciscans honored – and even issued proclamations calling for a bridge crossing and a tunnel to be built under San Francisco Bay, projects which indeed took place long after his death at age 61 in 1880.
There is even a petition now circulating to name the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge for Norton. The petition can be found at https://www.change.org/p/name-the-bay-bridge-for-emperor-norton .
Norton's Lakeport treasure hunt story begins with the raising of the Egret, the flagship of the Lakeport Yacht Club, from the bottom of the lake, according to Suzanne Lyons, one of the Shipwreck Day organizers.
As the fictional background for the treasure hunt goes, a bottle with a message was found relating to Emperor Norton's reported capture by pirates; a ransom was paid but lost and never recovered.
That “ransom” – consisting of at least $300 – is the focus of the treasure hunt.
To begin gathering the clues, go to www.facebook.com/shipwreckday or http://www.secondtimearond1855.com/emperor-norton-treasure-hunt , or visit downtown stores.
The first clue is free, and the subsequent nine clues each cost $1, Lyons said.
All of the money collected for clues will be added to the treasure trove, she said.
Treasure hunters cannot move ahead before each clue is available, but they can start from the beginning at any time, Lyons explained.
Lyons said treasure hunters need to go where the clues direct them and ask if the shopkeeper has a clue. If they are in the right place the shop owner will stamp their clue and send them back to get the next clue.
For more information about Shipwreck Day or the Emperor Norton treasure hunt, visit http://www.secondtimearond1855.com/pirates-shipwreck-day or call 707-262-1967
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office is looking for community members interested in serving as poll workers for the general election on Nov. 4.
A report from Registrar Diane Fridley's office said there is a shortage of poll workers in some areas of Lake County, with a particular need for volunteer poll workers at the Middletown Lions Club and the
Hidden Valley Community Church.
The Registrar of Voters Office is trying to build a permanent corps of polling officials.
Anyone who is interested in community service and has the time to serve as a poll worker is urged to apply.
The workday is from 6 a.m. to about 10 p.m., with breaks for lunch and dinner.
Workers are compensated for their time at the following rates: inspectors – $10.50 per hour; judges – $9.25 per hour; and clerks – $9 per hour.
Each poll worker is asked to attend a special class of instruction for election officers prior to each election.
Registered voters who are interested in this important work are encouraged to apply at the Lake County Registrar of Voters office at the Courthouse, second floor, Room 209 in Lakeport, or phone 707-263-2372 for information.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A fire that broke out Sunday afternoon between Ukiah and Hopland has been fully contained.
The Nelson Fire burned a total of 62 acres, according to a Monday afternoon report from Cal Fire's Mendocino Unit.
The fire was first reported shortly after 4 p.m. Sunday on Nelson Ranch Road, north of the junction of Highway 101 and Highway 175 at Hopland, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said there were no injuries and no damage to structures.
The cause is under investigation, Cal Fire said.
On Monday afternoon, 42 firefighting personnel remained assigned to the incident, along with two fire crews and two fire engines, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire said firefighters are continuing mop up and patrol operations on the incident.
Cooperating agencies working on the incident along with Cal Fire included the fire districts from Hopland, Potter Valley, Redwood Valley-Calpella and Ukiah, the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
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