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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Nominations for the 17th annual Stars of Lake County Community Awards program are now open.
The Soper Reese Theatre, 275 S. Main St. in Lakeport, is the location for the Stars program on Saturday, Nov. 8, from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Anyone can make a nomination for a Star Award. There are 21 categories covering a myriad of areas of service to our communities.
The 2014 nomination form is available at www.lakecochamber.com or by contacting the chamber at 707-263-5092. Copies are available at the chamber office at 875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport at Vista Point.
Deadline for nominations is the end of business on Friday, Oct. 10, or postmarked with that date.
During the first 16 years of this program, more than 1,700 individuals, businesses and organizations have been acknowledged by community nominations for their efforts to improve the quality of life in the community of Lake County.
The selection committee charged with reviewing the nominations and making the decisions on recipients, is comprised of individuals from every part of the county. Some are chamber members, some are not.
The committee members receive copies of each nomination one week prior to their joint meeting. At that joint meeting, each category and nominee is reviewed and discussed; a secret ballot is then cast to determine who the recipient will be.
The results are not revealed until the awards program on Nov. 8.
In honor of Joshua Blair – a very talented young performer who passed last year – Tim and Laura Barnes of Cheese’s Main Street Pizza and The Game Stop are sponsoring the Arts Amateur Award. Beginning this year the award will be known as the Joshua Blair Memorial Arts Amateur Award.
This year's program will consist of a reception hour with appetizers and beverages beginning at 5 p.m.
Seating will begin at 6:30 p.m. and the awards program will begin shortly thereafter.
David Neft will play during the reception hour as he has done since the program began in 1998.
There will be a special opening tribute to all nominees sung by Jackie Hansen of Lakeport Grocery Outlet.
The Lake County Chamber is proud to have initiated and sustained this one-of-a-kind program for Lake County for 17 years. It is an exciting evening for all those involved and would not be possible without the support of many businesses throughout the county.
Tickets for the 17th annual Stars of Lake County Awards program are $25 per person and all seats are reserved. Tickets may be purchased through the Lake County Chamber of Commerce office.
For more information on the Stars Community Awards program, please contact Melissa Fulton, chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, at 707-263-5092.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Chamber of Commerce's fifth annual Oktoberfest-Lakeport will return on Saturday, Oct. 4, with its special blend of contests, music and fun, including racing dachshunds.
Oktoberfest takes place from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Main Street in downtown Lakeport.
Festmeister Tony Barthel officially opens Oktoberfest at 11 a.m. with the tapping of the first “barrel” by Brewmaster Ron Chips, owner of Kelsey Creek Brewing Co. in Kelseyville.
Several opportunities exist for the public to be a part of Oktoberfest including the dachshund derby races, beer pong and corn hole contests, adult and youth costume contests, an all breed doggy costume contest, beer stein competition and various other contests taking place during the day.
There is no charge for the contests except the dachshund derby, beer pong and corn hole.
The entry fee for the dachshund derby is $10/dog; entry fee for beer pong and corn hole is $20/team. Cash prizes will be awarded for all contests listed.
LIV at 240 N. Main St. is taking entries for the annual beer stein competition and will be displaying the steins in their front window. LIV is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. each day.
Entries close at noon on Saturday, Oct. 4. The public is invited to cast votes at LIV.
Cash prizes will be awarded for two categories: historic and humorous with winners announced at 5 p.m. on the day of Oktoberfest.
Along with craft and food vendors, Oktoberfest will include “Showcase the Band,” featuring polka music from noon to 5 p.m., and the Jimi Z Band playing from 6 to 9 p.m.
Festmeister Barthel will be conducting random contests throughout the day, as will Showcase the Band.
Sponsors to date for Oktoberfest this year are Eagle Distributing, Golden Gate Meat Co. and the Jimi Z Band, Rainbow Ag in Lakeport, Featherbed Railroad B&B, Lake Event Design and Roto-Rooter of Lake County.
For information on contests and a schedule of all events, visit www.oktoberfest-lakeport.com or contact the chamber at 707-263-5092.
Cal Fire and United States Forest Service law enforcement officers, in conjunction with the El Dorado County District Attorney’s Office and the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office, have arrested a Pollock Pines man on suspicion of arson in connection with the King Fire.
Wayne Allen Huntsman, 37, of Pollock Pines was booked into the El Dorado County Jail for arson on Wednesday, Cal Fire reported.
The King Fire began late last Saturday afternoon. It has destroyed nearly 71,000 acres and forced the evacuation of 3,000 people. Nearly 3,700 firefighters are on the front lines battling the blaze, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the fire is burning in steep terrain in the south fork of the American River Canyon and Silver Creek Canyon, north of the community of Pollock Pines.
The fire nearly tripled in size on Wednesday as it made a run to the northeast of over 10 miles up the Rubicon Canyon towards Hell Hole Reservoir. Spot fires were observed up to three miles ahead of the fire front and have moved into Placer County, according to Cal Fire.
The severity of the fire prompted Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday to declare a state of emergency in El Dorado County. Brown also has secured federal funding to help with the cost of fighting the fire, which has exceeded $10 million dollars to date.
Cal Fire said federal, state and local law enforcement officers work diligently in arson cases to aggressively investigate and prosecute those suspected of intentionally starting fires.
As fire danger remains extreme across California, arson is a major threat to both life, property and natural resources. Cal Fire urges state residents to be vigilant in their preparedness and aware of suspicious persons when a fire does start.
If you witness someone suspicious make note of the time, his or her physical description, as well as any vehicle description, including the license plate number. Always contact law enforcement, never approach a suspicious person.
Anyone with information about arson is urged to contact the Cal Fire Arson Hotline at 1-800-468-4408. Callers can remain anonymous.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two people – one of them an on-duty sheriff's deputy – were injured in a crash on Highway 20 Thursday morning.
The head-on wreck occurred on Highway 20 just west of Bruner Drive – which is located east of the town of Lucerne – just after 10:30 a.m., according to initial radio and California Highway Patrol reports.
The wreck temporarily blocked the highway and, according to reports from the scene, resulted in moderate injuries to two people and major damage to the vehicles – a sheriff's patrol vehicle and a Honda Accord.
The CHP confirmed to Lake County News that one of the injured parties was an on-duty Lake County Sheriff's deputy.
Radio reports indicated that both of the injured individuals were able to get out of their vehicles on their own.
Initially two air ambulances were requested but weather issues ended up in both patients being transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment, according to radio reports.
Firefighters reported clearing the scene shortly after 11:10 a.m.
The CHP's Clear Lake Area office told Lake County News that a more detailed report on the crash is expected to be issued later today.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Trojan pride will come alive Friday as Lower Lake High School hosts its first public homecoming parade beginning at 4 p.m. on Main Street in Lower Lake.
The majority of Lower Lake High's athletic teams will be represented and the parade will feature performances from the cheer team, drum line and the band.
High school classes will compete for top Spirit Week honors while joined in their “'90s Cartoon” theme parade by local elementary schools, youth football and cheer squads, Trojan race cars, the Vintage Car Club, Road Riders Motorcycle Club, Lakeshore Fire and Clearlake Police departments, and numerous supporting businesses.
“It has been very exciting to be a part of planning the events for the day,” Haylee Wade, a student in Mr. Livingston's Associated Student Body class, said. “A lot of planning preparation goes into making everything work on time.”
The parade will proceed down Main Street to the high school, where everyone is invited to attend the homecoming game against Upper Lake High School.
There is an admission price to the game.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters on Wednesday fully contained a fire that began in Mendocino County last weekend while work continued around the state on other incidents, with fires in two counties gaining a gubernatorial state of emergency declaration.
Cal Fire said Wednesday that nearly 6,500 local, federal and Cal Fire firefighters were on the front lines of 11 major wildfires burning across California, with several thousand residents remaining evacuated.
One fire that was fully contained on Wednesday was the Black Fire, which was sparked on Saturday afternoon and burned a total of 403 acres.
The fire – which had burned north of Lake Mendocino between Redwood Valley and Potter Valley – destroyed 11 structures and injured three firefighters.
Elsewhere in the state, the King Fire – which began burning near Pollack Pines in El Dorado County on Saturday – reached 27,930 acres and 5-percent containment on Tuesday, Cal Fire said.
Mandatory evacuation orders remain in place in parts of El Dorado County, with more than 2,000 residences and 1,500 other minor structures threatened. Cal Fire said nearly 3,400 personnel, 299 fire engines and 15 helicopters are among the resources on scene.
In Siskiyou County, Cal Fire said firefighters increased containment to 60 percent on the Boles Fire, which began Monday afternoon in the city of Weed.
The Boles Fire so far has burned 375 acres, destroyed 150 structures and continues to threaten 1,000 residents and 100 commercial properties in Weed, Cal Fire said.
Some evacuation orders remain in effect and more than 1,100 firefighters and 100 fire engines are assigned to the incident, according to Cal Fire.
Also in Siskiyou County, the Happy Camp Complex is continuing to burn in the Klamath National Forest. Lightning ignited the fire on Aug. 11.
The latest update on the fire, which is under the management of the US Forest Service, put its acreage at 125,788 Acres and 68-percent containment.
In Madera County, the Courtney Fire – which began on Sunday near Oakhurst – was 320 acres and 70-percent contained on Wednesday evening, Cal Fire said. Four injuries were reported.
The Courtney Fire has destroyed 30 residences, 19 outbuildings, 13 vehicles and four recreational vehicles destroyed, and damaged another four residences, three outbuildings and two vehicles. All evacuation orders have been lifted.
Cal Fire said the causes of the Black, Boles and Courtney fires remain under investigation.
On Wednesday Gov. Jerry Brown declared states of emergency in El Dorado and Siskiyou counties due to the effects of the King and Boles fires.
“The wildfires in Northern California serve as a reminder that dry conditions can be the precursor to devastating loss,” Brown in a Wednesday night statement. “Anne and I extend our deepest sympathies to those who have suffered such terrible losses in the fires.”
Last month, Brown issued an emergency proclamation for wildfires in El Dorado, Amador, Butte, Humboldt, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta and Siskiyou counties and this month’s executive order waiving fees to replace documents such as driver’s licenses and birth certificates for those affected by the fires.
This week Brown also secured federal fire management assistance grants for the King, Boles and Courtney fires.
Email Elizabeth Larson at