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HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – Law enforcement officials are investigating the discovery late Monday morning of a man's body in a pond on the Hidden Valley Lake golf course.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office was notified at 11:45 a.m. Monday that the body was found, with a deputy on scene minutes later, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
While Brooks was able to confirm the body's discovery, he said it was too early in the investigation to be able to offer additional details.
He said the sheriff's office is working now to formally identify the man.
A Lake County News correspondent who was at the scene Monday afternoon said the pond where the body was found is located between the golf course's first and ninth fairways, and is visible from the clubhouse.
Sheriff's investigators, Cal Fire firefighters and Hidden Valley Lake security were among the agencies on scene.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
John Lindblom contributed to this report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lakeport’s High Street Village market, which for the last decade has been vacant, will be reopening soon as an important component in Lake County’s burgeoning wine industry.
Through a $600,000 renovation by owners Cliff and Nancy Ruzicka, the store space will be converted to a cooperative wine storage facility.
The building will reopen as “Lake County Wine Cellars.”
An open house for prospective clients is planned to take place before harvest, with Cliff Ruzicka – a well-known Lake County civil engineer – reporting that the goal is to have the facility in operation by early 2015.
“They’re going to have to refurbish the building to make it insulated and maintain a temperature of 55 degrees. And they’re going to have to put in a whole new security system,” said Rick Gunier, who serves as the project's marketing director. “They have several things that they have to do.”
With the completion of the project, the 20,000-square-foot facility will be converted to bonded storage space that can be utilized by 31 wineries that currently exist in Lake County.
“We think it will hold 150,000 cases,” Gunier said.
Individual winery storage spaces range from as large as nearly 5,000 cases down to 400 and monthly rent ranges from nearly $2,000 to as little as $220. Nearly all wine will be stored by the case or bottle.
A storage facility – particularly one in a large and open space – is a critical component to Lake County’s wine producers, who are in a growth cycle.
From a beginning of three wineries in Lake County a quarter-century ago, the region is expected to have as many as 40 in the near future.
Presently, said Gunier, Lake County winemakers are obliged to store their wines in facilities as far away as Ukiah and American Canyon.
“The wine business is growing in Lake County and facilities like this are needed,” Ruzicka said.
The wine business, he added, “kind of drives itself.”
The Ruzickas said they're excited to provide to Lake County wineries a place to store their wines in a cool and safe environment.
Conversely, since the addition of big box stores and supermarkets, small and midsize neighborhood markets have diminished.
High Street Market was one of the markets that went out of business during this trend. It was built and opened in 1975 by Robert Nylander and closed in 2004, Cliff Ruzicka said.
“Small markets are a thing of the past when you have Walmarts and those kinds of things,” said Ruzicka. “The grocery business has changed and there is no longer a need for this (High Street) kind of market.
“But there is a need (for storage) within the local wine industry and we have the right space to fill it,” he said.
The wine storage facility will be bonded, which requires strict control over the inventory and storage protocols.
The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee and Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira have given the project their support.
On the industry side, award winning Lake County winemaker Gregory Graham said he is looking forward to storing his wine there.
Lake County Winery Association Executive Director Terry Dereniuk said the only other wine storage option she's aware of in Lake County is Mount Konocti Winery.
“I believe this is a positive development and speaks volumes about the growth of the Lake County wine industry,” Dereniuk said.
The Ruzickas' finished storage facility will include round-the-clock interior and exterior video surveillance, controlled refrigeration, individualized secure storage areas for each winery customer and a state-of-the-art, client-accessible online inventory status.
The converted facility will offer more than storage to Lake County vintners. The building next door to the facility will can be used as a tasting room or for the introduction of new varietals.
“It just depends on the clients who go there,” said Gunier. “You can rent the building next door by the night. You can go in, put your banner up and send out invitations.
“It’s a big deal,” he added.
Email John Lindblom at
Editor’s note: The picture of the store above is how it looks currently. A picture that had been supplied to Lake County News to accompany the story had been altered to look like how the building is intended to appear when renovations are completed, a fact which was not disclosed. That picture has been removed. We apologize to our readers for the altered photo being posted in the first place.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Large wildland fires continue to burn around Northern California, destroying homes and infrastructure, scorching tens of thousands of acres, causing evacuations and sending large amounts of smoke into the Lake County air basin.
Over the weekend Gov. Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency due to the wildland fires in Amador, Butte, El Dorado, Humboldt, Lassen, Madera, Mariposa, Mendocino, Modoc, Shasta and Siskiyou counties.
The proclamation mobilizes the California National Guard to support disaster response.
It also notes that the fires, coupled with the state's drought conditions, have caused California's air quality to significantly deteriorate.
That's true in Lake County, where a heavy smoke haze has been visible since late last week.
As of Sunday night, the Oregon Gulch Fire in Siskiyou County had burned 36,723 acres and was 20 percent contained, fire officials reported.
Shasta County also is the location of major incidents, including the Bald Fire and Eiler Fire. The Bald Fire had burned 39,600 acres and was 5-percent contained by Sunday night. It's expected to be contained Aug. 17.
The Eiler Fire, burning southeast of Burney, has burned 25,900 acres and is estimated to be fully contained on Aug. 20, officials reported.
The Day Fire in Modoc County, caused by lightning on July 30, has burned 12,850 acres and six structures – five of them homes – and is 45-percent contained, according to Cal Fire.
In neighboring Mendocino County, the Lodge Complex of lightning fires has burned 2,700 acres, growing by 900 acres since Saturday, Cal Fire said. It is 10-percent contained.
The Lodge Complex is threatening 17 structures and has cost an estimated $2.6 million to fight so far, according to Cal Fire, with 48 fire engines, 28 fire crews, 20 bulldozers, 14 helicopters, 24 water tenders and 908 firefighting personnel.
Cal Fire said the complex – which is burning in steep, rugged terrain – is continuing to grow due to severe drought conditions and accessibility challenges.
Fire crews are removing dried and dead vegetation around residences in the Horseshoe Bend area, and firefighters will continue to pursue aggressive air and ground tactics, Cal Fire said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This week Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering five cats and kittens for adoption.
The cats – three females and two males – range in age from 10 weeks to 2 years, and all have been altered in anticipation of going to new homes.
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”).
'Lucy'
“Lucy” is an 10-week-old female domestic short hair mix kitten.
She has torbie and white markings, and gold eyes, and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 57, ID No. 40341.
Female domestic long hair mix
This female domestic long hair mix cat is 2 years old.
She has dilute tortie markings, weighs 10 pounds and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. 39764.
Munchkin mix
This 2-year-old female cat is a domestic short hair-munchkin mix.
She has tortie point markings, weighs 6 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 12, ID No. 40309.
Male tabby
This male tabby is 2 years old.
He has a short buff-colored coat, weighs 9 pounds and has gold eyes. The kitten has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. 40277.
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix is 17 weeks old.
He has gold eyes, a white and gray coat, weighs 4.2 pounds and has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 6, ID No. 40066.
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
NICE, Calif. – A Cal Fire strike team on its way to one of the state's major wildland fires is being credited with helping to prevent a fire that burned three structures in a Nice neighborhood on Saturday night from doing even more damage.
The fire, first reported at 10 p.m. at 6979 Plumas St., destroyed a modular home and its garage, as well as a doublewide trailer, according to Northshore Fire Deputy Chief Pat Brown.
Initial reports indicated that Lake County Central Dispatch received more than 100 calls about the fire, according to Brown.
Brown said the five-engine strike team was traveling through Lake County when the Plumas Street fire was dispatched.
“We were able to grab them,” he said, with Northshore Fire making contact with Cal Fire and having the strike team diverted to the Plumas Street incident.
Those Cal Fire engines arrived ahead of Brown and other units from Northshore Fire and Lakeport Fire, he said.
“We could have lost more houses if we didn't have that strike team here,” Brown said.
Brown said the fire started in the modular home, which was burned along with its garage, and then the fire ran up a hill and burned the doublewide trailer.
The occupants of the two homes were away when the fire started, said Brown.
During the firefighting effort, there was one injury reported; Brown said a fire captain rolled an ankle.
All of the structures were destroyed, with Brown estimating total damages at about $200,000.
Brown said the fire burned very hot and very fast. Because of so many nearby homes clustered around the fire, firefighters went into defensive mode and hit the fire hard, running a 5-inch hose from a hydrant and using an estimated 700 gallons a minute for at least an hour.
The fire's cause is under investigation, Brown said.
A fire crew remained on scene through the night until a fire investigator arrived. Brown said the last Northshore Fire engine cleared the scene at about 9 a.m. Sunday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NICE, Calif. – Firefighters worked into the early morning hours on Sunday at the scene of a residential structure fire.
The fire, reported at 10 p.m. Saturday, occurred at in the 6900 block of Plumas Street in Nice, according to radio reports. Central Dispatch received multiple reports of the fire.
Northshore Fire units arriving on scene reported finding a doublewide mobile home and a garage on fire. In addition, the fire had moved into nearby vegetation and utility lines were down, reports from the scene stated.
In addition to Northshore Fire, radio reports indicated that Cal Fire and Lakeport Fire sent units. There also was a request for sheriff's deputies to assist with controlling the scene and for Pacific Gas and Electric to respond due to the downed lines.
Witnesses reported on Lake County News' Facebook page that neighbors used a garden hose to help put out fire on the hillside.
It took close to 40 minutes for firefighters to stop the wildland fire and another hour for the structure fire's progress to be stopped, according to radio reports.
Reports from the scene indicated the structures were destroyed.
Just before 1 a.m., incident command requested additional personnel from Northshore Fire's Clearlake Oak's station, with other units remaining on scene after that point.
Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at