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LAKEPORT, Calif. –Through the generosity of The Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation, matching funds up to $2,500 will be provided for donations made to Operation Tango Mike.
Operation Tango Mike ships monthly care packages to deployed troops and continues to receive new requests for support weekly.
Several units have recently departed for nine month deployments and soldiers and Marines have asked to be added to the care package recipient list.
Donations are always welcomed and contributions will help achieve to goal needed to receive the matching funds.
Checks can be mailed to Operation Tango Mike, 5216 Piner Court, Kelseyville, CA 95451.
Electronic donations can be made via PayPal at www.operationtangomike.com or www.gofundme.com/operationtangomikepage .
For further information call 707-349-2838 or e-mail
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested early Sunday after he allegedly discharged a handgun during an argument with a neighbor.
Joe Macario Garcia, 35, was arrested following the incident, according to Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department.
At approximately 1:34 a.m. Sunday Clearlake Police Officers responded to the 3600 block of Sycamore Street in response to a report of gunfire, Bennett said.
On arrival officers contacted the reporting person who stated he had been speaking with a neighbor, who he identified as Garcia, according to Bennett.
When the reporting party went inside his residence, his 33-year-old son and Garcia became involved in an altercation and a shot was fired, which struck a nearby inhabited residence, Bennett said.
Bennett said the neighbor returned to the yard and saw Garcia with a handgun which was pointing toward his direction. Garcia then fired two or three shots in the air and fled from the area.
Officers began searching the area and located Garcia on Walnut Avenue, where he was taken into custody without incident, Bennett said.
After Garcia was taken into custody he provided officers with information as to where the weapon could be located. Bennett said it was later recovered and is being held as evidence.
Garcia was booked into Lake County Jail on felony charges relating to the incident which include shooting into an inhabited dwelling, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and receiving a firearm while having a restraining order which prohibits him from possessing a firearm.
Jail records indicated Garcia's bail was set at $100,000. He remained in custody on Monday, with a tentative Tuesday court date.
Any person with further information on this incident is encouraged to contact Officer Mike Carpenter at 707-994-8251, Extension 542.
COBB, Calif. – Life for firefighters on Cobb Mountain has gotten a little better this summer.
The enhancement came with a new three-bedroom facility that was viewed by the public for the first time on Saturday during an open house at Cobb Station 62.
South Lake County Fire Protection District firefighters, however, have used the facility on Highway 175 for more than a year.
It’s been a more-than-welcome upgrade for them, replacing a cramped living quarters that was built in 1925.
The older building has been converted to an operational office, where burn permits are issued, fire reports are processed and online training is offered.
The new building has all the comforts of home, including a wood-burning fireplace. As important, it has storage space for everything that a firefighter on an emergency call might need, including receiving towels.
On a warm July day, it’s hard to imagine what makes the stationing of firefighters here so critical. But it is.
“If you think about our response area – especially in the winter – it is,” said South Lake County Fire Capt. Tony Allegra. “In the summer there are Kelsey-Cobb and Middletown fire stations, so the coverage is pretty good. But in the winter these shut down and go away and this becomes the only place on the mountain that is staffed.”
The year-round staff consists of two paid, full-time firefighters who are paramedics (because 90 percent of the calls to the station are medical) and man the station for 10 weeks. Additional firefighters rotate in 72-hour shifts.
The core two firefighters don’t get to go home during their 10-day assignments at the station, according to Allegra.
“It’s part of the job and it’s not a 9-to-5 thing,” Allegra said.
The response area for the Cobb Mountain station in winter covers 150 square miles, expanding to The Geysers, Middletown and Big Canyon to the south and Bottle Rock Road to the north.
One of the best things about the new facility is that it was constructed by Kent Reynolds, a building contractor who brought the expertise of being a former fire chief to the task.
“When we started to build, the first thing we recognized was we wanted to have a licensed professional and a former fire chief do it,” said Jim Comisky, president of the South Lake County Fire District Board of Directors.
An equal consideration was cost, which the district significantly lowered by having the building constructed in sections rather than the traditional “stick frame” system.
“This building is four (prefabricated) sections put together in Manteca and brought here in a single day,” said Reynolds. “It takes one day to put in the foundation and two months to have it in service.
“The problem in California is all the (structural and environmental) regulations,” he added. “By building this building offsite you are not able to circumvent the regulations, but there were several things that we could streamline.”
Reynolds estimated the cost of the Cobb station, which has a 50-year life expectancy, at about $80 per square foot and the structure covers 2,200 square feet.
Some of the wood used in the construction was from the Lake County Conservation Camp, which Reynolds estimated saved the district about $35,000.
“You want to see a fire station, go to Marin County, which cost $500 a square foot to build,” Reynolds added.
“This is a volunteer station,” Comisky said. “We used to have to wait for Middletown to come uphill. Now we’re on the hill and we have two firefighters here every day, 24-7. That’s our primary focus.
“It enables us to answer medical emergencies with quick response time, but also we have firefighters and firefighter apparatus here on the hill,” he added. “It’s a great partnership all the way around.”
Email John Lindblom at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As kitten season continues, Lake County Animal Care and Control continues to have a large number of the little felines needing homes.
This week there are four kittens ready for adoption, ranging in age from 11 to 14 weeks, plus a 2-year-old cat.
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”).
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix is 14 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.
Female domestic medium hair mix kitten
This female domestic medium hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.
She has gold eyes and a brown tabby coat, weighs 2.2 pounds and has not been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 49b, ID No. 40158.
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.
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten is 11 weeks old.
He has green eyes, a buff and white coat, and has not been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 99a, ID No. 40144.
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten is 11 weeks old.
He has green eyes, a white and gray coat, and has not been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 99c, ID No. 40146.
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, Calif. – A parolee with an outstanding arrest warrant was taken into custody on Sunday afternoon by a Clearlake Police K9 team.
Tony Ketchum, 22, of Clearlake was apprehended by Officer Travis Lenz and his K9 partner Dex, according to Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department.
At 3:45 p.m. Sunday Officer Travis Parson was on patrol when he observed Ketchum on Pearl Avenue near Mullen Avenue, Hobbs said.
Hobbs said Ketchum was known to be on active state parole for resisting arrest with force or violence. He also was known to have an outstanding parole warrant for his arrest.
Ketchum immediately ran from Parson, heading south on Pearl Avenue. Hobbs said Parson lost sight of Ketchum as he ran into a yard about 50 yards south of Mullen Avenue.
A short time later Lenz and Dex arrived, Hobbs said.
Dex immediately located a strong scent and tracked the scent to the backyard of a residence just to the south of the last location Officer Parson observed Ketchum. Hobbs said Dex then located Ketchum hiding between a fence and storage shed at the rear of the property and apprehended him.
Ketchum was arrested for the parole warrant and resisting arrest, Hobbs said.
Ketchum sustained injuries to both his left arm and left leg as a result of the K9 apprehension. He was treated at the scene for the injuries and then transported to St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake to be medically cleared for incarceration, Hobbs said.
Once medically cleared for incarceration, Ketchum was transported to the Lake County Jail, according to Hobbs.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering a group of mostly large breed dogs for adoption this week.
The dogs available to new homes include mixes of such breeds as Australian Shepherd, border collie, Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, pit bull and red heeler.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license 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 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 dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
Male Chihuahua mix
This male Chihuahua mix is 2 years old.
He has a short black coat and has been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 2, ID No. 40211.
Female red heeler-Australian Shepherd
This female red heeler-Australian Shepherd is 8 months old.
She has a short white and tan coat, weighs 45 pounds and has not been spayed.
She's in kennel No. 13, ID No. 40245.
Male pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix is 7 months old.
He has a short tan and white coat, weighs 50 pounds and has not been neutered.
Find him in kennel No. 16, ID No. 40175.
Boxer-pit bull terrier mix
This male boxer-pit bull terrier is 6 months old.
He has a short black and white coat, and has not been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 26b, ID No. 40057.
'Kody'
“Kody” is an 8-month-old male border collie mix.
He weighs 57 pounds, has a short tan and white coat, and has been neutered.
He's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 40041.
'Blue'
“Blue” is a 2-year-old male pit bull terrier mix.
He has a medium-length blue coat, weighs 73 pounds and has not been neutered.
Find him in kennel No. 28, ID No. 39852.
'Bosco'
“Bosco” is a 1-year-old male Labrador Retriever-border collie mix.
He has a short black and white coat, and weighs 35 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if he has been altered.
Find Bosco in kennel No. 29, ID No. 40214.
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