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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Three businesses on the Northshore were targeted early Saturday morning in a series of break-ins and vandalisms.
The New Marina Market, located at 3657 E. Highway 20, and Tower Mart, at 3444 E. Highway 20, both in Nice, and the Hi-Way Grocery in Upper Lake suffered smashed windows and, in two of the stores' cases, burglaries after 3 a.m. Saturday.
Hi-Way Grocery owner Pat Lynch said sheriff's deputies he spoke to indicated that they believe it's the same suspect involved in all three incidents.
At the Tower Mart, which was hit right around 3:25 a.m. Saturday, Zarif Sadiq, whose father has owned the store since 2009, said their two front glass doors were broken out, along with six of the store's front windows.
“With us they didn't take anything,” Sadiq said, adding that the suspect didn't come inside.
“This is a first,” said Sadiq, explaining they haven't had such an incident at the store before.
New Marina Market owner Jag Singh said the glass in his front door was broken at around 3:30 a.m.
“Here he got only two beers,” Singh said of the suspect.
Down at Upper Lake's Hi-Way Grocery, the suspect took more items, but Lynch pointed out, “I got the least of the damage.”
He said one window was broken out. “It was a smash and grab.”
The suspect was in Lynch's store for approximately 41 seconds, based on the surveillance video.
He said the suspect had apparently been to the store before, since he went right to certain items.
Lynch said the video showed the suspect going first to get a half gallon of ice cream and then, seemingly as an afterthought, he picked up a 12 pack of beer.
“It makes no sense unless he was going to have Bud floats,” quipped Lynch.
The suspect also ran right up to the magazine stand where Lynch keeps copies of Playboy, and took a copy.
Lynch provided surveillance video to sheriff's deputies, who he said indicated they had leads on the suspect's identity.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Puppies and dogs in many shapes, sizes and ages are up for adoption this week.
Lake County Animal Care and Control and Clearlake Animal Control have a wide variety of dogs that would love to have a new home.
You can meet the dogs below.
CLEARLAKE ANIMAL CONTROL
'Scruffy'
“Scruffy” is a 9 month old male retriever mix.
Clearlake Animal Control staff said Scruffy is very timid at first with strangers, but once he warms up he's your best friend.
He knows basic obedience, including sit, stay and shake. He is not good with other male dogs.
Scruffy would be the perfect pet for someone with a little patience and a lot of love.
If interested in Scruffy or any of the other dogs from Clearlake Animal Control, please contact Officer Frankie Blavet at 707-994-8201, Extension 118, or visit the kennels at 6820 Old Highway 53 from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CityOfClearlakeAnimalControl .
LAKE COUNTY ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL
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.
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”).
Female terrier mix
This female terrier mix is 2 years old.
She has a short tricolor coat, a short tail, weighs 12 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in kennel No. 4b, ID No. 35483.
Pit bull terrier mix
This male pit bull terrier mix is 1 year old.
He has a short tan and white coat and weighs 39 pounds. It was not reported if he was altered.
He's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 35628.
'Milo'
“Milo” is a 1 year old male Chihuahua mix.
He has a short tan coat and has been altered.
He's in kennel No. 13, ID No. 35533.
Border collie mix
This female border collie mix is 8 months old.
She has a medium length black and white coat, weighs nearly 33 pounds and has been altered.
She's in kennel No. 20, ID No. 35507.
‘Jitsue’
“Jitsue” is a 10 month old female Labrador Retriever mix.
She has a short chocolate-colored coat, weighs 62 pounds and has been spayed.
She's in kennel No. 21, ID No. 35408.
Male terrier mix
This male terrier mix is 3 years old.
He has a short black and white coat, and has not yet been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 23a, ID No. 35472.
Chihuahua-terrier mix
This male Chihuahua-terrier mix is 2 years old.
He has a short black and brown coat, and has been altered.
Find him in kennel No. 23b, ID No. 35473.
'Kimbre'
“Kimbre” is a 2 year old female Shih Tzu mix.
She has a short white coat, weighs 12 pounds and has been altered.
She's in kennel No. 25, ID No. 35552.
Female retriever mix
This female retriever mix is 4 years old.
She has a short tan coat, weighs 60 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in kennel No. 26, ID No. 35528.
'Max'
“Max” is an 8 month old border collie-German Shepherd mix.
He has a short black coat and a docked tail, weighs nearly 52 pounds and has been neutered.
Find him in kennel No. 29, ID No. 35501.
Catahoula Leopard Dog-shepherd mix
This male Catahoula Leopard Dog-shepherd mix is 1 year old.
He has a short tri-colored coat and weighs 49 pounds. It was not reported if he was altered.
He's in kennel No. 30, ID No. 35627.
Male shepherd mix
This male shepherd mix is 1 year old.
He has a short black and brown coat, and has been neutered.
Visit with him in kennel No. 31, ID No. 35511.
‘Leo’
“Leo” is a 10 month old male Labrador Retriever mix.
He has a short buff-colored coat, weighs 70 pounds and has been neutered.
Find him in kennel No. 32, ID No. 35407.
Basset hound mix pup
This female basset hound mix is 14 weeks old.
She has a short black and white coat, weighs 28 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in kennel No. 33b, ID No. 35561.
Please note: Dogs listed at the county 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
The state’s leading experts in volcanology and volcanic dangers in California met to discuss the next big bang earlier this month.
According to the US Geological Survey, a volcanic eruption occurs in California about as often as the San Andreas Fault Zone has a large-scale earthquake, which is about 10 times in the last 1,000 years.
Experts from the California Emergency Management Agency, USGS’s California Volcano Observatory and the California Geological Survey created the first Volcano Hazard Annex to the State Emergency Plan.
The meeting occurred at Cal EMA’s headquarters near Sacramento on Feb. 12, and the stakeholders identified state and federal assets that would be necessary during a volcanic eruption.
The Volcano Annex will integrate hazard and socioeconomic information that is accessible to emergency managers of all levels of government.
About half of the nation’s 169 young volcanoes are considered dangerous by USGS standards. California has two volcanoes – Lassen Volcanic Center and Mount Shasta – that are considered of the highest priority for increased monitoring.
COBB, Calif. – A Clearlake man was taken to a regional trauma center early Saturday after he was injured in a crash in the Cobb area.
Adam Stillwell, 34, sustained major injuries in the single-vehicle wreck, which occurred at 2:15 a.m. Saturday, according to the California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office.
Stillwell was driving his 1997 Mercedes Benz westbound on Highway 175 west of Bottle Rock Road at an unknown speed when, for reasons yet to be determined, he allowed his car to veer towards the right shoulder, the CHP said.
The vehicle's front end hit the wooden guardrail and continued in a northwesterly direction off Highway 175's north shoulder, falling approximately 20 feet down an embankment and into a running creek, according to the CHP.
The Mercedes came to rest on its roof on the north side of the roadway, the CHP said.
Stillwell was trapped inside the Mercedes, and the CHP said fire personnel had to extricate him. It did not appear that Stillwell was wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash, the report noted.
The CHP said Stillwell was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital by REACH air ambulance. Both of his legs and one arm were broken.
Stillwell also was placed under arrest on suspicion of driving under the influence, the CHP said.
The investigation remains under investigation by CHP Officer Glen Thomas.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – After nearly a year and a half of laying the groundwork, the new Lake County Mock Trial Competition is set to have its inaugural event next week.
Two Mock Trial sessions will take place on Friday, March 1 – a court furlough day – in Lake County Superior Court, on the fourth floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., in Lakeport.
The public is invited to attend.
Stephanie Wayment, educational specialist with the Lake County Office of Education, said two local schools – Middletown High School and Upper Lake High School – will compete, with the winner moving forward to the state competition.
Wayment said the Mock Trial sessions will take place from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., with Judge Richard Martin and Judge Michael Lunas each presiding over a session.
In late 2011, the Lake County Superior Court and Lake County Office of Education partnered to bring the program to Lake County, as Lake County News has reported.
The Constitutional Rights Foundation introduced the Mock Trial program to all the counties in California in 1980, according to the foundation's Web site, www.crf-usa.org/mock-trial-program/mock-trial-program.html .
Participating students learn about the judicial system, build their analytical and communications skills, and improve their knowledge of social science and history, the foundation reported.
In January, District Attorney Don Anderson made a donation to the competition – through his Alternative to Community Service program – to support the winning team's travel to Riverside for the state competition.
The Lake County Office of Education reported that Anderson's donation – along with other local contributions – will make it possible for the winning students to make the trip to Southern California.
To send a donation to support the winning local team at the state level competition, contact the Lake County Office of Education, Attn: Mock Trial program, 1152 S. Main St., Lakeport CA 95453, or contact Wayment at 707-262-4163,
Email Elizabeth Larson at
A Harvard researcher is pointing toward a new reason to worry about the effects of climate change — national security.
A new report co-authored by Michael McElroy, the Gilbert Butler Professor of Environmental Studies, and D. James Baker, a former administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, connects global climate change, extreme weather, and national security.
During the next decade, the report concludes, climate change could have wide-reaching effects on everything from food, water, and energy supplies to critical infrastructure and economic security.
The study was conducted with funds provided by the Central Intelligence Agency. Any opinions, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of the CIA or the U.S. Government.
“Over the last century, the trend has been toward urbanization – to concentrate people in smaller areas,” McElroy said. “We've built an infrastructure – whether it's where we build our homes or where we put our roads and bridges – that fits with that trend. If the weather pattern suddenly changes in a serious way, it could create very large problems. Bridges may be in the wrong place, or sea walls may not be high enough.”
Possible effects on critical infrastructure, however, only scratch the surface of the security concerns.
On an international scale, the report points to recent events, such as flooding in Pakistan and sustained drought in eastern Africa, that may be tied to changing weather patterns.
How the United States responds to such disasters – whether by delivering humanitarian aid or through technical support – could affect security.
“By recognizing the immediacy of these risks, the U.S. Can enhance its own security and help other countries do a better job of preparing for and coping with near-term climate extremes,” Baker said.
The report suggests that climate changes could even have long-reaching political effects.
It's possible, McElroy said, that climate changes may have contributed to the uprisings of the Arab Spring by causing a rise in food prices, or that the extended drought in northern Mexico has contributed to political instability and a rise in drug trafficking in the region.
“We don't have definitive answers, but our report raises these questions, because what we are saying is that these conditions are likely to be more normal than they were in the past,” McElroy said. “There are also questions related to sea-level rise. The conventional wisdom is that sea level is rising by a small amount, but observations show it's rising about twice as fast as the models suggested. Could it actually go up by a large amount in a short period? I don't think you can rule that out.”
Other potential effects, McElroy said, are tied to changes in an atmospheric circulation pattern called the Hadley circulation, in which warm tropical air rises, resulting in tropical rains.
As the air moves to higher latitudes, it descends, causing the now-dry air to heat up. Regions where the hot, dry air returns to the surface are typically dominated by desert.
The problem, he said, is that evidence shows those arid regions are expanding.
“The observational data suggest that the Hadley circulation has expanded by several degrees in latitude,” McElroy said. “That's a big deal, because if you shift where deserts are by just a few degrees, you're talking about moving the southwestern desert into the grain-producing region of the country, or moving the Sahara into southern Europe.”
The report is the result of the authors' involvement with Medea, a group of scientists who support the U.S. Government by examining declassified national security data useful for scientific inquiry.
In recent decades, the group has worked with officials in the United States and Russia to declassify data on climatic conditions in the Arctic and thousands of spy satellite images. Those images have been used to study ancient settlement patterns in the Middle East and changes in Arctic ice.
“I would be reluctant to say that our report is the last word on short-term climate change,” McElroy said.
“Climate change is a moving target,” McElroy continued. “We've done an honest, useful assessment of the state of play today, but we will need more information and more hard work to get it right. One of the recommendations in our report is the need for a serious investment in measurement and observation. It's really important to keep doing that, otherwise we're going to be flying blind.”
To read the full report, visit http://environment.harvard.edu/sites/default/files/climate_extremes_report_2012-12-04.pdf .