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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol on Monday identified the two men who died last week in a two-vehicle collision near Clearlake Oaks.
Officer Kory Reynolds of the CHP’s Clear Lake Area Office said Dennis Glik, 58, and Zemmie Cedric Potter, 54, both of Clearlake Oaks, died in the crash, which occurred on the night of Wednesday, Nov. 21.
The crash occurred at 6 p.m. on Highway 20 west of Highway 53, as Lake County News has reported.
Glik was driving a 1974 Ford F350 box pickup truck eastbound on Highway 20 approaching Highway 53 with Potter as his passenger when he crossed the double-yellow dividing lines and traveled into the westbound lane, directly in the path of a 1964 Toyota FJ40 driven by 36-year-old Scott Flora of Ukiah.
The CHP said both Glik and Potter were declared dead at the scene.
Flora was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital while his 12-year-old passenger, Emma Steele-Hunt of Santa Rosa, was taken by air ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center. She had been sitting in the Toyota’s backseat and was not wearing a seatbelt, and was thrown from the vehicle.
A third passenger, Zachary Roes, 30, of Santa Rosa, had minor injuries and was treated at the scene, the CHP said.
Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital spokesperson Katy Hillenmeyer said Monday that Flora remained in critical condition.
On Monday, UC Davis Medical Center said Steele-Hunt was not listed as a patient at that point, so no update on her condition was immediately available.
The investigation into the causes of the crash remain under investigation, the CHP said.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A pedestrian who was hit by a car Sunday evening was flown to a regional trauma center.
The vehicle versus pedestrian crash was reported shortly after 5:30 p.m. Sunday at Olympic Drive and Lakeshore Drive, according to reports from the scene.
Lake County Fire Protection District firefighters and Clearlake Police responded to the crash, radio reports indicated.
Details about the crash victim were not immediately available, however posts on Lake County News’ Facebook page suggested it may have been a child or young teenager.
Shortly after arriving, fire officials requested an air ambulance, with REACH 6 responding.
Initially, the helicopter was to land at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake, but firefighters later asked the landing zone to be moved to Austin Park, according to radio reports.
REACH 6 lifted off shortly after 6:15 p.m. en route to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
Lake County Fire Chief Willie Sapeta, who was on the scene, deferred comment about the specifics of the crash to the Clearlake Police Department.
A report from the agency was pending early Monday morning.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State officials said the recently released results of physical fitness testing for elementary school students showed that, for the second year in a row, 31 percent of students posted healthy scores in all six of the tested areas.
The California Department of Education reported that the 2012 Physical Fitness Test was administered to approximately 1.3 million fifth-, seventh- and ninth-graders, representing more than 93 percent of the total number of students enrolled in those grades in California public schools.
State Superintendent of Schools Tom Torlakson didn’t consider the results encouraging.
“When we can call fewer than one out of three of our kids physically fit, we know we have a tremendous public health challenge on our hands,” Torlakson said.
Torlakson, a longtime teacher and coach, said that study after study has demonstrated the very clear link between physical fitness and academic achievement.
“While I am glad their fitness levels improve as they make their way through school, we owe it to California’s kids to give them more opportunities for exercise, along with better access to healthy foods and clean, fresh water,” Torlakson said.
In Lake County, 563 fifth graders, 613 seventh graders and 695 ninth graders participated in the testing, according to the testing data.
The FITNESSGRAM testing, designed in 1996, looks at six key fitness areas: aerobic capacity, body composition, abdominal strength, trunk extensor strength, upper body strength and flexibility.
For aerobic capacity and body composition, students may be classified in the “Healthy Fitness Zone (HFZ),” “Needs Improvement” or “Needs Improvement-High Risk.”
In the other four areas, students are classified more generally as either being in the HFZ or needing improvement, according to the report.
The 2012 Physical Fitness Test results show that, statewide, 25 percent of the students in grade five, 32 percent in grade seven, and 37 percent in grade nine scored within the HFZ for all six areas of the test.
While aerobic capacity is an indicator of physical fitness, body composition is perhaps the most important indicator of who will develop future health problems, the state reported. This year’s results show that almost a third, or 30 percent, of all students from grades five, seven and nine are in the high-risk category for body composition.
State education officials said the same groups, or cohorts, of students were tracked through the fitness tests in the three selected grade levels, with the testing noting improvements in physical fitness over the years.
The same was true in the case of Lake County’s children, for whom physical fitness appeared to have improved as students advanced through the grade levels.
Among local fifth graders, 25 percent were in the Healthy Fitness Zone for all six testing categories, compared to 24.3 percent among seventh graders and 38.3 percent for ninth graders. That’s compared to 24.8 percent, 25.5 percent and 37.6 percent, respectively, in the 2010-11 report.
The visualization above shows how Lake County students tested in each of the six physical fitness areas in the 2012 testing.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county’s animal shelter continues to feature great cats and kittens every week that need good homes.
Cat lovers looking for new companions are welcome to come in and meet the cats, make a new friend and take one – or two – home.
Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and 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.
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”).
Female torbie kitten
This female kitten is 5 months old.
She has a short torbie-colored coat and gold eyes, weighs 3.6 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 20a, ID No. 34743.
Buff-colored female kitten
This female buff-colored kitten is 5 months old.
She has a long coat, weighs 2.6 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 20c, ID No. 34792.
Gray tabby kitten
This gray tabby kitten is 5 months old.
He has green eyes, a short coat, weighs 3.6 pounds and has been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 20d, ID No. 34746.
Domestic long hair mix
This black and white female domestic long hair mix cat is 3 years old.
She has green eyes, is of medium size and has been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 52, ID No. 34632.
Gray and white domestic long hair
This male domestic long hair mix is 1 year old.
He has green eyes and is a smaller-sized cat. He has been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 54, ID No. 34655.
‘Joesi’
“Joesi” is a 5-year-old domestic long hair mix.
She has green eyes, floppy ears and has been spayed.
She is in cat room kennel No. 80, ID No. 34765.
Male gray tabby
This male gray tabby is 1 year old.
He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 100, ID No. 34479.
Female torbie
This female torbie is 3 years old.
She has gold eyes, a short coat and weighs 5 pounds. She has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 105, ID No. 34742.
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
The California Household Travel Survey is currently under way, and urging those who have received invitations to take part.
The survey collects information about Californians’ daily travel and activity patterns with the resulting information used to help plan for future transportation in your community.
Surveying efforts are currently under way on a randomly selected list of household addresses from across the state in an effort to ensure equal participation for all communities.
Those who have received an invitation to participate as urged to visit www.californiatravelsurvey.com .
The survey effort is a partnership among Caltrans, the California Energy Commission, the California Air Resources Board and regional transportation planning agencies.
Every day, Californians move throughout our state – in cars, on bikes, or by foot, rail, ferry, bus, or plane. To plan for future projects, officials need to understand how you travel today.
“We need to look ahead to a time when California will add millions of new residents and vehicles to our state transportation system,” said acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Based on this research, we can make decisions that will lead to a better place to call home.”
The travel information collected from households across the state will be combined to determine when, where, how and why people travel.
The results will help officials to better understand California’s travel needs in order to improve roads and bus/rail systems, traveler safety and daily commutes, and help grow local economies.
Accurate, up-to-date travel information and activity patterns are needed to make the best recommendations for transportation improvements for your community.
Participants’ information will help them make wise transportation investments, which will provide state residents with better access to jobs and housing, reduce traffic congestion, and increase mobility – all of which improve the economy, environment and quality of life.
If you have ever wondered what you can do to help improve transportation in your community, this is your chance.
Surveying activities will continue through February 2013.
For additional information concerning the survey or the survey process, visit www.californiatravelsurvey.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An early Saturday morning crash at Indian Valley Reservoir sent two people to the hospital and resulted in an arrest for drunk driving.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office said driver Thomas Michael Rores, 35, of Castro Valley was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol following the crash.
Rores, who was driving a 2008 Toyota 4Runner, was injured along with his passenger, 38-year-old Brian Sperle of Hayward. Two other passengers, Roderick Kreiss, 36, of Concord and Robert Zimmerman, 32, of Colfax, were not injured, the CHP said.
The CHP reported that the solo-vehicle wreck occurred at 12:20 a.m. Saturday in a remote area near Indian Valley Reservoir. CHP dispatch received a call about the incident minutes later.
At 2 a.m. emergency personnel located the Toyota Rores had been driving north of Highway 20 and east of Bartlett Springs Road along the reservoir’s northern shoreline, the CHP said.
Based on the crash investigation so far, the CHP said it appeared that Rores was driving in a northernly direction on a dry portion of the lakebed.
For reasons that are yet to be determined, Rores lost control of the Toyota and it began to overturn, the CHP said.
Rores sustained moderate injuries and was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, while Sperle was flown by REACH air ambulance to Enloe Medical Center in Chico, according to the CHP.
Reports from the scene Saturday morning indicated that Sperle had broken vertebrae in his neck and had no feeling in his legs.
Lake County Jail records showed that Rores was booked on Saturday morning, with bail set at $50,000 for a charge of driving under the influence causing bodily injury. He later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.
Rores was not wearing his seat belt but all of his passengers were belted, the CHP said.
The CHP said the crash’s cause remains under investigation.
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