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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Lake County Sheriff’s officials are investigating a reported burglary at the Tri Counties Bank in Middletown.
At approximately 8:12 a.m. Monday, deputies responded to the Tri Counties Bank, which is located at 21097 Calistoga Road in Middletown, for a reported burglary, which was discovered as employees arrived for work this morning, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.
He said it appeared the suspects were able to enter the bank sometime Saturday night and compromise the ATM machine located inside. An unknown amount of US currency was removed from the ATM.
Numerous Lake County Sheriff’s Office patrol deputies, detectives and command staff responded to the scene, Brooks said. Crime scene investigators also responded to the scene to collect evidence. The Federal Bureau of Investigation also was contacted and notified of the burglary.
Additional information regarding this case will be released as it is obtained, Brooks said.
This investigation is ongoing and anyone who may have information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the lake County Sheriff’s Department at 707-263-2690.
LUCERNE, Calif. – A popular Northshore restaurant was robbed at gunpoint on Saturday afternoon.
The incident occurred at Foster’s Freeze, located at 6252 E. Highway 20 in Lucerne, between 3:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. Saturday, according to the restaurant’s manager, William Claunch.
Claunch said a male suspect came into the lobby, armed with a handgun.
He said there weren’t many people in the lobby at the time but the dining room was full of customers who didn’t know what was going on.
The restaurant handed over video of the robbery to the sheriff’s office on Sunday, Claunch said.
Claunch said they’re also reviewing the surveillance video for a good image of the suspect, which they hope to release Monday.
“He wasn’t masked or anything,” said Claunch, which leads to the hope that an image of him released to the community will help identify him.
It’s the second time in less than a week that an armed robbery has been reported at a local business.
Last Tuesday, July 17, a suspect robbed Catfish Coffee House on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake, as Lake County News has reported.
The Clearlake suspect was described as a white male adult, about 6 feet tall.
Claunch said the suspect who robbed Foster’s Freeze wasn’t the same individual, as he was much shorter, about 5 feet 3 inches tall.
Claunch did not have additional details on the suspect on Sunday, however postings on Facebook indicated the man may have had a marijuana leaf tattoo on his forearm and left the scene in a white SUV.
Lake County Sheriff’s Office command staff couldn’t be reached over the weekend for comment on the case.
Additional details on the robbery will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is working to find homes for a full house of kittens at the shelter this month.
Kitten season is in full swing, and so the number of the little felines needing homes escalates during summer months.
That’s where people with loving homes can make a difference.
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”).
Adult gray tabby
This male gray tabby is 1 year old.
He weighs 7.4 pounds, has a medium-length coat and has been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 11, ID 33504.
Domestic long hair mix
This female kitten is 15 weeks old.
She has a long black coat and green eyes. She has not yet been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 53b, ID No. 33249.
‘Tiger’
“Tiger” is a 12-week-old male tabby.
He’s a domestic short hair mix that has not yet been altered.
He’s quite playful, enjoys people and likes to be held.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. 32823.
Gray tabby kitten
This female gray tabby kitten is 4 months old.
She has green eyes, a short coat and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 65a, ID No. 32839.
Gray tabby kitten
This male gray tabby kitten is 4 months old.
He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 65b, ID No. 32840.
Male domestic short hair mix
This male domestic short hair mix kitten is 4 months old.
He has gray and black coloring and green eyes, and has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 65c, ID No. 32841.
Brown tabby kitten
This male brown tabby kitten is 4 months old.
He has a short coat and green eyes, and has been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 65d, ID No. 32842.
Orange tabby kitten
This male orange tabby kitten is 14 weeks old.
He has blue eyes, weighs just over 2 pounds and has a medium-length coat. He has not yet been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 105a, ID No. 33323.
Orange tabby kitten
This male orange tabby kitten is 14 weeks old.
He has blue eyes, weighs just over 2 pounds and has a medium-length coat with dilute coloring. He has not yet been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 105b, ID No. 33324.
Orange tabby kitten
This male orange tabby kitten is 14 weeks old.
He has blue eyes, weighs just over 2 pounds and has a medium-length coat. He has not yet been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 105c, ID No. 33325.
Orange tabby kitten
This male orange tabby kitten is 14 weeks old.
He has blue eyes, weighs just over 2 pounds and has a medium-length coat. He has not yet been neutered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 105d, ID No. 33326.
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
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Firefighters are getting close to fully containing a fire that broke out on Saturday in Yolo County.
The “Forest Fire” – originally titled “Forrest” – began burning shortly after 10 a.m. Saturday off of Forest Avenue and Highway 16 at Guinda, south of Rumsey Canyon, according to Cal Fire’s Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit.
The approximate acreage Cal Fire reported Sunday evening was 520, down slightly from estimates given Saturday. It was 85-percent contained.
Cal Fire said overnight progress aided firefighters in building containment line around the fire and extinguishing hot spots.
Throughout Sunday firefighters put out numerous additional hot spots, with crews to be on the line Sunday night to continue the hot spot patrol, according to Cal Fire.
Several homes and outbuildings remain threatened by the fire, the cause of which is still under investigation, Cal Fire said.
Four minor injuries were reported due to the fire, Cal Fire said.
Approximately 412 personnel were on scene Sunday, along with 34 engines, 16 fire crews, two air tankers, five helicopters, 10 dozers and three water tenders, according to the report.
Cooperating agencies include Cal Fire, Capay Valley Fire Protection District, Yocha Dehe Fire Department, numerous local fire departments from Yolo County, Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, Yolo County Sheriff, California Highway Patrol and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
Also on Sunday, firefighters were working on the Ranch Fire, located off of West Ranch Road and Ciarlo Lane northwest of Vacaville in Solano County. It was 75 acres and 75-percent contained Sunday evening, according to Cal Fire.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A Sunday evening vehicle pursuit led to a vehicle crash into a power pole, a power outage and road closure, and an ongoing search for the suspect.
The collision occurred shortly before 6 p.m. at Live Oak Drive and Cruickshank Road in Kelseyville, according to the California Highway Patrol.
At approximately 5:49 p.m. CHP Officers Randy Forslund and Steve Curtis were directing traffic at the scene of a single-vehicle rollover on Highway 29 between Highway 175/Cobb and Bottle Rock Road when they observed a gray Mitsubishi SUV heading northbound on Highway 29, the CHP reported.
The SUV’s male driver was holding a meth pipe in his hand. The officers tried to wave the driver over and get him to stop, but the CHP report said he failed to yield to their hand gestures and vocal commands.
Officer Curtis got into his patrol car and attempted to stop the subject, who continued northbound on Highway 29 at approximately 60 miles per hour until just south of Cole Creek Road, the CHP said.
Near Cole Creek Road, the suspect accelerated to approximately 85 miles per hour, with the CHP reporting that a pursuit began at that point.
The SUV driver turned to go west on Cruickshank Road, and while trying to negotiate a right turn to head north on Live Oak Drive, he lost control of the vehicle and hit a power pole, the CHP said.
The CHP said the crash caused the power pole to be sheered off at the base, with the lines knocked to the ground.
The male suspect then fled the area on foot, heading eastbound on Live Oak, into a nearby mobile home park, the CHP reported.
Firefighters returning from the vehicle crash on Highway 29 responded to the scene, where they helped shut down the roadway.
A sheriff’s K9 responded to help with the search, but the CHP said the suspect eluded them. The incident is still under investigation.
Pacific Gas & Electric responded to the scene shortly after 6:30 p.m., with the company reporting that as many as 346 customers were out of power. AT&T also was on hand to deal with resulting phone outages.
County road staff were requested to help with lane closures, according to the CHP.
The CHP said the intersection of Cruickshank and Live Oak Drive will be closed for repairs through the night, with the intersection expected to reopen at 5 a.m. Monday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A single-vehicle rollover resulted in two air ambulances flying patients out of the county with injuries on Sunday evening.
The wreck occurred on Highway 29 just east of Bottle Rock Road at about 4:40 p.m., according to radio reports.
An SUV went off the roadway and rolled over, the California Highway Patrol reported. Lanes were blocked as Kelseyville Fire personnel arrived.
Two juveniles who were belted and secured in safety seats and one driver were reported to be in the vehicle, radio reports indicated.
Lakeport Fire sent mutual aid units, including an ambulance and an engine with extrication equipment, which reports from the scene said was needed to free those riding in the vehicle.
Two air ambulances were requested to come to the scene.
REACH 6 arrived near the scene shortly after 5 p.m., and lifted off about a half-hour later en route to Children's Hospital & Research Center of Oakland.
CalStar 4 touched down at a landing zone set up at Kelseyville High School around 5:40 p.m. to pick up a 31-year-old female with a broken femur, according to radio report.
Radio reports indicated CalStar 4 lifted off en route to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital at 5:55 p.m.
It was not clear if the second child was injured.
No additional details about the identities of the crash victims were immediately available Sunday evening.
Email Elizabeth Larson at