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The quake, which was reported at 5:26 a.m., occurred at a depth of 1.8 miles, according to the US Geological Survey.
Its epicenter was located two miles north of The Geysers, four miles west of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, the agency reported.
Shake reports were made to the US Geological Survey from seven zip codes, ranging from Calistoga to Fortuna and even to distant San Jacinto, 761 miles away.
A 3.7-magnitude earthquake occurred near The Geysers on March 28, as Lake County News has reported.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
It’s been suggested to me that I should write an in-depth book about Lake County and its wine industry. I’m very interested in the subject and the idea of taking on the project excited me.
The idea was placed in my head over a year ago, and I just haven't been able to act on it. The problem with getting started on it is that I spend so much time on the Foodie Freak columns that I don’t have time to write anything else.
I literally spend almost the same amount of time as a full-time job researching for my columns. At this moment I have about 40 columns in different levels of completion on my computer.
I’m also working on my own signature line of specialty foods, made locally with local ingredients, and hopefully you will see them in stores soon.
While juggling all of these projects keeps me busy and provides me with a steady stream of things to do, I can’t possibly work on a book at the same time.
Since this is what I’d like to do, I’ve decided that I am going to take what I’ll call “a sabbatical” from the Foodie Freak columns, to pursue writing a book about the Lake County wine industry.
I want to chronicle everything anyone could ever want to know about wine in Lake County. I’m going to find the ruins of old wineries, discover lost vineyards and define who currently owns what vineyard
where. This book will eventually be available on Lake County News.
When I am finished writing the book, my wife and I will look into continuing the Foodie Freak series. In the mean time, you will most likely still see my name pop up in Lake County News if and when I report on an events I attend, if a new food venue opens or telling about a class I’ll be teaching, but the weekly columns will be on hold until further notice.
In the event that I do decide to continue the Foodie Freak columns at a later time, I don’t believe I’ll continue doing restaurant reviews anymore. I have become too widely recognized around the community to conduct the reviews anonymously.
Several times now when I have walked into a restaurant, I see the staff group together, start whispering
and pointing at me, and I just know I will be getting special treatment. If I can’t get treated like the general public then I can’t do an accurate review.
So if anyone wants to take those reins and try to keep their anonymity they are welcome to it. Contact Elizabeth Larson, editor of Lakeconews.com and discuss your interest with her.
Thank you to everyone who tells me how much they enjoy my writing. Please feel free to introduce yourself if you see me around the county. Also, if you have any information about old wineries, new
wineries, lost vineyards, and Lake County history, I would love to hear from you. I’ll be spending the next month at the museum.
Good Things,
Ross A. Christensen “The Foodie Freak”
Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community. Follow him on Twitter, http://twitter.com/Foodiefreak .
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KELSEYVILL E – The new education pavilion going up in Clear Lake State Park will aid the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association in their goal to educate the public about the valuable natural and cultural resources surrounding beautiful Clear Lake.
Ground was broken on the project at the park, located at 5300 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville, on Oct. 4, 2008, as Lake County News has reported.
A lot of fundraising effort was needed for the education pavilion, which will provide a year-round sheltered area for nature related studies and activities for students of all ages, the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA) reported.
“We give full praise and appreciation to the entire community for its help, financially and emotionally,” said CLSPIA Chair Madelene Lyon. “Without this wonderful support, construction would not be under way. We are also grateful for the hours and funds provided by California State Parks to assist with the project.”
The pavilion will be located next to the visitor’s center.
“It is amazing what lives in the water here,” said Lyon. “We have over a thousand kids that come here on school field trips. They gather mud samples and water samples.”
Equipment such as microscopes will be available for studying the nature Lake County has to offer; a WiFi connection also is currently in the works for college-level studies, Lyon said. Such a facility is not available elsewhere in Lake County.
Lyon had the idea for the project on her trip to a state park luncheon at Patrick’s Point State Park, just north of Eureka. The facility they dined in influenced the education pavilion.
Work began on the pavilion Dec. 14, 2009, but fundraising and brainstorming efforts began much earlier.
From initial blueprint drafts through review by many departments within the State Department of Parks and Recreation, including local park staff, all had to be followed closely until the bid for construction was let, the agency reported.
The California Conservation Corps received the bid for construction in March 2007 for $165,250.
“We raised nearly $107,000 as a result of the wonderful response we got from the community, and the California State Parks Foundation gave $60,000 in funding,” said Lyon.
Completion of Clear Lake State Park’s education pavilion does not have a definite date.
“We have to roll with the punches,” said Lyon. “I’m guessing the opening will be early to mid-summer.”
The education pavilion will most likely be available for reservations to host other community and private events, said Lyon, but she stresses that they have not yet reached a point where that is relevant to discuss.
To find out how to donate to CLSPIA, call Lyon at 707-279-4395 or visit www.clearlakestatepark.org/clspia.htm for more information. There is also a podcast about the park available at http://www.calparks.org/podcasts/ .
For a map of Clear Lake State Park, visit www.clearlakestatepark.org/map.htm.
E-mail Tera deVroede at
KELSEYVILLE – Two local residents were hurt in a Friday morning head-on collision near Kelseyville.
Carrie Hanks, 52, and Justin Barber, 53, both of Kelseyville, were hurt in the crash, which occurred at 9:30 a.m. on Highway 29 near Kelseyville, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Steve Tanguay.
Tanguay said that Hanks was driving her 1992 Pontiac Bonneville southbound on Highway 29, south of Cruickshank Road.
For an unknown reason, witnesses reported that Hanks' car went to the left and crossed over the painted solid double-yellow lines and entered the northbound lane of traffic directly in front of Barber's 2004 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck, Tanguay said.
The two vehicles collided head-on and came to rest blocking both lanes of traffic, he said.
Hanks was transported by REACH to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for major injuries to her head, chest and legs. Tanguay said Barber was transported by the Kelseyville Fire Department to Sutter-Lakeside Hospital for moderate injuries to his head, neck and chest.
The road remained blocked for approximately 90 minutes, according to Tanguay's report.
Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in this collision, said Tanguay. Both drivers were wearing their seat belts and both vehicles had air bags that deployed.
There were two dogs in Hanks' Pontiac at the time of this collision that sustained injuries. Tanguay said Lake County Animal Care and Control immediately arrived on the scene of the collision and provided emergency care for the dogs.
This collision is still under investigation by Officer G. Buchholz.
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GLENN COUNTY, Calif. – A man whose body was found earlier this week in a burned out residence owned by a Glenn County supervisor has been identified, and he appears to have been the victim of foul play.
Donald Scott Williams, 38, of Red Bluff was identified Thursday following an autopsy that had to use dental x-rays to confirm the identify of his burned body, according to Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones.
Authorities found Williams' body last Sunday in the rubble of an uninhabited residence that's owned by Glenn County Supervisor Leigh McDaniel. The home is located on a farming property that McDaniel owns near Orland.
The home burned Sunday evening, and Jones said the fire is being investigated by the Glenn County Arson/Bomb Task Force.
McDaniel, who is not believed to be involved in any way with the incident, told investigators previously that he had left the residence uninhabited, and that it was burglarized two years ago for its copper plumbing and wiring.
Det. Kelly Knight of the Glenn County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit attended the autopsy, conducted by forensic pathologist Dr. Thomas Resk, Jones reported. Knight had obtained Williams' dental x-rays – he was suspected of being the victim – and gave them to forensic odontologist Dr. Robert Kearby, who was able to identify Williams.
Jones said the autopsy's preliminary results confirmed investigators' original assumptions that Williams died at the hands of another.
In order to protect the integrity of the investigation, Jones said his office won't release the means by which Williams was killed, or any further details regarding the death itself, at this time.
Sheriff’s detectives notified Williams' next of kin, including an 18-year-old daughter who resides with Williams' former spouse. Williams' parents resident outside of California and in separate states, but Jones said William's mother came to Glenn County and met with investigators in Willows on Friday morning.
Williams was released from state prison to supervised parole on Dec. 2, 2009. Jones said Williams was on active California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation parole at the time of his death, and listed his address as Red Bluff at the time of his last booking into the Glenn County Jail, which was on December 20, 2007, Jones said.
The state parole officer assigned to Williams – who was known to frequent the Orland area – also been notified of his death, according to Jones.
Jones said the investigation is continuing, and investigators were back at the scene on Thursday, along with fire investigators, to gather further evidence.
Authorities are still trying to locate a vehicle belonging to Williams, a red 1995 Geo with California license plates with the number 5AZB659, Jones said.
Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of this vehicle, or who has any information regarding the death of Williams, is asked to call Det. Kelly Knight or Sgt. Sean Arlin at 707-934-6431, or the Sheriff’s Secret Witness number at 707-934-6627.
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The two-car, head-on collision occurred on a curve just west of Tulip Hill Winery on the eastern outskirts of the town of Nice just after 2:30 p.m.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Scott Moorhouse said a white minivan driven by an as-yet unnamed female driver was traveling westbound along Highway 20 when it collided with the front driver side of a second vehicle that was traveling east.
That second vehicle, which appeared to be a green Jeep Cherokee, had several passengers inside, one of which was killed in the crash, Moorhouse said.
For a reason that Moorhouse said investigators haven't yet determined, the minivan's driver had drifted off the side of the road, where her tire tracks could clearly be seen in the gravel on the shoulder.
She then traveled back onto the highway and collided with the second vehicle, Moorhouse said.
“We're still trying to piece it all together as to why it happened,” Moorhouse said.
A female passenger seated behind the driver of the second vehicle was the fatality, according to Moorhouse.
Sgt. Gary Basor of the Lake County Sheriff's Office was on scene acting as deputy coroner, and was assisted by mortuary technicians in removing the woman's body from the scene.
The victim's identity was not immediately available, which is customary pending the notification process.
The driver of the white minivan did not appear to be under the influence, said Moorhouse. She was uninjured, and had been traveling alone.
He said CHP was continuing to investigate her situation. Another CHP officer took the woman from the scene of the crash in the front passenger seat of his patrol car.
Northshore Fire Protection District firefighters spent about an hour and a half extricating the victims from the wreckage of the second vehicle.
Fire officials at the scene reported two subjects from that vehicle had major injuries and two others were “walking wounded.”
One of the victims was screaming as they tried to pull her out of the vehicle, the top of which firefighters had to slice off in order to get to the injured.
A Northshore Fire ambulance ferried the crash victims to nearby Ceago Vinegarden, which had a field that REACH Air Ambulance was using as a landing zone.
Moorhouse said three victims were transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital. The remaining crash victims were taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, the CHP reported.
Highway 20 was completely blocked – with traffic stretching at least two miles from the scene – as rescuers and tow companies came and went from the crash site. Accident warning signs were posted to warn drivers about the closure.
The highway remained closed just after 5 p.m. About a half hour later, one-way traffic was opened up, and the roadway was fully reopened at 6 p.m.
CHP reported receiving calls about people parking their vehicles alongside of the road east of the crash scene and leaving them.
Late Friday, the CHP reported that a child riding in the vehicle had been transported to the Children's Hospital & Research Center Oakland for treatment, and was in critical condition.
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