How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
Officials said the vehicle was recovered a short time later but the vehicle's key and the deputy's personal cell phone were missing.
Capt. Rob Howe of the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported that a sheriff's deputy responded to what he believed to be a fight behind Noble's Bar in Middletown at 12:55 a.m. Saturday.
The deputy followed one of the involved parties into the bar, Howe said, and upon returning to the parking lot, the deputy found that his patrol vehicle had been stolen.
The deputy located the vehicle approximately 10 minutes later, parked behind Hardester's Market in Middletown, with the key and phone missing, Howe said.
Howe said the vehicle’s Mobile Audio Visual (MAV) Unit captured video of the subject believed to have stolen the vehicle.
He said the suspect is still outstanding at this time. No description of the suspect has been released.
Capt. Rob Howe of the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported Monday that Michael Wayne Schnell suffered a 7-inch laceration across his forearm in the incident, which occurred July 16.
Schnell was installing a swamp cooler at a friend's house at 12521 Foothill Boulevard in Clearlake Oaks when an unknown suspect approached and started shouting at them, according to Howe's report.
Howe said Schnell got into a brief argument with the suspect, who then produced a knife and slashed Schnell’s right forearm before fleeing the area.
Deputies responded to the scene, Howe said, and found Schnell, who was bleeding profusely and appeared to be losing consciousness.
Howe said medical personnel responded to the scene and Schnell was eventually transported by REACH helicopter to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment.
Deputies searched the area for the suspect but didn't locate him. A description of the suspect wasn't released.
UKIAH – Hundreds of firefighters have been called in to fight a Ukiah area blaze that is putting out thick smoke that the wind is carrying into Lake County's air basin.
The Sheppard Fire started shortly before 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to Cal Fire spokesperson Tracy Boudreaux.
By 9:30 p.m. Monday the fire had grown to 105 acres in size, with 60-percent containment, Boudreaux reported.
Boudreaux said the fire is believed to have started in the area of 3630 Robinson Creek Road, cross of Highway 253 in Ukiah. The fire is in the west hills, in the area of Spanish Canyon and Oak Knoll.
“We're hitting it pretty hard with air tankers right now,” Boudreaux said early Monday evening, nothing there have been “spotting problems” with the fire.
More than 300 firefighters were on scene by the end of Monday, along with five air tankers, one helicopter, one water tender, four hand crews, three bulldozers and 18 engines on scene, Boudreaux said.
“We drew all of the closest engines to jump on this right away,” she said.
Cal Fire resources also have been called in from out of the county, she added.
Earlier in the day, structures were reported to be threatened in the immediate area. By by Monday night Boudreaux said the threat to the structures was minimal – unless the weather changed Tuesday.
No evacuations were in force, although Boudreaux said some people were asked not to return to their residences while firefighters are working earlier in the afternoon.
Later in the evening Boudreaux said all area roads had been opened up, some to residents only and others – like Boonville Road – to the public at large.
Boudreaux said more aircraft and hand crews are expected to be on scene on Tuesday.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Boudreaux.
“We haven't even had a chance to get to the origin,” she said.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
SPRING VALLEY – A grass fire in Spring Valley Monday afternoon burned 10 acres and jumped a road before firefighters brought it under control.
Firefighters were dispatched to the blaze, along New Long Valley Road, just before 1 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Pat Brown credited Cal Fire Helicopter 104 and its crew for quick action.
He said they “pretty well saved the day” when the helicopter dropped off a hand crew that went to work against the fire, which jumped New Long Valley Road and started a run.
The helicopter then began dropping water on the fire, drawing the water from the nearby creek, according to area resident Melinda Needham.
She noted it was amazing how fast firefighters responded between the helicopter and ground crews.
Cal Fire sent five engines, the hand crew and helicopter, said Brown. Northshore Fire sent two engines and a water tender from its Clearlake Oaks station, along with one engine from Lucerne. Lake County Fire Protection District sent a water tender.
The fire was contained at approximately 1:40 p.m., according to Cal Fire.
Brown said the cause is still under investigation.
The fire caused an estimated $1,000 worth of damage to one structure, which it burned right up to before being contained, Brown said.
Monday proved an especially hectic day for area firefighters, especially in neighboring Mendocino County, where the Sheppard Fire was sparked near Ukiah around 3:30 p.m., as Lake County News has reported.
A fire near Lakeport threatened a home and outbuildings on Monday afternoon. A call to the home's owner late Monday was not returned.
At about 5:30 p.m., a small grass fire near Hidden Valley Lake at Spruce Grove Road was put out quickly, according to Cal Fire.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
The U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Summer Food Service Program is the single largest federal resource available for schools and local organizations that want to combine a feeding program with a summer activity program for children and their families – and the more people that take advantage of it, the better it is for the entire community.
During the school year, meals are available for children through the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs, but those programs end when school ends for the summer and many children face food insecurity – in other words, lack of meals or nutritious meals – during the summer months.
Konocti, Kelseyville and Middletown unified school districts are participating in this federally-funded program.
“It’s more than just a meal,” said Marla Peterson, Konocti Unified's food service director.
Peterson explained that the Summer Food Service Program provides a social outlet in the summer for youth and families to share quality time together without spending money, as well as provides an opportunity for KUSD to extend their services and deepen their connections to the community.
KUSD is participating in the USDA Summer Food Service program this year and is offering free breakfast and lunch to all youth up to age 18, and adults accompanying children may purchase a meal for $1.50.
Participation in the program helps families to fill the hunger gap so children and their families do not need to go hungry during the summer, said Peterson.
“And at the end of the month,” Peterson said, “families may even have extra money to do other positive activities together,” that they wouldn’t have been able to do otherwise – or would have had to scrimp on meals to do so.
KUSD is able to provide this program at no cost all students, regardless of family income, and the more youth and adults that participate in the program, the more funding the program receives, thereby ensuring it can serve more youth and families nutritious and economical food.
So far, KUSD has provided 600 to 700 meals per day to youth and the adults that accompany them, which includes serving some locally-grown produce from Irene Farms in Lower Lake, Leonardis Organics in Lakeport and Seely’s Farm Stand in Upper Lake.
All children are welcome to participate in this program; no proof of age or income verification is required. Everyone up to 18 years of age will be given free meals at breakfast and lunch. Adults accompanying children may purchase a meal for $1.50 per adult.
Because the lunches are served picnic-style, many families grab their lunches and head to area parks to play and enjoy a meal together, Peterson explained.
“Families come together, and they’re able to have quality family time together,” she said.
Recently, an excited line of children formed to receive their lunches – it was the place to be on a hot summer afternoon – with the adults standing off to the side.
After the children had received their lunches, Konocti Unified staff invited one older woman over to receive a lunch. The woman, who explained that she was caring for her grandchildren over the summer while their parents were at work, hugged the staff and told them that she didn’t know how she would have made ends meet if it weren’t for this program.
“We’re willing to go the extra mile,” Peterson said, not only of the food service staff, but of the entire Konocti Unified staff. “We’ve had great support from the whole district, from teachers to IT to administration.”
Another parent admitted that they didn’t need the assistance, but that their children wanted to be where their friends were, so they came to receive a lunch and join in the festive family atmosphere.
Because the program is available to all families in Lake County – regardless of income – participating youth and adults do not have to worry about being labeled, and everyone can enjoy the nutritious breakfasts and picnic-styled lunches.
To receive free meals for students and discounted meals for adults 18 and over, visit:
Burns Valley Elementary School, 3620 Pine Av., Clearlake;
East Lake Elementary School, 13050 High Valley Road, Clearlake Oaks;
Lower Lake Elementary School, 9240 Lake St., Lower Lake (call 707-994-4543, Extension 3211, as the exact location may change with the change in the regularly scheduled daytime activity).
Breakfast is served between 8 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. and lunch is served between 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, throughout the summer break.
For more information, contact Marla Peterson at 707-994-4543, Extension 3211; for Spanish, call Lily Olivares, 707-994-4710, Extension 3214.
For informational brochures, printable flyers, and a public service announcement video that is being aired bilingually on TV8, visit the KUSD Summer Feeding Program Web site at www.konoctiusd.org/index.cfm?fuseaction=dep_menu&menu_id=5038&dept_id=11 .
E-mail Terre Logsdon at
On July 17 Lucerne Friends of Locally Owned Water (FLOW) received notification that it has attained nonprofit, 501c3 status, according to Craig Bach, the group's vice president. The status went into effect July 13.
He said the nonprofit application was submitted Feb. 13. It was Lucerne FLOW's third attempt, and Bach credited this latest attempt's success to the work of retired attorney Bob Plank, who assisted in making the application.
Bach said Lucerne FLOW will now be able to receive tax-deductible donations as it moves forward in its goal of gaining control of Lucerne's water production and distribution facilities.
Charlie Behne, Lucerne FLOW's president, added, “Now we can pursue some grants and things to help us with some of the things we want to do.”
Lucerne FLOW and its sister organization, Lucerne Community Water Organization, were founded in 2005 in response to San Jose-based Cal Water's proposal to hike the community's rates 278 percent, according to Bach. Cal Water has owned the town's water system since May of 2000.
Lucerne FLOW filed for and received its incorporation status in the fall of 2006, Bach said.
Cal Water is once again seeking a rate increase of 54.9 percent, which Bach said would go into effect in 2011.
Bach said Lucerne FLOW's mission is to gain control of Lucerne's water from the multibillion dollar Cal Water, which he said is guaranteed by the California Public Utilities Commission to make a profit.
Lucerne FLOW, Bach said, is modeled after other FLOW groups, particularly Felton FLOW. That group, located near Santa Cruz, recently gained local control over their water from Cal American, a subsidiary of the European energy giant, RWE.
The effort to meet Lucerne FLOW's goal of locally owned water will be a long one, cautioned Bach.
“It's not going to be done overnight,” he said. “It's going to be a long, tedious process.”
That long process will involve going through the Local Area Formation Commission (LAFCO) and forming a community service district. The LAFCO process is estimated to cost about $15,000, Bach said.
Behne said Lucerne FLOW has spoken to LAFCO officials to get insight about what will be involved. Beginning that phase is “probably our next big step,” he said.
Bach thinks there's a good chance of succeeding, pointing out that Lucerne FLOW has been effective.
For one, he said it's succeeded in its efforts to keep Cal Water from getting that original large rate hike, which had been meant to fund the new plant. Eventually, Cal Water received a loan from the state for the plant.
Bach believes the new plant is working, but it's still having to deal with the unique challenges of Clear Lake's water in the third low water year. “This is like the test of the plant.”
He said previous water managers have said Cal Water hasn't understood Clear Lake's unique nature. “I think it's a lot harder than they originally thought,” he said, noting that they're asking for new equipment for the plant as part of the latest proposed hike.
As Lucerne FLOW prepares to start the process, it's also busy with other community projects, such as beginning a community garden, said Behne.
It also will work against the proposed rate hike. Lucerne FLOW will work with Lucerne Community Water Organization to look at the proposed hike and form a plan to address it. The point is to make sure the community gets what it pays for, Behne said.
“Cal water has a pretty good history of getting rate increases and then not spending all the money for those purposes,” he said.
For more information about the volunteer group visit www.lucerneflow.org .
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at