News

MIDDLETOWN – A Sunday morning crash claimed the life of a Middletown man Sunday.

Michael Medrano, 41, was the victim of the single-vehicle crash, his family confirmed Wednesday.

California Highway Patrol Officer Adam Garcia said the collision that took Medrano's life occurred at about 12:25 a.m. Sunday.

Medrano was alone, driving his 1991 Nissan pickup westbound on Highway 175, west of the Dry Creek Cutoff, said Garcia.

“He was coming out of a slight curve in the road and veered off the road to the right and struck a tree head-on,” Garcia said.

The impact, said Garcia, caused the truck to spin out and hit another tree.

Medrano, who was wearing his seat belt, died at the scene, Garcia said.

Garcia said alcohol is believed to have been a contributing factor in the fatal collision. However, the CHP is awaiting a coroner's report before making a final conclusion.

Officer Steve Tanguay is investigating the case, Garcia said.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LAKE COUNTY – The county's Elections Office reports that the nomination period is open for local, state and federal elected office, with local candidates taking out initial paperwork to begin the process of running for office.

Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley reported that activity is picking up for offices that will be voted on during the statewide Direct Primary Election scheduled for Tuesday, June 3.

The primary will feature voting for supervisorial Districts 1, 4 and 5, as well as U.S. House of Representatives Congressional District 1 and State Assembly District 1. Candidates for the latter two offices, said Fridley, are to be nominated by political parties qualified to participate in the election.

The first step in filing is usually to take out a Form 501, which allows a candidate to raise money. Fridley said candidates would next file petitions to submit signatures in lie of paying a filing fee – usually about 1 percent of the elected office's annual salary.

Finally, to officially become a candidate, a person must filed a declaration of candidacy, she said.

So far, no local supervisorial candidates have filed declaration of candidacy paperwork, the deadline for which is Friday, March 7 at 5 p.m.

However, Form 501s have been filed in all districts, she said, as have petitions in lieu of filing fees, the deadline for which is Thursday, Feb. 21.

In District 1, the five people seeking to succeed Supervisor Ed Robey who have taken out the initial paperwork to run are James Comstock, Scott Fergusson, Don Dornbush, Susanne La Faver and Robert MacIntyre, said Fridley.

In District 4, incumbent Supervisor Anthony Farrington has filed the Form 501 and in-lieu of petition, with no other candidates appearing so far, said Fridley.

In the final District up for election this year, District 5, Fridley said challenger Robert Stark and incumbent Rob Brown both have taken out paperwork to pursue fundraising and signatures.

During this, the nomination period, candidates must file a declaration of candidacy to officially get onto the ballot, said Fridley.

So far, no State Assembly or Congressional candidates have filed declaration of candidacy papers, said Fridley. However, Humboldt County Libertarian Ed Musgrave was issued in-lieu of filing fee petitions to run for the State Assembly seat.

Fridley said that during the primary election the two active local partisan central committees, for the Republicans and Democrats, will elect members, who will appear on the ballot.

As they're accepting paperwork for the primary, Fridley said her office is still working on certifying the Feb. 5 presidential primary, which must be completed by early next month.

For more information regarding filing for the elective offices enumerated above or to be provided with a copy of the Lake County Candidate Handbook/Election Calendar, contact the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, telephone 263-2372, or visit them at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N Forbes St., Room 209, Lakeport.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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LUCERNE – Burglars hit the Lucerne Alpine Senior Center over the weekend, taking hundreds of dollars in equipment, officials reported Monday.

Lee Tyree, who took over as the center's executive director on Jan. 1, said the building was broken into once or, possibly, twice on Sunday.

Taken was a brand new laptop computer, office equipment including phones and about $30 in change found in the offices, Tyree reported.

Tyree said she received a phone call on Sunday at about 1:30 p.m. from center board member Ken Kent, who told her about the break in.

She immediately went to the center, where she and Kent surveyed the damage.

The burglars appeared to have broken out the outreach office's window, gained access and then began going through desks to find cash, she said.

They then broke out the window to her office but didn't appear to have taken anything.

There also was about $30 in change spilled on the floor, she said.

However, the burglars didn't manage to get away with the center's extremely heavy safe, she said.

Tyree said she called the sheriff's office and made a report.

On Monday morning, when Tyree went in to work, she discovered they had come back, returned to her office and stolen her brand new laptop computer, which she had gotten last month.

“I'm sick about it,” she said.

The suspects also had taken phones, picked up the $30 in change and made another try at the safe, she said.

Tyree wasn't sure if two separate break-ins had occurred or if the suspects were actually still in the building and hiding when she and Kent arrived to call the sheriff on Sunday.

“It's kind of a scary feeling,” she said.

Due to the President's Day holiday, the Lake County Sheriff's Office could not be reached for comment Monday on the case.

Although center officials don't have any particular suspects in mind, they did find a possible clue on Monday – a green jacket had been left behind, sitting on Tyree's chair in her office.

Tyree said she may also have a clue to when at least one of the break-ins took place: JJ Jackson, the center's former executive director, reported to her that he was receiving calls on his home phone from the center's fax machine – which also can be used as a phone – early Sunday morning.

Tyree suspected the suspects might be close to home. “We have a lot of problems with the neighborhood kids.”

They are believed to be responsible for knocking over an extremely heavy concrete bench in front of the center, which the county's Parks Department had to use a backhoe to put right, she said.

In recent years the center has been the victim of other cases of vandalism, and Tyree said illegal dumping at the center's thrift shop is an ongoing problem.

Tyree said she's requesting additional sheriff's patrols around the building, and asks town residents to please call 911 if they see any suspicious behavior around the center.

Anyone with information on the break-ins should call the Lake County Sheriff's Office at 262-4200.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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It's official – former State Sen. Wesley Chesbro is now officially in the race for the Assembly's First District seat.

Chesbro paid his filing fees at the Humboldt County Elections Office on Friday and took out papers for the Democratic Party nomination in the race for the First Assembly District, his office reported over the weekend.

From 1998 to 2006 Chesbro represented the North Coast in the State Senate for eight years.

He's now hoping to succeed State Assemblywoman Patty Berg who is no longer able to serve in the State Assembly due to term limits.

Chesbro said he is calling his Assembly campaign “First District First,” to highlight his commitment to put the needs of First Assembly District residents ahead of all else.

The filing period for State Assembly candidates began on Monday, Feb. 11 and will close on March 7.

So far, Chesbro is the only candidate known to have taken out nomination papers and paid his filing fee.

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THE GEYSERS – The Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) plans to conduct a control burn in The Geysers area this Tuesday.

Cal Fire's Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit plans to conduct the burn between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

A control burn involves intentionally burning predesignated areas of brush under carefully controlled conditions to reduce hazards from wildfires and improve wildlife habitat.

Smoke from this operation may be visible in the northern Sonoma County areas of Healdsburg, Geyserville and Cloverdale, and in portions of Lake County, Cal Fire reported.

The benefits of the low intensity fire in the natural environment are:

– Cleansing of wild land debris. Excessive dead and down branches, brush and small trees will be consumed by fire, reducing the presence of fuels.

– Improving wildlife habitat. Removal of decadent fuel encourages the growth of seasonal grasses and plants which provide food and habitat to a wider range of animals.

– Killing disease. Low intensity fire helps eliminate and control diseased plants and trees.

– New growth. Controlled burning encourages the healthy growth of new plants, especially those fire dependent for renewal or seed dispersion.

– Reduces opportunity for destructive fires. Prescribed fires decrease the size and frequency of large uncontrolled destructive wildfires.

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FINLEY – Merlot and Ghiardelli, Zinfandel and dark chocolate-dipped strawberries, Barbera and chocolate mousse – all these flavors and more drew Lake County residents and visitors in droves to the second annual Wine and Chocolate held at Mt. Konocti Growers Saturday.

The event is a benefit for the Lake Family Resource Center domestic violence shelter project.

“What a tremendous show of support from the agricultural community and the community at large for the Lake Family Resource Center,” said Representative Mike Thompson, who was pouring for Bonterra Winery, a California Certified Organic Farmers (CCOF) winery, to which Thompson supplies grapes from his Lake County vineyard. “It’s an honor to be here.”

Twenty-eight different wineries – all with winegrapes grown in Lake County – were pouring their wines paired with fine chocolates or other desserts with chocolate.