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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Rodeo is set to return this weekend.
The 91st annual event will be held on Friday, July 9, and Saturday, July 10, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
Rodeo gates open at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
At 6 p.m. Friday, the Cutest Cowpoke Competition will be held. It is open to boys and girls ages 3 to 8 years.
The deadline to enter is Friday, July 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds. All participants should arrive at the rodeo on Friday, no later than 5:15 p.m. to check in at the rodeo office.
There is no entry fee and there is no limit to how many children can enter. Winners, one boy and one girl, will each be awarded a silver buckle and a cash prize of $75.
The mutton bustin’ competition takes place both Friday and Saturday nights from 6 to 7 p.m. Ten children, ages 4 to 8 years, will be entered each evening. The winner each night will receive a silver buckle and a cash prize of $75.
On each night of the rodeo, youngsters in the grandstands will be called into the arena for the “Boot Race” where they will leave their boots and shoes at one end of the arena. They will then go to the “starting line” where they will be given the go signal to race to find their shoes/boots, The first one back to the starting line will be awarded a cash prize.
At 7 p.m. each night the California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned professional rodeo will begin with the grand entry, during which 2021 Grand Marshal Bob Anton will enter the arena on a wagon drawn by beautiful Percheron horses.
Anton turned 101 on July 3 and is joined by several family members on this occasion.
The Clear Lake Junior Horsemen Drill Team will lead the competitors into the arena and also will perform each night.
The Rodeo Association is pleased to announce the national anthem will be sung each night by Sophia Claire, a Nashville recording artist. Claire is the niece of Lake County Rodeo Director Lou Riccardi.
Announcer Ted Dwyer returns this year to lead spectators through the excitement of a professional rodeo. He announces several rodeos each year and is remarkably familiar with most of the competitors, sharing information about them with the crowd.
In addition to the professional rodeo events, there will also be local barrel racing both evenings with the ultimate best time winner being announced on Saturday. In addition to cash prizes, the winner will be awarded a silver buckle.
Local team roping happens Saturday evening with the winning team members each receiving a set of silver spurs.
An added treat this year is the Coppertown Clown Bert Davis and his famous dog act — the only animal act in America’s Got Talent to make it to the Las Vegas competition — which will entertain with their canine antics.
Children ages 6 and under may attend for free when accompanied by a paid adult. Tickets for youth ages 7 to 12 are $10, ages 13 and older are $15 each.
Presale tickets are available in Middletown at Koontz Design and Rainbow Ag; Barreda’s Lower Lake Feed and Pasquinelli’s in Lower Lake; RB Peters, Rainbow Ag, West Lake Auto and Lake County Chamber in Lakeport; and in Upper Lake at Upper Lake Grocery.
Presale tickets for Saturday are youth, $8, and 13 and older are $13.
For ticket information call 707-489-8652.
The 91st annual event will be held on Friday, July 9, and Saturday, July 10, at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
Rodeo gates open at 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday.
At 6 p.m. Friday, the Cutest Cowpoke Competition will be held. It is open to boys and girls ages 3 to 8 years.
The deadline to enter is Friday, July 9, at 5:30 p.m. at the fairgrounds. All participants should arrive at the rodeo on Friday, no later than 5:15 p.m. to check in at the rodeo office.
There is no entry fee and there is no limit to how many children can enter. Winners, one boy and one girl, will each be awarded a silver buckle and a cash prize of $75.
The mutton bustin’ competition takes place both Friday and Saturday nights from 6 to 7 p.m. Ten children, ages 4 to 8 years, will be entered each evening. The winner each night will receive a silver buckle and a cash prize of $75.
On each night of the rodeo, youngsters in the grandstands will be called into the arena for the “Boot Race” where they will leave their boots and shoes at one end of the arena. They will then go to the “starting line” where they will be given the go signal to race to find their shoes/boots, The first one back to the starting line will be awarded a cash prize.
At 7 p.m. each night the California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association-sanctioned professional rodeo will begin with the grand entry, during which 2021 Grand Marshal Bob Anton will enter the arena on a wagon drawn by beautiful Percheron horses.
Anton turned 101 on July 3 and is joined by several family members on this occasion.
The Clear Lake Junior Horsemen Drill Team will lead the competitors into the arena and also will perform each night.
The Rodeo Association is pleased to announce the national anthem will be sung each night by Sophia Claire, a Nashville recording artist. Claire is the niece of Lake County Rodeo Director Lou Riccardi.
Announcer Ted Dwyer returns this year to lead spectators through the excitement of a professional rodeo. He announces several rodeos each year and is remarkably familiar with most of the competitors, sharing information about them with the crowd.
In addition to the professional rodeo events, there will also be local barrel racing both evenings with the ultimate best time winner being announced on Saturday. In addition to cash prizes, the winner will be awarded a silver buckle.
Local team roping happens Saturday evening with the winning team members each receiving a set of silver spurs.
An added treat this year is the Coppertown Clown Bert Davis and his famous dog act — the only animal act in America’s Got Talent to make it to the Las Vegas competition — which will entertain with their canine antics.
Children ages 6 and under may attend for free when accompanied by a paid adult. Tickets for youth ages 7 to 12 are $10, ages 13 and older are $15 each.
Presale tickets are available in Middletown at Koontz Design and Rainbow Ag; Barreda’s Lower Lake Feed and Pasquinelli’s in Lower Lake; RB Peters, Rainbow Ag, West Lake Auto and Lake County Chamber in Lakeport; and in Upper Lake at Upper Lake Grocery.
Presale tickets for Saturday are youth, $8, and 13 and older are $13.
For ticket information call 707-489-8652.
NORTH COAST, Calif. — Firefighters are working to fully contain a wildland fire that began on Wednesday afternoon and led to the evacuation of nearby homes and an animal shelter.
The Broiler fire began at 2:44 p.m. Wednesday on Bel Arbres Road at Uva Drive in Redwood Valley, Cal Fire reported.
By Wednesday night, Cal Fire said the fire’s forward progress had stopped. By that point it had burned 80 acres and was 20% contained.
Fire resources are remaining at the scene overnight to establish control lines, Cal Fire said.
Eighty structures are threatened and one has been destroyed, officials said.
Cal Fire said mandatory evacuations remain in place south of Uva Place from Highway 101 to Linex Drive and south of Uva Drive, and Uva Drive south to Central Avenue to the Highway 101 off-ramp.
An evacuation center has been set up at the Mendocino College gym, 1000 Hensley Creek Road in Ukiah, Cal Fire reported.
Road closures are in effect on Uva Drive at Highway 101, Uva Drive at Central Avenue and West Road at Vineyard Oaks.
Assigned resources include 15 engines, five water tenders, two helicopters, two hand crews, two dozers and 135 personnel, Cal Fire said.
The Humane Society for Inland Mendocino reported on its Facebook page that the fire began near its shelter, which necessitated evacuating 140 animals from the facility.
Animals were taken to foster homes or a veterinary facility until they can be returned to the shelter, possibly on Thursday morning, the organization reported.
The Humane Society said this is the first time since 2017 that its staff has had to evacuate animals from the shelter. They are seeking donations to help with the needs of the animals and in order to purchase equipment for future emergencies.
Cal Fire said the fire’s cause remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.com.
The Broiler fire began at 2:44 p.m. Wednesday on Bel Arbres Road at Uva Drive in Redwood Valley, Cal Fire reported.
By Wednesday night, Cal Fire said the fire’s forward progress had stopped. By that point it had burned 80 acres and was 20% contained.
Fire resources are remaining at the scene overnight to establish control lines, Cal Fire said.
Eighty structures are threatened and one has been destroyed, officials said.
Cal Fire said mandatory evacuations remain in place south of Uva Place from Highway 101 to Linex Drive and south of Uva Drive, and Uva Drive south to Central Avenue to the Highway 101 off-ramp.
An evacuation center has been set up at the Mendocino College gym, 1000 Hensley Creek Road in Ukiah, Cal Fire reported.
Road closures are in effect on Uva Drive at Highway 101, Uva Drive at Central Avenue and West Road at Vineyard Oaks.
Assigned resources include 15 engines, five water tenders, two helicopters, two hand crews, two dozers and 135 personnel, Cal Fire said.
The Humane Society for Inland Mendocino reported on its Facebook page that the fire began near its shelter, which necessitated evacuating 140 animals from the facility.
Animals were taken to foster homes or a veterinary facility until they can be returned to the shelter, possibly on Thursday morning, the organization reported.
The Humane Society said this is the first time since 2017 that its staff has had to evacuate animals from the shelter. They are seeking donations to help with the needs of the animals and in order to purchase equipment for future emergencies.
Cal Fire said the fire’s cause remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
At a Clean California project in Richmond on Wednesday, Gov. Gavin Newsom launched a statewide day of action highlighting his $1.1 billion initiative, in partnership with local governments, to revitalize California’s streets and public spaces through litter abatement and local beautification projects.
Clean California compliments the governor’s multipronged approach to tackling the homelessness crisis with record investments and innovative solutions.
The governor is proposing a $12 billion investment in proven solutions, including the expansion of Homekey — the largest increase in housing for people experiencing homelessness in recent history — paired with strategies to ensure accountability and transparency in spending.
“Clean California offers a historic opportunity to transform our streets and highways that have been blighted with litter and hazardous waste for decades, and with more resources than ever before to provide safer housing and shelter alternatives, we’re following through on our commitment to get people out of unhealthy encampments and into safer, more stable housing,” said Gov. Newsom.
“This program will create thousands of jobs to support people exiting homelessness, at-risk youth, formerly incarcerated individuals and others getting back on their feet. With potential projects in all 58 counties, this is truly a statewide effort engaging and investing directly in our communities to create public spaces that all Californians can take pride in,” Newsom added.
The Richmond site, which Caltrans has cleaned and maintained, is one of several projects already benefiting local communities through expanded litter pickup and sustainable landscaping along the state highway system.
On the North Coast, as part of the statewide day of action to highlight the new program, Caltrans District 1 Director Matthew Brady, maintenance workers, Adopt-A-Highway volunteers and others cleared litter and beautified a stretch of U.S. Highway 101 south of the City of Eureka.
“The Clean California initiative confronts one of the most persistent challenges in the state — litter on our state highways and local roads,” said Caltrans Director Toks Omishakin. “The $1 billion, multiyear cleanup effort will remove roadway trash, create thousands of jobs and engage communities in beautification efforts to transform our roadsides into places of pride.”
“We spent most of the afternoon with one of our Adopt-A-Highway volunteer partners, Scott Hammond and his associates, picking up trash,” said Brady. “Californians, quite simply, litter too much. It’s frustrating to see this accumulation of trash along the state right of way. With this beautiful bay right next to me, to see this trash end up in that location is just unacceptable.”
Caltrans is leading litter cleanup and hiring events across the state today as part of the day of action.
Clean California will massively expand state and local litter abatement efforts and generate an estimated 10,000 to 11,000 jobs over three years, including for people exiting homelessness, at-risk youth, veterans, those reentering society from incarceration, local artists and students.
The statewide program includes potential projects in all 58 counties, with nearly a third of the funds being directly invested into cities, counties, tribes and transit agencies to clean and enhance local streets and public spaces.
Caltrans will award $296 million in matching grants to fund impactful projects on local streets and roads, tribal lands, parks, pathways and transit centers in underserved, rural and urban communities.
The department is developing a needs-based formula that will provide additional support to underserved communities, with a goal of funding more than 100 local projects a year.
Caltrans collected 270,000 cubic yards of trash in 2020 — enough to load 18,000 garbage trucks.
Clean California will remove an additional 1.2 million cubic yards, or 21,000 tons, of trash from state highways each year, the equivalent of filling the Rose Bowl three times or enough garbage bags to stretch from Los Angeles to New York City.
The initiative also includes funding for a public education campaign to foster a sense of shared responsibility for litter prevention to help protect our waterways, natural resources, public safety and health.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the circumstances that led to the death of a man in Clearlake Oaks.
Lt. Rich Ward said that at approximately 10:08 a.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office received a report that an adult female had arrived at a local hospital after shooting an adult male subject who she said assaulted her.
Ward said the assault was reported to have occurred in the 12000 block of Island Circle in Clearlake Oaks.
Detectives contacted the woman involved in the incident. Ward said she is cooperating with the investigation.
Ward said deputies responded to the Island Circle residence and located a deceased male subject.
Deputies believed the injuries the male sustained were consistent with gunshot wounds, Ward said.
The male subject’s identity is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin, Ward reported.
Ward said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene and is investigating the incident.
He said the investigation is ongoing and additional details surrounding the events will be released when available.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is encouraged to contact Det. Todd Dunia at 707-262-4232 orThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Lt. Rich Ward said that at approximately 10:08 a.m. Wednesday, the sheriff’s office received a report that an adult female had arrived at a local hospital after shooting an adult male subject who she said assaulted her.
Ward said the assault was reported to have occurred in the 12000 block of Island Circle in Clearlake Oaks.
Detectives contacted the woman involved in the incident. Ward said she is cooperating with the investigation.
Ward said deputies responded to the Island Circle residence and located a deceased male subject.
Deputies believed the injuries the male sustained were consistent with gunshot wounds, Ward said.
The male subject’s identity is being withheld pending positive identification and notification of next of kin, Ward reported.
Ward said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit responded to the scene and is investigating the incident.
He said the investigation is ongoing and additional details surrounding the events will be released when available.
Anyone with information pertaining to this incident is encouraged to contact Det. Todd Dunia at 707-262-4232 or
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Fire Protection District is asking for the community’s help in locating thousands of feet of stolen fire hose and other equipment taken from a fire scene.
Chief Willie Sapeta said the equipment was taken from the scene of the Wilkinson fire.
That fire, which occurred on June 21 on Wilkinson Avenue and Dam Road in Clearlake, burned 25 acres and led to evacuations of nearby homes, as Lake County News has reported.
That fire’s cause is believed to have been accidental, the result of refueling a generator, Sapeta said.
Sapeta said fire crews had left the hose in place for several days for the purposes of mop up and patrol.
When they went back to get the hose on Friday, they found that a little over 2,000 feet of hose, plus nozzles and brass fittings, had been stolen, he said.
“This is the first time that we’ve had somebody come in and loot a post fire scene like that. It was pretty sad to see,” Sapeta said.
He estimated that the stolen hose is worth several thousand dollars.
It has no value to anyone but the fire department, Sapeta said.
Sapeta is working on a police report with Clearlake Police Sgt. Ryan Peterson.
If anyone has information on the stolen equipment, Sapeta asks that they call the Lake County Fire Protection District at 707-994-2170.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Chief Willie Sapeta said the equipment was taken from the scene of the Wilkinson fire.
That fire, which occurred on June 21 on Wilkinson Avenue and Dam Road in Clearlake, burned 25 acres and led to evacuations of nearby homes, as Lake County News has reported.
That fire’s cause is believed to have been accidental, the result of refueling a generator, Sapeta said.
Sapeta said fire crews had left the hose in place for several days for the purposes of mop up and patrol.
When they went back to get the hose on Friday, they found that a little over 2,000 feet of hose, plus nozzles and brass fittings, had been stolen, he said.
“This is the first time that we’ve had somebody come in and loot a post fire scene like that. It was pretty sad to see,” Sapeta said.
He estimated that the stolen hose is worth several thousand dollars.
It has no value to anyone but the fire department, Sapeta said.
Sapeta is working on a police report with Clearlake Police Sgt. Ryan Peterson.
If anyone has information on the stolen equipment, Sapeta asks that they call the Lake County Fire Protection District at 707-994-2170.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The National Weather Service has issued another excessive heat watch for Lake County and much of the rest of the state due to triple digit temperatures forecast for the weekend.
The watch is in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening.
The specific Lake County forecast anticipates daytime temperatures in the mid-90s through Thursday, with temperatures then surpassing the century mark from Thursday through Sunday.
Temperatures are expected to top out at 106 degrees in areas of the county including Clearlake and Middletown on Saturday and 105 on Sunday, with Lakeport seeing temperatures of about 102 on both days of the weekend, according to the forecast.
Nighttime conditions also will be warmer, with temperatures forecast to range into the high 60s, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast calls for daytime temperatures to roll back into the high 90s on Monday and Tuesday.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The watch is in effect from Friday afternoon through Sunday evening.
The specific Lake County forecast anticipates daytime temperatures in the mid-90s through Thursday, with temperatures then surpassing the century mark from Thursday through Sunday.
Temperatures are expected to top out at 106 degrees in areas of the county including Clearlake and Middletown on Saturday and 105 on Sunday, with Lakeport seeing temperatures of about 102 on both days of the weekend, according to the forecast.
Nighttime conditions also will be warmer, with temperatures forecast to range into the high 60s, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast calls for daytime temperatures to roll back into the high 90s on Monday and Tuesday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at