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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
LAKE COUNTY – A sizable earthquake followed by smaller temblors hit The Geysers area this afternoon.
The US Geological Survey reported a 4.4 magnitude earthquake at a depth of 1.1 miles occurred at 2:08 p.m.
The quake, which could reportedly be felt from Middletown to Hopland, was centered one mile east southeast of The Geysers, five miles southwest of Cobb and six miles from Anderson Springs, according to the US Geological Survey.
Anderson Springs resident Meriel Medrano said she was on her back deck when the quake occurred.
“It lasted about six seconds,” she said. “It was a pretty long one.”
She said the quake “rolled heavily” for a few seconds, let up a little, then started rolling again.
Another Anderson Springs resident, John Engels, was at work at his office in downtown Middletown when he felt the quake.
“It shook pretty good,” he said, but not enough to knock anything off the walls.
When he got home to Anderson Springs nothing was damaged, Engels added.
Medrano said they're used to having lots of smaller quakes in that area, but larger quakes haven't occurred in a while.
Because of the shallower depth, Medrano believes the quake was a result of the area's geothermal production and injection.
Medrano said she didn't feel the three small quakes that followed within a few minutes of the 4.4 shaker.
A series of eight smaller quakes, the largest a 2.5, followed the 4.4 quake during the afternoon.
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CLEARLAKE OAKS – An Arcata man whose pickup went off the highway and into the lake Saturday night died of his injuries.
The 55-year-old man's name has not yet been released by California Highway Patrol.
CHP reported the man was driving his 1986 Toyota pickup southbound on Highway 20 west of Henderson Drive at Clearlake Oaks at 10:20 p.m. Saturday when the accident occurred.
The man was driving at an unknown rate of speed, and the highway was wet due to rain, the CHP reported.
For reasons that aren't known, the man lost control of his vehicle, crossed the eastbound lane of traffic and went down the embankment south of the roadway, according to the CHP. The pickup rolled over and ended up on its roof, partially submerged in the lake.
The driver was trapped in the pickup and rescuers had to use the Jaws of Life to extract him, CHP reported.
Rescuers transported the man to Redbud Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The CHP reported the man was not wearing his safety belt.
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LAKE COUNTY – The latest employment numbers released from the state's Employment Development Department are good news for Lake County.
Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department's North Coast Region office in Eureka reported the county's March 2007 unemployment rate was 7.8 percent.
That's well below the February 2007 rate of 8.3 percent and the March 2006 rate of 8.1 percent, said Mullins. The county's 7.8-percent unemployment rate compares to a seasonally unadjusted rate of 5.1 percent for California and 4.5 percent for the nation for the month of March.
March's figures earned Lake County a rank of 36th place among the state's 58 counties in March for employment, according to Mullins' report.
Colusa had the highest unemployment rate in the state with 16.2 percent, Mullins reported, while Marin and Orange Counties had the lowest at 3.4 percent. Other surrounding county rates included 6.1 percent for Mendocino, and 4.0 percent for Sonoma.
Lake County's civilian workforce equaled 26,530 in March 2007, nearly 400 higher than March 2006, according to Mullins' report.
Total industry employment grew by 190 jobs (1.3 percent) between March 2006 and March 2007, ending the year-over period with 14,610 jobs, Mullins said. That number does not include self-employed individuals, unpaid family workers, household domestic workers or workers on strike.
Mullins reported that year-over job growth occurred in the following categories: farm; natural resources, mining and construction; information; professional and business services; leisure and hospitality; and other services.
Natural resources, mining and construction led industry gainers for the year-over period adding 70 jobs, said Mullins. Leisure and hospitality gained 60; farm and other services each added 50; and information and professional and business services each added 20.
Year-over job losses, according to Mullins, occurred in manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; private educational and health services; government.
Trade, transportation and utilities led industry sector decliners for the period shedding 40 jobs for the period, said Mullins. Manufacturing, financial activities, private educational and health services, and government dropped 10 jobs each.
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- Written by: Lake County News Reports
KELSEYVILLE – The educational future of more than 100 Lake County high school students was celebrated at a special event at Kelseyville High School on April 19.
The purpose of the gathering was to honor the graduates who will be moving on to four-year colleges and universities.
Jamey Gill, curriculum specialist with the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE), coordinated the event and acted as the master of ceremonies.
Fifty-seven of the 109 local students who will be attending college or university – along with their parents and other guests – were treated to live music courtesy of Tom Aiken and the Kelseyville High School Jazz Band along with a dinner created and managed by Michelle Malm with help from several Kelseyville High students.
While the majority of students were accepted to Western-area colleges, two are looking to the Eastern seaboard as their home for the next four years.
Cory Gerths of Kelseyville was selected by four schools including Northeastern University in Boston. Kaila Budwell, a senior from Lower Lake High, is looking forward to her architectural studies at the University of Miami in Florida.
Following dinner, District 3 Supervisor Denise Rushing delivered the evening's keynote speech.
Rushing admitted to having to rewrite her original address following the recent tragedy at Virginia Tech.
She praised the students as well as the parents who have helped motivate their children. Rushing encouraged the students to “follow the call to leadership in their chosen field” and to “always look ahead, never doubt your ability.”
Rushing, a Stanford University graduate, perhaps gave her most important advice by suggesting that the students “respect yourself, your body, watch what you put into it, respect those around you,” and added that youth doesn’t last forever.
The certificates were presented by representatives from LCOE as well as Yuba College, Mendocino College, UC Davis, UC San Francisco, UC Santa Cruz, Sacramento State, DeVry University and the University of California's Office of the President (UCOP).
Closing comments from Angel Max Guerrero, UCOP, echoed those by Rushing. He also encouraged all of the soon-to-be-college students to explore all opportunities, examine every option, travel as much as possible, and do their best to continue to expand every horizon – including learning second and third languages.
LCOE Superintendent Dave Geck was visibly pleased with the event and very proud of the students as well as the entire LCOE staff.
“Being involved in this program and being recognized this way helps inspire them to continue on, removing some of the barriers of self doubt,” Geck said. “We're helping them build confidence, we're helping them really see the potential they have.”
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