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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The safest resolution a person can make this year is to always plan ahead and designate a nondrinking driver before the celebration begins.
To help ensure the state’s motorists keep this lifesaving commitment, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) is preparing to ring in the New Year with an increased enforcement presence throughout the state.
Over last New Year’s holiday, 25 people were killed in collisions throughout California; the majority of those who died within CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash.
Additionally, CHP officers made more than 1,200 arrests for driving under the influence (DUI).
“Safety is the California Highway Patrol’s priority year round,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Hopefully with the presence of additional officers on the roadway during the holiday season, everyone will arrive safely at their destination.”
The New Year’s Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) begins Friday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. and continues through Tuesday, Jan. 1, at 11:59 p.m.
The increased enforcement effort follows a similar one that occurred during the recent Christmas holiday.
Throughout that 102-hour reporting period in California, 39 people were killed in collisions and CHP officers arrested 1,170 drivers for DUI.
“This New Year, resolve to make a difference and save lives,” added Commissioner Farrow. “By removing impaired drivers from our roadways, this tragic loss of life can be greatly reduced.”
Serving as an additional set of eyes for law enforcement, the public is also encouraged to report drivers who they suspect may be under the influence.
When calling 911, be prepared to provide a description of the vehicle, including a license plate number, the location, and its direction of travel.
“Our ultimate goal is to help prevent avoidable tragedy by encouraging the public to make responsible choices such as designating a sober driver, buckling up, and traveling at a speed safe for conditions,” Commissioner Farrow said.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The California Department of Water Resources will conduct this winter’s first snow survey on Wednesday, Jan. 2.
A traditional center of attention will be the manual survey scheduled for 11 a.m. off Highway 50 near Echo Summit.
This and other manual and electronic readings up and down the state will determine the amount of water in the early winter snowpack.
Thanks to early season storms, electronic readings indicate that statewide, the current snowpack water content is 137 percent of normal for the date.
The snowpack normally provides about a third of the water for California’s households, farms and industries as it slowly melts into streams, reservoirs and aquifers in spring and early summer.
In addition to boosting snowpack readings to above normal, early storms have replenished the state’s reservoirs.
Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir with a capacity of 3.5 million acre-feet, is at 70 percent of capacity, 111 percent of normal for the date.
Shasta Lake north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s principal reservoir with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet, is at 71 percent of capacity, 113 percent of average for the date.
The Department of Water Resources and cooperating agencies conduct manual snow surveys around the first of the month from January to May.
The manual surveys supplement and check the accuracy of real-time electronic readings.
Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ .
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The family of a missing Northshore woman is asking for the community’s help in finding her.
Kimberly Marie Hazelwood, 23, of Nice has been missing since Sunday night, as Lake County News has reported.
Hazelwood’s mother told Lake County News on Wednesday evening that family had conducted a ground search for her earlier that day, and that sheriff’s officials were scheduled to search Thursday.
Her family is continuing to circulate fliers, such as the one that can be viewed below, asking for help in finding her.
Hazelwood is 5 feet 3 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds. She has long brown hair to the middle of her back and brown eyes. She has been fighting cancer for some time and her family said she is in need of medical care.
Lake County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the report of her disappearance at 9:15 p.m. Sunday, according to a Monday sheriff’s report.
Hazelwood was last seen by family members at a residence in the 10000 block of Rancheria Road near Upper Lake earlier that evening, at which time she was described as being emotionally distraught, the sheriff’s office said.
Sheriff’s officials said her family members had found some of her clothing and personal belongings while searching for her nearby.
About a half hour before the sheriff’s office responded to the report of Hazelwood’s disappearance, Northshore Fire Protection District firefighters had been dispatched to the 9100 block of Bridge Arbor North on the report of a person in nearby Middle Creek, which was running at high levels due to recent rains.
Northshore Fire and REACH air ambulance searched the area down to the Rodman Slough, Fire Chief Jay Beristianos told Lake County News on Monday.
It was during that initial search that firefighters were notified of another person possibly being in the water about two miles north on Middle Creek. Beristianos said they weren’t sure at that point if they were dealing with two people or only one.
Based on a mapping of the creek, the chronology of the reports and the fact that no second person has so far been reported missing, it appears that both reports involved Hazelwood, who had disappeared by the time Northshore Fire was dispatched to Bridge Arbor North.
By Monday morning, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported that it had taken over the search for Hazelwood with the aid of Lake County Search and Rescue, Mendocino County Search and Rescue, Willits Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team, a California National Guard helicopter and aircrew from Mather Field and the California Department of Fish and Game.
The family asks that anyone who has information on her whereabouts call the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 707-263-2690, or her family at 707-245-2772, 707-900-1401 or 707-900-1946.
Community members interested in helping with the search also may contact the family at the listed phone numbers above.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested early Wednesday morning in connection with an incident on Christmas night involving gunfire in a neighborhood that struck a home.
Ivan Rodriguez, 20, was arrested for resisting arrest, participating in a criminal street gang, possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a controlled substance while armed and shooting at an inhabited dwelling, according to Sgt. Nick Bennett of the Clearlake Police Department.
Bennett reported that at approximately 11:42 p.m. on Christmas Clearlake police officers responded to a report of several gun shots being fired in the area of Lilac Street and Olympic Drive.
He said that one resident who resided on Olympic Drive reported her home had been struck by a bullet.
Sgt. Rodd Joseph was in the area when the call was received and was immediately joined by Officer Bobi Thompson and Officer Tomas Riley, Bennett said. Locating the residence that had been struck by a projectile, the officers were able to follow the trajectory of the round and determined it had originated from a neighboring residence.
The officers then located a bullet hole in a window screen in the neighboring residence which matched the trajectory toward the victims’ residence. Bennett said the officers made entry into the home and made contact with the occupants.
One occupant, later identified as Ivan Rodriguez, was lying on a mattress covered with a blanket. Officers noted expended cartridges on the floor next to the mattress, Bennett said.
When the officers began to remove the blanket from Rodriguez, he immediately began fighting with the officers. Bennett said the officers observed a revolver under his body and it appeared he was making an attempt to reach for it.
The officers finally gained control of the weapon and completed the arrest of Ivan Rodriguez after subduing him. Also arrested in the residence was Martin Rodriguez, believed to be a cousin of Ivan Rodriguez, Bennett said.
While inside the Lilac Street residence officers observed numerous items associated with the possession and sales of illegal substances as well as what appeared to be methamphetamine, according to Bennett.
Detectives prepared and executed a search warrant on the residence which had been signed by a Lake County Superior Court judge. Bennett said several items were taken as evidence.
Ivan Rodriguez was being held on a no bail hold due to a probation violation, according to jail records. He is scheduled to appear in Lake County Superior Court on Friday.