A Lake County deputy has been placed on administrative leave following a shooting in Nice early Friday morning. The Sheriff’s Office says the Lake County District Attorney’s Office is leading the investigation into the incident that happened around 3am Friday along Highway 20 near the Marina Market. The person who was shot has been taken to an out of county hospital. So far investigators have not revealed the names of those involved or what led up to the shooting.
Sonoma County officials are warning about a financial fraud scheme targeting the elderly involving a man who claimed he was representing Redwood Credit Union. The 20-year-old man was arrested earlier this month after investigators say he was part of a group of suspects who convinced a 78-year-old woman to withdraw $20,000 and give it to him, claiming he was a Federal Marshal investigating fraud and collecting the money for the Credit Union. An RCU representative tells the Press Democrat these types of schemes are becoming more common. He says if you are ever unsure if a call or text is really from your financial institution, stop the conversation and call them back yourself.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors has approved a ten-year lease for the Public Defender’s Office for a building on First Street that those opposed say is too close to Library Park. Lake County News reports the Public Defender’s Office became a department in 2023 and since then the office has been operating out of the Lake County Courthouse on Forbes Street. The new lease gives the Public Defenders two floors of the building at 55 First St. The lease was approved over concerns that some of the clients who are registered sex offenders would visit the building so close to the playground at Library Park. Chief Public Defender Raymond Buenaventura said those clients could meet at alternative locations such as the courthouse.
A program to cut down on tobacco use and tobacco smoke exposure for Lake County residents is making an impact, according to those running it. The Communities Addressing Nicotine project, known as CAN, has been in place in Lake County since 2020, working to educate residents, healthcare agencies, schools, and others about the dangers of second-hand smoke as well as vaping. Officials tell Lake County News that among the successes is the increase in available smoke-free multi-unit housing for apartments and condominiums that share common walls.
A new exhibition from Deep Valley Arts is opening this week. The group art exhibition called “Potluck” opens at MEDIUM Art Gallery in Ukiah on Friday January 3. Deep Valley Arts says “Potluck” is a special group exhibition celebrating the artists who have been steadfast supporters of Deep Valley Arts since its beginning and have worked tirelessly to shape and sustain the community gallery over the years. They say true to the spirit of a potluck, each participating artist will bring one or two pieces of art to share. There is an Opening Reception as part of the First Friday Art Walk from 5pm-8pm with live music, light refreshments, and wine provided by Saracina Vineyards.
Lakeport has been named by World Atlas as one of “10 Adorable Small Towns In Northern California”. Tourism arm Visit Lake County says the cities were chosen as year-round destinations worthy of exploring for their “warm summers and relatively mild winters” as well as “boundless nature”. Lakeport is also noted for maintaining history and culture alongside a modern local lifestyle with favorite down-to-earth pastimes. World Atlas is a geography resource that also covers sociology, environment and travel.
The Arcata Volunteer Firefighters’ Association says their 75-year-old Downtown Fire Station, whose roots go back more than 100 years, has been sold to the Arcata Fire Protection District. The District had been renting the station from the Volunteer Association since the 1970s and occupying it with paid, career firefighters since 2012. The Arcata Fire Company #1 started using the land on the corner of 9th and F in 1923 for a Firemen’s Hall until it was destroyed in a fire in 1945. The current building went up in 1949 and has since gone through several expansions and seismic upgrades.
