THIS STORY HAS BEEN UDPATED WITH ADDITIONAL DETAILS FROM THE CLEARLAKE POLICE DEPARTMENT.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Concerns about two suspicious packages led to an investigation at the Department of Veterans Affairs Clinic in Clearlake Thursday, with officials determining that the packages were harmless.

The clinic, located at 15145 Lakeshore Drive, was closed at noon on Thursday in response to the concerns, according to Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen.

The clinic was surrounded with crime scene tape, the building was evacuated and the area cleared, and the road was closed while the investigation took place Thursday afternoon, according to witnesses.

Clearlake Police Chief Craig Clausen said the clinic received the packages through the mail and clinic staff deemed them suspicious because one was making noise.

Clearlake Police, Lake County Fire Protection District and a federal law enforcement official – who was called to the scene due to the clinic being a federal building – responded to investigate, according to Clausen.

It eventually was determined that one of the packages contained a piece of equipment with low batteries and that it as not a danger, Clausen said.

Clausen said the “all clear” was given at around 3:20 p.m.

John Jensen contributed to this report.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Saturday, April 28, the city of Lakeport will be awash in purple, thanks to efforts by volunteers from the American Cancer Society’s annual “Relay For Life,” a community campout against cancer.  

Throughout California, towns, schools and businesses will “paint our town purple” to celebrate cancer survivorship and bring attention to the yearly event, which will be held on Saturday, May 19, at Clear Lake High School in Lakeport.

“We’re using the power of purple to bring good news to cancer survivors and mobilize the community,” said Racheal Harmon of Lakeport, one of Relay for Life's local organizers.

“Paint Own Town Purple Day is a time to celebrate the lives of cancer survivors, and to have some fun with the color purple to bring attention to the American Cancer Society’s many programs and services in our community,” Harmon explained.

The American Cancer Society invites everyone to join the fun, simply by calling Event Chair Marshele at 707-262-1722 and asking how you can “Paint Our Town Purple” at your school, in surrounding towns, at the college or in your workplace.

“Relay For Life” is a wonderful event, and the entire community is invited to participate on May 19 and 20. But on April 28, join us in the spirit of celebration and in painting our town purple  to call awareness to this important event that works to benefit and recognize cancer patients, their families and their caregivers,” said Harmon.

She added, “The American Cancer Society Relay For Life represents the hope that those lost to cancer will never be forgotten, that those who face cancer will be supported, and that one day cancer will be eliminated.”

All participants are encouraged to spread hope in the community. Whether you are a homeowner, a restaurateur or a retail business operator/owner, there are plenty of ideas for painting the town purple from Saturday, April 28, through Saturday, May 19.

Here are some suggestions:

• Decorate your home or store windows with a purple display.
• Participate in the contest for the best purple window display.
• Display a purple yard sign in your front yard.
• Decorate your front entrance, your fence or your door with purple balloons.
• Paint your porch light purple or insert a purple bulb.
• Tie purple ribbons around tress in your neighborhood.
• Wear purple clothing.
• Buy and wear our purple wrist bands.
• Turn your town landmarks purple.
• Decorate the exterior of your city hall purple.
• Display a Relay For Life link on your business Web site or personal blog.

To request a Relay for Life logo or purple ribbon to be painted on your business window please call Racheal Harmon at 707-349-9655.

Information about how to form a team or become involved in Relay For Life is available from the American Cancer Society at 1-800-ACS-2345 or visit www.RelayForLife.org/LakeCountyCa .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Lake County’s participation at several national wine trade shows proved to be a “resounding success,” say representatives of the county’s administration and the Lake County Winegrape Commission.

A California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) Specialty Crop Grant made it possible for the Commission to attend selected shows this year.

In January, a contingent of Lake County wine industry representatives traveled to the Unified Wine & Grape Symposium in Sacramento.

Participation in two shows in February took the delegates to the Midwest Grape and Wine Conference and Trade Show – billed as the third largest wine industry trade show in the United States – in St. Charles, Missouri, and to the Texas Wine and Grape Growers Association’s Annual Conference and Trade Show in San Marcos, Texas.

During the month of March, individuals worked the Commission’s booth at the Eastern Winery Exposition in Lancaster, Penn., and the Wineries Unlimited Trade Show and Conference in Richmond, Va.

Sharing information about Lake County’s wine industry and the county in general, commission President Shannon Gunier and commission board members were joined by county representatives and commission committee members at the various trade shows.

The Lake County contingent obtained information about potential winegrape buyers and businesses interested in the area. Gunier said leads are available to qualified Lake County growers by calling the Commission office, 707-995-3421.

“We poured wine and talked to interested parties about Lake County and the grapes we grow,” said Bill Brunetti, chair of the commission’s Industry Relations Committee.

Brunetti and his wife Patti attended the Pennsylvania and Virginia shows in March.

“In general, (we) tried to sell our county and our grapes,” Bill Brunetti said. “The county’s participation was well received. I think that the new booth pretty much outdid any other at the show. The wines spoke for themselves, and the presence of County personnel talking about the desire of Lake County to attract business was a home run.”

County Administrative Analyst Alan Flora echoed Brunetti’s sentiments about the reception of the County’s presence at the expositions.

“The interest generated in Lake County as a destination, a producer of fine wines, and as a place to do business exceeded all of my expectations,” said Flora. “The breadth of questions and comments were phenomenal. Few people were able to pass our booth by. Our booth design focused on a dramatic presentation of the scenic beauty of our County, the substantial and impressive development of our most established wineries, education about what makes our growing region so unique and full of potential, and the bold, complex, and delightful wines we produce.”

Budget constraints had forced the commission to cancel participation in out-of-state industry trade shows that had proven to be instrumental in showcasing Lake County wines in past years, according to Gunier.

Receipt of the CDFA Specialty Crop grant, dubbed by the commission as the “Lake County Rising Campaign” grant, allowed the winegrape growers organization to team with the county to continue marketing work at industry shows.

The grant was awarded to increase the effectiveness of the preexisting campaign, Gunier said.

“It was money very well spent,” Brunetti said about use of the grant funds. “There was certainly no downside to the commission's involvement; and even though most of our grape sales are closer to home, we do export to the East Coast. We also have a responsibility to our growers to promote the region, and that certainly was accomplished.”

Brunetti said he spoke with two people who indicated interest in opening wineries in Lake County. Additionally, one manufacturer of wine glasses made plans to visit the area to explore the idea of opening a facility in the county.

Flora, who attended shows in Sacramento, Texas, Pennsylvania and Virginia, said the official county presence “created quite an impression.”

“The commission asked me to be involved in an effort to expand the impact of the shows from the traditional marketing of winegrapes, juice, and bulk wine, to include promotion of Lake County as a recreation destination as well as an opportunity for development of vineyards, wineries, and/or wine related industries,” Flora explained.

“The (county’s) new ‘Growing the Wine Industry’ brochure and Development Incentive Program, which was put together by the County Economic Development Program, strongly emphasize our commitment to both the wine industry and growing our local economy,” Flora said. “Some folks (at the trade shows) even took extra copies of our information to present to their elected officials and say, ‘Look at what Lake County has done; we need to do this here.’ I think that speaks volumes to the commitment and determination our county has to grow a more vibrant economy in this place we love so much.”

The success of the shows will be measured by the demand for winegrapes from Lake County, Flora said.  

“Many tons were sold as a result of the trade show exposure,” said Flora. “One winery owner demanded access to Lake County grapes after one taste of our Sauvignon Blanc. In another example, a winemaker sampled a local Syrah and exclaimed that it was the best he had ever tasted. Similar stories are endless, but the impact was noticeable and the exposure valuable.”

The impact on the area’s tourism may take longer to realize, Flora added. “However, I am confident that there will be an increase in visitors to Lake County as a result of the trade show exposure. There was a really significant interest in development opportunities and investment from a variety of parties.”

For more information about the Lake County Winegrape Commission’s marketing efforts and special events, visit the Commission’s website at www.lakecountywinegrape.org .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A line of questioning on Thursday morning has led to the potential for mistrial in the trial of two young Clearlake Oaks men for the shooting last summer that killed a child and wounded five others.

Orlando Joseph Lopez, 24, and Paul William Braden, 22, are on trial for the June 18, 2011, shooting in Clearlake that killed 4-year-old Skyler Rapp, wounded the child’s mother and her boyfriend, and three other family members and friends.

The trial, in which testimony began in late February, came to a halt during the morning session as District Attorney Don Anderson was questioning Sgt. Tim Celli of the Clearlake Police Department.

Anderson asked Celli to relate a statement Lopez had reportedly made to Celli claiming innocence but alleging that Braden was at the scene, incriminating his codefendant.

Braden's attorney, Doug Rhoades, objected, and Lopez's attorney, Stephen Carter, joined the objection.

Visiting Yolo County Judge Doris Shockley sustained the objections.

Shockley then excused the jury for the morning.

The attorneys, along with Braden and Lopez, returned after lunch for a hearing on what happens next.

The questioning appeared to violate pretrial agreements between the defense and prosecution, as well as case law evolving from People v. Aranda, a 1965 case that has given rise to protections for codefendants, and the 1968 case Bruton v. United States.

Based on case law, if two or more defendants are being charged and tried jointly in a case, statements by a codefendant to investigators or witnesses which place blame on the other codefendant are not allowed to be presented in court.

If such statements are presented, they must be redacted to remove prejudice to the codefendant. However, if there is no way to do that, then mistrial is the only other alternative.

As a result of the afternoon hearing, Rhoades and Carter are to submit their mistrial motions by Monday, April 30, with Anderson's response due Tuesday, May 1. Shockley scheduled a hearing on the mistrial motions for 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 2.

Shockley then called in the two juries, told them, “You may not be surprised” to hear issues have come up as they have done so in the past, and offering no other details excused them for the remainder of the week, ordering them to return at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 2.

The attorneys in the case said they will be prepared to offer comment after the proceedings next week.

This is the second time that the possibility of mistrial has arisen in the proceedings.

On April 5, Carter had moved for mistrial, alleging that Anderson had abused him while making an objection.

The defense and prosecution later reached agreement to having an admonishment read to the jury ordering jurors to ignore extraneous comments by the attorneys during questioning.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.">This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Looking for some pint-sized friends to keep you company?

Lake County Animal Care and Control has a number of cats and small dogs that can fit the bill.

Beau and Delilah are two young Chihuahua mixes, raised together since puppyhood.

Beau has tricolor markings, weighs 6 pounds and is 5 months old. Delilah has tan and white markings, weighs 6 pounds and is 7 months old. Both have been altered.

They are small and affectionate, and would make great companions for a single person or a family. Any size home would do.

Shelter staff hopes to adopt them to the same home, as they have spent their young lives together.

For those preferring a feline friend, there is is Tilly, a 10-month-old domestic short hair mix.

The friendly brown tabby would happily give up her cage to settle in at your place.

She is in cat room kennel No. 126, ID No. 32385.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's annual burn ban starts on Tuesday, May 1, the Lake County Air Quality Management District reported.

The annual ban addresses concerns over both fire hazard and air quality.

The burn restriction applies to all areas in Lake County. All burn permits expire on April 30.

The annual burn ban was first implemented in 1986 in response to weather conditions that often create extreme fire danger and poor air quality.

For many years a managed approach which incorporates fire and air agency concerns has been implemented and improved upon.

The ban as implemented allows a quick fire agency response to all fires observed from May 1 on, as they are all assumed to be uncontrolled fires unless specifically authorized by an exemption for time and place.

Officials credit the program as one of the primary reasons Lake County has superior and healthful
air quality.

The ban also helps prevent smoke impacts to the general public and large planned outdoor events by unrestricted vegetative waste burns.

The burn ban includes all open waste burning, though exceptions are possible for agricultural operations, essential control burns for fire safety projects, public safety burns and others.

To obtain an exemption for a necessary burn after May 1, first contact the Lake County Air Quality Management District to determine need, then your local fire protection agency so that your burn site can be inspected and evaluated for fire safety.

Only after the fire agency has inspected the burn site and notified the Lake County Air Quality Management District that the proposed burn is fire safe, can you obtain a written exemption permit.

Anyone responsible for open burning without a valid written exemption permit may be subject to a citation, fines, and the cost of the Fire Agency response to extinguish the fire.

Burn restrictions will remain in effect until Cal Fire declares an end to fire season.

Lake County Air Quality Management District asks that the community help reduce the danger and losses caused by uncontrolled fires and protect the county's designation as the only air basin in the state to meet all ambient air quality standards by following the ban.

Public cooperation is greatly appreciated and results in a safer and more healthful environment for everyone, the district reported.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A well-known Kelseyville photographer has captured top honors in a statewide competition for his photograph of two birds of prey vying for a fish.

Lyle Madeson was chosen as the grand prize winner in the year-long California Watchable Wildlife and Outdoor California Photo Contest.

Each month from March, 2011 through February, 2012, entries were judged on creativity, technical excellence, composition, overall impact and artistic merit by judges Bob Garrison, chair emeritus, California Watchable Wildlife Steering Committee; David Rosen, wildlife photographer; and Troy Swauger, editor of Outdoor California.

The Grand Prize Award was selected from the 12 monthly first place winners and presented by Chuck Bonham, director of the California Department of Fish and Game in a ceremony at the California  State Capitol on Monday, April 23.

Bonham selected Madeson’s image of an osprey and red-tailed hawk hooked onto the same fish in midair.

“What I especially like about this photograph is how it represents action, which is a real attribute of wildlife,” Bonham said in presenting the grand prize. “It also seemed reflective of the nature of wildlife, in that with all of the tribulations facing wildlife in our great state, our fish and animal resources are often caught in the middle of a rock and a hard place, or in this case, one raptor’s talon and another raptor’s talon.”

Madeson took the winning photograph at Clear Lake State Park.

“This photo was captured while photographing ospreys and eagles fishing for Clear Lake hitch that are heading for their spawning grounds on Kelsey Creek,” he said. “After photographing the catch of the fish, the osprey flew directly at me, and in half second, a red-tailed hawk made the second catch!”

Madeson’s Grand Prize Award, valued at $500, included a check for $200, Nikon binocular donated by Out of this World in Mendocino, and a membership and State Parks pass donated by California State Parks Foundation.

A People’s Choice Award also was selected by visitors to California Watchable Wildlife’s Facebook page.  

Cathy Cooper of Fairfield was chosen for her photograph of a green heron with a small fish, taken at Yolo Bypass Wildlife Area.

The award winners and first place photos are on display outside the Governor’s Office at the California State Capitol from April 23 through April 27, including Kelseyville resident Deanna Madeson’s image of grebes, which won first place in December 2011.

The contest was conducted by California Watchable Wildlife in cooperation with Outdoor California, a bimonthly publication of the California Department of Fish and Game, drawing almost 900 entries from 200 photographers.

The three monthly winning images were published in each issue of Outdoor California from May 2011 through March 2012.  

Photographers were given just two simple rules: Images must be taken at a California Watchable Wildlife viewing site or be of any native California species.

The 12 monthly first place winners were: March 2011, Lyle Madeson, Kelseyville; April 2011, Mike Warner, El Sobrante; May 2011, Jessica Weinberg, Palo Alto; June 2011, Thomas Roach, Lincoln; July 2011, Jay Gaskill, Groveland; August 2011, Thomas Roach, Lincoln; September 2011, Carole Haskell, Lincoln; October 2011, Matt Knoth, San Francisco; November 2011, Tory Kallman, San Francisco; December 2011, Deanna Madeson, Kelseyville; January 2012, Tim Torell, Sunvalley, Nevada; February 2012, Cathy Cooper, Fairfield.

Albums of all monthly winners and entries are available at www.facebook.com/CaWatchableWildlife .  

California attracts more wildlife viewers and associated expenditures than any other state in the nation.

California Watchable Wildlife’s interactive Web site provides maps and details about the statewide network of wildlife viewing sites, which are marked with the iconic brown binocular signs.

Sites have been evaluated for their wildlife viewing values, quality and diversity of habitats and visitor amenities to ensure that the state’s wildlife values are protected from overuse and that each site offers the highest quality viewing experience to visitors.

For 20 years, California Watchable Wildlife has celebrated the state's wildlife and diverse habitats by acknowledging and elevating the value of wildlife viewing to benefit individuals, families, communities, and industries while fostering awareness and support for conservation and protection of wildlife and habitats.

State and Federal agency partners include California Coastal Conservancy, California Department of Fish and Game, California Department of Transportation, California State Parks, Nature Conservancy of California, National Park Service, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and USDA Forest Service.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man has been sentenced to more than four years in state prison for soliciting sex with a teenage girl through Facebook messages and texts, and using Facebook to send a lewd message to another girl.

Jason James Russell, 29, was sentenced by Judge Arthur H. Mann on April 16 to the maximum term of four years in state prison for arranging a meeting with a minor with the intent to commit a sexual offense and going to the arranged meeting place at the arranged time.  

Russell will be required to register as a sex offender pursuant to Penal Code Section 290 when he is released from prison, according to the Lake County District Attorney's Office.

The case was prosecuted by Senior Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg, with Russell represented by Tom Quinn.

The case originated with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

On Jan. 19, a concerned parent contacted the Lake County Sheriff’s Office to report that her 15-year-old daughter had received several sexually explicit and vulgar messages from Russell via the social networking site Facebook as well as text messages to her cell phone, the District Attorney's Office said.

The minor had accepted a friend request from Russell; she and Russell had a mutual friend, but she was not otherwise acquainted with him, the District Attorney's Office reported.

According to the investigation, the teen initially responded to Russell’s messages by informing him that she was 15 years old and telling him to stop contacting her. However, Russell persisted and the minor told her parents.

Sheriff’s Investigator Kellie Joseph obtained the minor’s cell phone and, posing as the minor,  contacted Russell and pretended to be interested in getting together with him.

Joseph arranged a meeting with Russell at Austin Park in Clearlake, and Russell was apprehended at the scene. He admitted that he had gone to Austin Park with the intention of having sexual relations with the 15-year-old minor.  

Based upon the results of her investigation, Joseph were able to obtain an enhanced bail of $250,000.

Russell was also on a grant of felony Proposition 36 probation for possession of cocaine and the Probation Department filed a petition to revoke his felony probation, according to Borg.

After Russell was arrested, another minor victim came forward. That minor had received a similar vulgar message from Russell on Facebook and had immediately informed her parents. After investigation, a separate case was filed against Russell.

On March 5, Russell pleaded guilty to one count of arranging a meeting with a minor for a lewd purpose in the first case, one count of annoying and molesting a minor in the second case and admitted to violating his probation in the felony drug case.

At the sentencing hearing on Monday, April 16, Judge Mann sentenced Russell to four years, the maximum sentence for the solicitation charge, with a concurrent term of one year for annoying and molesting a minor, and a subordinate term of eight months, consecutive, for his felony probation case, for an aggregate term of four years and eight months, Borg said.

Because two of the charges to which Russell pleaded require registration as a sex offender, he will serve his term in state prison, according to Borg.

The American Red Cross has helped people in 16 states whose lives were disrupted by severe spring weather so far this year.

Most recently, the Red Cross responded to tornadoes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa by opening shelters, serving meals, providing emotional support and handing out relief supplies.

As of April 20, the Red Cross has deployed 2,700 workers who have helped people affected by floods and tornadoes by serving more than 239,000 meals and snacks; handing out more than 111,000 relief items such as comfort kits and cleaning supplies like shovels, rakes, gloves and trash bags; opening 47 shelters and providing more than 1,300 overnight stays; and providing more than 9,000 health and mental health contacts.

American Red Cross, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties is involved with the effort.

In Santa Rosa, Friedman’s Home Improvement has donated $10,000 to help support Red Cross relief throughout the Midwest. In addition to the funds donated through the local Red Cross chapter, Friedman's is accepting customer donations for the victims of the storms in their stores in Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Ukiah.

“The Red Cross is grateful for Friedman’s donation and their effort to collect funds for those affected by the spring tornadoes,” said Red Cross Regional CEO Tim Miller.

Friends and family outside the disaster area can learn the status of their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address on the Red Cross “Safe and Well” Web site.

The Red Cross encourages people to register on the Red Cross “Safe and Well” Web site to let loved ones know they are safe by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

“Safe and Well” also enables disaster survivors to update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Web site.

People can help those affected by disasters like the Midwest tornadoes and storms, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief at www.arcsm.org (Red Cross Web site for Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties); at www.redcross.org (national Red Cross Web site); calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767); texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation; U.S. mail: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403; at the Red Cross: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County has once again received top rankings in an assessment of air quality in thousands of counties nationwide.

The American Lung Association on Wednesday released its annual State of the Air 2012 Report, which grades state and local area air quality on an A through F scale by comparing local ozone and small particulate concentrations with the federal air quality standards.

Lake County received an “A” grade for ozone, a “B” grade for short term particulate pollution and
is ranked the eighth cleanest county in the nation for annual particulate average concentrations – tying with Maui County in Hawaii for the ranking.

Of California's counties, Lake was the only one in the 2012 State of the Air report to place in the top 10 cleanest counties in the country for small-particulate levels. Shasta and San Benito counties were the only other counties in California to make the top 25.

The counties that ranked in the top 10 for year-round particle pollution levels included Santa Fe County, New Mexico, No. 1; Elbert County, Colo., and Laramie County, Wyo., tying for No. 2; Hancock County, Maine, and Essex County, New York, and Jackson County, South Dakota, tying for No. 4; Billings County, North Dakota, No. 5; Maui County, Hawaii, and Lake County, Calif., No. 8; and Teton County, Wyo, No. 10.

Santa Fe, N.M., ranked as the cleanest city in the nation.

Lake's overall rankings in the report have fluctuated over the past several years. In 2011, the county was ranked No. 6 nationwide, No. 10 in 2010 and in 2009 was No. 3.

The 2012 report's findings are based on three years of data, from 2008 to 2010.

As such, the impacts of the 2008 wildfires contributed to the dip in the county's rankings, according to the Lake County Air Quality Management District.

In the summer of 2008, thousands of lightning strikes lit fires around Northern California. Winds blew smoke from the lightning fires in Mendocino County into Lake County's air basin. The county's air also was impacted by the Soda Complex lightning fires in the Mendocino National Forest.

At the same time, the 14,500-acre Walker Fire broke out near Clearlake Oaks, with that fire's cause attributed to a vehicle hitting a rock.

Even with the wildfire impacts, Wednesday's report showed that Lake is one of only nine of California's 58 counties that did not have any days of ozone air pollution levels in the unhealthful range. Small particulate only exceeded the allowable limits during the 2008 wildfires.

The other eight California counties getting “A” grades for ozone levels were Glenn, Humboldt, Marin, Mendocino, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou and Sonoma.

California counties receiving “A” grades for low levels of particle pollution – a mix of microscopic bits of ash, soot, diesel exhaust, chemicals, metals and aerosols – included Humboldt, Mendocino, Monterey, San Benito, Santa Cruz, Siskiyou and Sonoma.

Lake County Air Pollution Control Officer Doug Gearhart attributed the county's air quality accomplishments to strong local support – from the community at large, cooperation of local
agencies, local fire protection districts, Cal Fire, the local agricultural community and industry – for clean air measures.

That support, in turn, has made it possible for the county to comply with Federal Clean Air Standards and the more rigorous California standards for ozone and other air pollutants for the past 22 years, he said.

No other air district in California can match that record, Gearhart said.

Despite its clean air accomplishments, the American Lung Association report offered a reminder that Lake – like all counties – has special populations who are at particular risk for air pollution.

The report explained that those at greatest risk from air pollution include infants, children, older adults, anyone with lung diseases like asthma, people with heart disease or diabetes, people with low incomes and anyone who works or exercises outdoors.

Among Lake's nearly 65,000 residents, the association reported that there are 907 cases of pediatric asthma, 4,023 cases of adult asthma, 2,359 people with chronic bronchitis, 1,171 residents with emphysema, 19,103 people with cardiovascular disease and 5,491 cases with diabetes.

Children under age 18 number 13,672, there are 11,440 adults over age 65, and approximately 13,438 people live in poverty in Lake County, the report showed.

Overall, the State of the Air 2012 report showed that in America's most polluted cities air quality was at its cleanest since the organization’s annual report began 13 years ago.

“State of the Air shows that we’re making real and steady progress in cutting dangerous pollution from the air we breathe,” said Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association president and chief executive officer. “We owe this to the ongoing protection of the Clean Air Act. But despite these improvements, America’s air quality standards are woefully outdated, and unhealthy levels of air pollution still exist across the nation, putting the health of millions of Americans at stake.”

The report showed that more than 40 percent of people in the United States – or 127 million people – live in areas where air pollution continues to threaten their health.

Nearly four out of 10 people in the U.S. live in counties that received an F for air quality because of unhealthy levels of ozone air pollution, nearly 50 million Americans live in counties with too many unhealthy spikes in particle pollution levels,and nearly six million people live in areas with unhealthy year-round levels of particle pollution.

The study found that major improvements were seen in 18 of the 25 cities most polluted by ozone, including Los Angeles, which had the lowest smog levels since the report was first published in 2000.

A list of the nation’s most polluted cities follow. For more detailed air quality information, visit www.stateoftheair.org .

10 Most Ozone-Polluted

Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
Fresno-Madera, Calif.
Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Yuba City, Calif.-Nev.
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, Calif.
Houston-Baytown-Huntsville, Texas
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, Calif.
Merced, Calif.

10 Cities Most Polluted by Year-Round Particle Pollution

Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
Visalia-Porterville, Calif.
Fresno-Madera, Calif.
Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
Phoenix-Mesa-Glendale, Ariz.
Cincinnati-Middletown-Wilmington, Ohio-Ky.-Ind.
Louisville-Jefferson County-Elizabethtown-Scottsburg, Ky.-Ind.
Philadelphia-Camden-Vineland, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md.
St. Louis-St. Charles-Farmington, Mo.-Ill.

10 Cities Most Polluted by Short-Term Particle Pollution

Bakersfield-Delano, Calif.
Fresno-Madera, Calif.
Hanford-Corcoran, Calif.
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Riverside, Calif.
Modesto, Calif.
Pittsburgh-New Castle, Pa.
Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield, UT
Logan, UT-ID
Fairbanks, Alaska
Merced, Calif.

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

2012 American Lung Association State of the Air Report

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Thousands of nurses around the Bay Area plan to walk out on May 1 to protest concessions they say Sutter hospitals are seeking at the bargaining table.

An estimated 4,500 registered nurses at eight hospitals will take part in the one-day strike, according to the California Nurses Association and National Nurses United.

Nurses from Sutter Lakeside in Lakeport, Alta Bates Summit Medical Center facilities in Berkeley and Oakland, Mills-Peninsula Health Services hospitals in Burlingame and San Mateo, Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, San Leandro Hospital, Sutter Delta in Antioch, Sutter Solano in Vallejo and Novato Community Hospital will participate, the unions said.

The California Nurses Association’s nurses last went on strike Sept. 22, 2011, as Lake County News has reported.

The latest strike announcement comes as Sutter Lakeside and its union-represented nurses have reached an impasse in negotiations, according to hospital Chief Administrative Officer Siri Nelson.

“Unfortunately, I think that’s where we are,” Nelson told Lake County News on Tuesday.

The hospital has been in negotiations with the California Nurses Association for nine months, taking part in 25 bargaining sessions, according to Nelson. The union represents 124 of Sutter Lakeside’s registered nurses.

The plans for the strike also follow Sutter Lakeside’s recent announcements of plans to cut 10 percent of its staff and close its Upper Lake and pain management clinics in order to avoid a multimillion shortfall for the current fiscal year, as Lake County News has reported.

The California Nurses Association said Sutter affiliates are demanding reductions in patient care, nurses’ standards and workplace conditions. In the case of the latter, top issues revolve around sick leave, health benefits, retirement and overtime requirements.

The union said that Sutter is making the demands despite making more than $4 billion in profit since 2007, giving Chief Executive Officer Pat Fry a 215-percent salary hike to more than $4 million annually last year and paying its top 21 executives more than $1 million each annually.

Nelson said Sutter Lakeside Hospital will remain open for business as usual on May 1, with trained nurses ready to fill in for striking nurses.

“Patient care and patient safety is our No. 1 priority,” she said.

Nelson said the hospital is contracting with a temporary service agency to bring in qualified registered nurses.

The agency’s shortest minimum contract requirement is five days, which will mean that striking nurses will not be able to return to work until the five-day period ends, Nelson said.

“Unfortunately, Sutter Lakeside Hospital is not in a position to double pay for service,” said Nelson.

The practice of bringing in such an agency – which has been done previously – rankles the union.

California Nurses Association spokesman Chuck Idelson questioned why the hospital needed to lock out nurses and said he didn’t believe Nelson’s statement about a minimum contract length.

Nelson said the hospital doesn’t know how many nurses may participate in the strike. “It changes minute by minute.”

Idelson said he believes that most of those nurses will take part in the May 1 strike.

Idelson accused Sutter Lakeside management of pursuing takeaways such as ending benefits for registered nurses who work part-time and forcing other nurses to work overtime, which he called “a very dangerous practice.”

Contract negotiations stall

Nelson said Sutter Lakeside’s contract with its nurses expired Aug. 31, 2011.

She said the hospital began negotiations six months before the contract was to end, and with the help of a federal mediator reached agreement on noneconomic proposals.

When it got to the economic proposals, she said the process stalled, with the union not offering any written economic counter proposals.

“Really, this is all about money,” she said.

“It’s really sad to me that CNA is calling for a strike against a small rural hospital that is working hard to stabilize its financials” and be able to stay in the community, Nelson said.

Nelson, who called the situation “extremely frustrating,” said Sutter Lakeside offers a competitive wage package, very generous health benefits and a fully funded pension plan.

Regarding the latter, she said, “I don’t know any other health care system that can make that claim,” adding that it’s a commitment of the organization.

Nelson said Sutter Lakeside’s nurses have received an overall 27-percent pay increase over the past four years. “And now I’m in a position to have to lay people off.”

Idelson called the claim about money being the union’s main issue a “smoke screen” used to divert attention from Sutter’s attempts to cuts services and work standards.

“The strike is not about wage increases the nurses are seeking,” Idelson said, adding that if Sutter is concerned about wages that it should look at its top executives.

The union accused Sutter Lakeside of planning to close its home health services. Nelson replied, “Sutter Lakeside Hospital has not done home health services in years so I’m not really sure what they’re talking about.”

The hospital also isn’t planning to limit acute-care hospital stays, as the union has claimed, according to Nelson, who said, “we treat people for as long as its clinically appropriate.”

Nelson said the hospital presented its last, best and final offer to the union on March 27.

“We’ve asked the union for a counter proposal,” Nelson said. “We have not received it.”

According to a summary of the offer’s highlights presented to staff and shared with Lake County News, Sutter Lakeside is offering ratification bonuses for registered nurses; 1-percent across the board increases one year after ratification and an additional 1 percent two years after ratification; step increases beginning one year after ratification; no-premium health benefit options for registered nurses and their families; employer contributions to a fully funded employee pension plan; between 19 minimum and 48 maximum paid days off; an increase in the retiree health care spending account to $30,000; and rewards for professional development.

Nelson said she went “all in” on the March 27 offer, adding, “we don’t have any more money, there is nothing else.”

Idelson did not have information on any union counterproposal, and also could not say if the union had presented the offer to its members.

However, he said the nurses at Sutter Lakeside voted to take part in the strike.

He said the union was able to conclude negotiations with hospitals in Marin and Santa Rosa after management there withdrew concessions requests.

Sutter, he said, should do the same, saying it’s a multibillion dollar Wall Street corporation.

“We’re not dealing with a mom and pop hospital here that’s on the verge of going belly up,” Idelson said.

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

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District reported on Tuesday that it has appointed an interim general manager.

On Friday, April 20, the district board unanimously appointed Roland Sanford of Santa Rosa as interim general manager, the district said.

“We are delighted to have Mr. Sanford on board,” said HVLCSD Board Chairperson Linda Herndon. “His consensus building and technical expertise will be invaluable as we move forward as an organization.”

“I’m pleased to be here and to get to know the Hidden Valley Lake community, and I want to thank the HVLCSD for this opportunity,” said Sanford.

Sanford has 27 years of technical and managerial experience with local, state and federal water projects in California – seven years in the private sector and 20 years with public water agencies, 13 years with the Solano County Water Agency and, more recently, seven years as the general manager of Mendocino County Water Agency.

While with the Solano County Water Agency, Sanford served six years as the agency’s assistant general manager and was instrumental in the settlement negotiations that resolved the Putah Creek water cases of the 1990s.

As the general manager of the Mendocino County Water Agency, Sanford led Mendocino County’s participation in the highly successful seven-county North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and associated grant proposals that secured over $10,000,000 for infrastructure and habitat restoration projects in Mendocino County.

Sanford’s appointment as the interim general manager is expected to last three to six months, the district reported.

On May 1, the district board will meet to discuss recruitment of a permanent general manager.

The board let go its previous general manager, Mel Aust, at its March 20 meeting, as Lake County News has reported.

The district provides sewer and water to an estimated 7,000 residents of Hidden Valley Lake.