The California Department of Public Health said the man was in his late 30s.

“This death is a somber reminder that the flu can be a serious and even deadly disease,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health and state public health officer, in a report issued by the agency. “I encourage Californians to get their flu vaccine to help protect themselves and their families.”

Statewide surveillance shows that influenza activity remains low in California. Typically, influenza peaks between January and March.

According to a study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, flu-associated deaths nationwide range from an estimated 3,000 to 49,000 annually.

Lake County Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait told Lake County News in a Thursday e-mail that it has been a fairly quiet flu year so far as well for Lake County, where flu concerns are heightened due to the large senior population.

So far this flu season, vaccine totals for Lake County Public Health are “definitely fewer than last year,” said Tait.

However, she added that local pharmacies have done a lot of vaccinating this year.

She said Lake County has no special concerns due to this year’s flu season, but added, “the usual precautions are as important as always.”

Some of those usual precautions offered by health officials include staying home when sick; covering coughs or sneezes with an elbow or a tissue, and then properly disposing of used tissues; washing hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer; avoiding touching eyes, nose and mouth; and trying to stay healthy by eating right, staying hydrated, not smoking, and getting adequate rest and exercise.

The seasonal flu vaccine is recommended for everyone over 6 months of age and includes protection against the H1N1 strain, the California Department of Public Health reported. It is particularly important for people at high risk of complications, including pregnant women, people with chronic diseases such as diabetes, children and older adults to be vaccinated.

Chapman urged Californians to get their flu shot if they have not done so already. In addition, the nasal spray flu vaccine is available for healthy individuals ages two through 49 who are not pregnant.

“Since the flu season can last through May, it is not too late to get a flu vaccine,” Chapman said. “There is plenty of flu vaccine available.”

Tait said Lake County Public Health has plenty of the $2 vaccine available. The department can be reached at 800-794-9291 or 707-263-1090 for more information.

The California Department of Public Health offers more information on flu prevention at its Web site, http://www.cdph.ca.gov/programs/immunize/Pages/default.aspx.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Health’s locally produced video “Health Living in Lake County: Keeping Flu Out of the Landscape” tied for a Bronze Award in a national competition hosted by the National Public Health Information Coalition.

The organization considered more than 230 entries and issued awards in a variety of categories.

Lake County’s video was in the “Special AV Projects – Broadcast//Audio Visual” category and the entry with whom it shared the Bronze Award was California Department of Public Health’s “The H1N1 Flu: California’s Response.”

Developed with federal Centers for Disease Control Public Health Emergency Response Funds, the video was produced in 2010 as part of Lake County Public Health’s efforts to develop local capacity for health education of the public.

According to Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait, public messaging is most effective when the message is tailored to the local community.

“There are all kinds of generic messages about hand washing and vaccination, but I wanted to create something that speaks directly to residents of Lake County and which reflects our local values,” said Tait.

The video highlights familiar scenery and faces, noting a general appreciation for Lake County’s natural beauty.

The video also can be viewed in English and Spanish at http://health.co.lake.ca.us/site10.aspx.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

“As you prepare for the holiday traffic and winter weather, remember to plan ahead and leave yourself some extra time to make the trip,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Rest assured that the CHP will be out there to assist you whenever there is a need.”

Throughout their holiday travels motorists may encounter a number of CHP officers who begin their annual Christmas Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) on Friday, Dec. 23, at 6:01 p.m.

The CHP will continue the holiday enforcement effort through Monday, Dec. 26, at 11:59 p.m.

“This time of year more people travel, celebrations increase and the weather can be a challenge,” said Commissioner Farrow.

Last year during the Christmas holiday weekend, four people were killed in collisions in California, according to the CHP.

One week later, 25 people were killed in crashes during New Year’s weekend; half of those who died were not wearing a seat belt, the CHP reported.

In addition, the CHP said it made 658 arrests for driving under the influence during the Christmas MEP and 961 arrests the following holiday weekend.

“It’s important to remember as the holiday celebrations kick into high gear during the next couple of weeks, always designate a driver before the party begins,” added Commissioner Farrow.

The CHP will conduct a similar MEP effort over the New Year’s holiday weekend which begins Friday, Dec. 30, at 6:01 p.m. and continues through 11:59 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 2, 2012.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

The fire, first reported late Tuesday morning at 18390 North Shore Drive, drew dozens of firefighters from around the county.

The Lake County Arson Task Force had been called to the scene Tuesday to lead the investigation.

South Lake County Fire District Battalion Chief Scott Upton, the incident commander on the fire, said Wednesday that the investigation had concluded that the fire’s cause was “accidental but undetermined.”

He said the home’s insurance company is planning to conduct some more advanced testing.

“So hopefully we’ll get more of a determination,” he said.

Upton said the two people injured in the fire were listed as being in critical condition on Wednesday morning.

Both were transported via air ambulances to out-of-county trauma centers, one to UC Davis Medical Center, one to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, officials reported.

The fire victims’ names were not released by the fire district, and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office did not have their names for release on Wednesday.

CHP Officer Josh Dye, who had been one of the first on scene and helped tend one of the burn victims, suffered some smoke inhalation and was taken to the hospital on Tuesday, according to CHP Officer Kory Reynolds, the Clear Lake CHP Area office’s public information officer.

However, Dye was back at work on Wednesday and doing great after getting “a little too much smoke,” Reynolds said.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

“The times dictate that state government always be on the lookout for ways to reduce costs when possible,” Chesbro (D-Arcata) said in a Tuesday statement.

The new address is 200 S. School St., Suite D, Ukiah, CA 95482. The phone and fax number will remain the same: 707-463-5770 (phone) and 707-463-5773 (fax).

“An opportunity opened up for us to scale back our Ukiah office while still offering the same level of service our Mendocino and Lake County constituents deserve,” Chesbro said. “By moving into the Ukiah Valley Conference Center we cut our office rent in half and also help the city, which owns the conference center. The city has been more than accommodating.”

Chesbro will host an open house at the new location so the public will have an opportunity to become familiar with the new office. The date is yet to be announced.

The Ukiah office services Mendocino and Lake Counties, and will continue to be staffed by Field Representative Ruth Valenzuela.

The new office – in addition to having better parking – is in the same building as State Sen. Noreen Evans’ office making it a sort of “one stop shop” for state legislative business.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Jose Louis Vallejo Ruiz, 28, was arrested for driving under the influence causing injury and driving without a driver’s license, while both of his passengers, 29-year-old Neri Averdano-Rosas and Clemente Sarmiento Rosas, 21, were booked for public intoxication, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.

The crash occurred at 12:10 a.m. Wednesday on Highway 29 north of Hofacker Lane, the CHP reported.

The CHP said Ruiz was driving his 1994 Honda Accord northbound at an unknown speed when he allowed his vehicle to drift off the roadway, resulting in it overturning several times.

Ruiz and Averdano-Rosas were not injured, but Clemente Rosas sustained minor injuries in the collision, the CHP said.

CHP Officers Jensen and Garcia responded to the crash scene and contacted the three men, arresting all of them, according to the report.

All three men were taken to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake Hospital and medically cleared prior to being booked at the Lake County Jail, the CHP said.

Jail records indicated all three men remained in custody late Wednesday due to no-bail immigration holds.

The collision is still under investigation by Officer Jensen.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Superior Court Judge Richard Henderson sentenced Cody Fisher, 30, to a four-year state prison term, according to a report from Mendocino County District Attorney David Eyster's office.

Henderson characterized his decision as “very, very difficult” after he heard pleas for leniency from the defendant’s family and friends.

The maximum that Fisher could have been sentenced to was 11 years in state prison.

Before the four-year sentence was imposed Assistant District Attorney Paul Sequeira argued on behalf of the people in favor of a state prison commitment despite an emotional plea for mercy from the mother of victim.

Sequeira contended Fisher needed to be held accountable for Mark Pare’s death, especially in face of Fisher’s prior conviction for driving under the influence of alcohol, and other unusual circumstances of the fatal accident.

While Sequeira acknowledged the courtroom pleas seeking mercy for Fisher, Sequeira countered, “Mercy is the business of God. Justice is the business of the court.”

District Attorney David Eyster said, "Our primary interest as prosecutors is public safety and drunk drivers, especially repeat offenders like Mr. Fisher, put us all at great risk. Prison is appropriate given all the facts of this case and the background of the defendant."

Prosecutors have described Fisher’s case as a story of a birthday celebration turned deadly.

Fisher, Pare and another friend on the night of Aug. 28 left a home in the remote area of McNab Ranch, located west of Highway 101 between Ukiah and Hopland, according to the District Attorney's Office.

Fisher drove his pickup truck down to the intersection of Highway 101 and McNab Ranch Road, where the trio of friends met a cab to take them into town for a night of drinking. They hailed a cab to return to the truck in the early morning hours.

Fisher insisted on driving up the unpaved dirt road despite concerns from his friends about his level of intoxication. On the way home, the pickup suddenly went off the road, overturned and slid down an embankment on its roof before slamming into a tree.

Pare was trapped inside the cab of the truck, but Fisher didn’t call authorities for nearly four hours because he claimed he knew his friend had been killed instantly, officials reported.

Instead Fisher called his fiancée to bring him a pot of coffee to help him sober up before summoning the California Highway Patrol to the scene.

According to the investigation, Fisher initially lied about what happened at the time of the accident, telling investigators first that a deer had run across the road causing him to swerve. Later Fisher admitted he was intoxicated, and missed a turn while driving up the darken road.

“What Mr. Fisher did that night could not have been any more callous,” said Sequeira.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Steven Gene Hensley, 36, faced felony charges of setting 19 fires in various locations in and around the Willits area starting on July 4 and continuing through Aug. 21.

District Attorney David Eyster, who has handled Hensley’s prosecution from its inception, on Thursday announced in the Mendocino County Superior Court a sentence agreement requiring Hensley to be sentenced to a stipulated 20 years in state prison when he returns to court on Jan. 27, 2012.

Hensley also will be required to register for life as an arson offender and each count of arson as admitted by Hensley is a “strike” for purposes of any future felony misconduct under the Three Strikes law.

Eyster also will be seeking an order in January requiring Hensley to pay restitution to property owners and Cal Fire in the amount of $354,138.

On Thursday Eyster thanked fire personnel around the county who day in and day out protect and serve public safety.

He was particularly complimentary of the investigation work undertaken in Hensley’s case by Cal Fire Captains Shawn Zimmermaker and Craig Dudley.

“The defendant had no way out of this one and realized it. We have Zimmermaker and Dudley to thank for this,” said Eyster.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Sgt. Rodd Joseph said an on-duty Clearlake Police officer noticed a suspicious silver colored Lexus sedan on 18th Avenue near Boyles Avenue at 12:44 a.m.

He said the vehicle pulled over to the side of the road and turned its lights off as the officer approached in his marked police vehicle. The driver of the Lexus, reported to be a Hispanic male adult, then turned the vehicle’s lights back on and made a quick U-turn.

Joseph said the officer got behind the vehicle and attempted to initiate a vehicle stop for a vehicle code violation, but the vehicle fled from the officer at a high rate of speed.

The Lexus and its driver led the officer on a high speed pursuit for several blocks before the officer briefly lost sight of the suspect vehicle due to poor visibility from roadway dust, Joseph said.

The officer located the vehicle at the intersection of 21st and and Phillips avenues. Joseph said the Lexus had slid off the roadway and collided with a tree. No other vehicles were involved in the collision.

He said the driver's door was open, with the driver having apparently fled on foot.

Officers discovered two additional passengers in the vehicle. Joseph said the rear passenger was identified as 28-year-old Leona Delapena of Ukiah, while the front passenger was identified as 20-year-old Jason Steele of Ukiah. Both passengers complained of pain.

Delapena initially reported that she and Steele had been carjacked at gunpoint by the suspect at a gas station, Joseph said.

However, during questioning by officers, Delapena became uncooperative and refused to provide any statements regarding the reported carjacking, Joseph said.

He said both Delapena and Steele were transported via ambulance to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. Steele was later transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital via helicopter. Both passengers have since been released from medical care.

This case is still under investigation, Joseph said.

Any person with information regarding this incident is asked to contact Officer Middleton at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251. Callers may remain anonymous.

Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

Firefighters respond to the fire on North Shore Drive in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. Photo by Eric Trueblood.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – A fire destroyed a Hidden Valley Lake home and injured three people – two of them critically – on Tuesday.

Forty firefighters from agencies around the county responded to the blaze, reported at 11:49 a.m. at a home at 18390 North Shore Drive, according to the South Lake County Fire Protection District.

Responding were firefighters from South Lake County Fire, Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Kelseyville Fire and Northshore Fire, the report said. Cal Fire also sent two battalion chiefs, with one battalion chief each coming from Lake County Fire and Northshore Fire.

Six engines, three medic units, a Cal Fire helicopter used to drop water on the blaze and two air ambulances – one from REACH and from CalStar – were part of the response, fire officials reported.

Firefighters en route to the scene were notified that power lines were down, and also had to deal with a venting propane tank in the home’s front yard, according to South Lake County Fire Battalion Chief Scott Upton, the incident commander.

The wind blowing the fire over North Shore Drive, along with the downed power lines and venting propane tank, made for what Upton called a “pretty severe situation.”

Fire personnel also were challenged in reaching the scene due to vehicles stacking up on North Shore Drive, with CHP officers helping control traffic. Lake County Sheriff’s deputies also assisted at the scene, according to radio reports.

CHP was among the first responders, with Officer Josh Dye responding to help treat one of the two burn patients, a man who was reported to have run from his home while on fire, according to fellow CHP Officer Kory Reynolds, who arrived sometime later.

Reynolds said Dye called for assistance, and CHP sent five additional units, totaling six in all.

Upton said when paramedics reached the burned man Dye was assisting, the man was across the road and down the hill from his home. The other burn victim also was out of the home by the time firefighters arrived.

“We have two very serious injuries,” Upton said, with one being flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital and the other to the UC Davis Medical Center in the Sacramento area.

The third injury was Dye himself. Reynolds said Dye appeared to have suffered smoke inhalation and was transported to an area hospital for treatment. He didn’t have a condition update for Dye late Tuesday afternoon.

The fire was contained at approximately 12:52 p.m., South Lake County Fire reported.

Upton said the two-story wood structure was destroyed. He remained on scene late into the afternoon with a skeleton crew that was mopping up hot spots.

He was awaiting the arrival of the Lake County Arson Task Force, which will work to determine the cause.

“It’s still under investigation, just exactly what happened,” Upton said.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

A Cal Fire helicopter picks up a load of water to drop on a house fire on North Shore Drive in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif., on Tuesday, December 20, 2011. Photo by Eric Soderstrom.

The fire, reported late in the morning on Tuesday, December 20, 2011, destroyed the two-story wood structure, according to fire officials. Photo by Eric Soderstrom.