Thursday, 28 March 2024

News

SACRAMENTO – Given the serious threat of sea level rise to California’s water supply and coastal resources and the impact it would have on our state’s economy, population and natural resources, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday issued an executive order to enhance the state’s management of climate impacts from sea level rise, increased temperatures, shifting precipitation and extreme weather events.


“We have to adapt the way we work and plan in order to manage the impacts and challenges that California and our entire planet face from climate change,” Governor Schwarzenegger said in a written statement. “Given the serious threat of sea level rise to California’s water supply, population and our economy, it’s critically important that we make sure the state is prepared when heavy rains cause flooding and the potential for sea level rise increases in future years.”


There are four key actions in the executive order including:


  • Initiate California’s first statewide climate change adaptation strategy that will assess the state’s expected climate change impacts, identify where California is most vulnerable and recommend climate adaptation policies by early 2009;

  • Request the National Academy of Science establish an expert panel to report on sea level rise impacts in California to inform state planning and development efforts;

  • Issue interim guidance to state agencies for how to plan for sea level rise in designated coastal and floodplain areas for new projects; and

  • Initiate a report on critical existing and planned infrastructure projects vulnerable to sea level rise.


One key benefit that the executive order will facilitate is California’s first comprehensive climate adaptation strategy. This effort will improve coordination within state government and adapt the way work so that better planning can more effectively address climate impacts to human health, the environment, the state’s water supply and the economy.


The order also provides consistency and clarity to state agencies on how to address sea level rise in current planning efforts, reducing time and resources unnecessarily spent on developing different policies using different scientific information.


The executive order and its actions carry on the governor’s environmental leadership by continuing to address climate change adaptation in coordination with our climate change mitigation policies as outlined in AB 32. The states of Washington and Oregon, as well as Canada and Mexico, along with several global institutions have expressed interest in coordinating our climate change adaptation policies as outlined in this order.


California’s Energy Commission, the California Ocean Protection Council and Caltrans are conducting numerous scientific studies on the impact of climate change, including new sea level rise impact projections that are being used to develop the state’s climate change adaptation strategy.


Full text of executive order:


EXECUTIVE ORDER S-13-08


by the Governor of the State of California


WHEREAS climate change in California during the next century is expected to shift precipitation patterns, accelerate sea level rise and increase temperatures, thereby posing a serious threat to California’s economy, to the health and welfare of its population and to its natural resources; and


WHEREAS California is a leader in mitigating and reducing its greenhouse gas emissions with the 2006 Global Warming Solutions Act (Assembly Bill 32), the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (Executive Order S-01-07), the 2008 Senate Bill 375 and the Renewable Portfolio Standard; and


WHEREAS these efforts, coupled with others around the world, will slow, but not stop all long-term climate impacts to California; and


WHEREAS California must begin now to adapt and build our resiliency to coming climate changes through a thoughtful and sensible approach with local, regional, state and federal government using the best available science; and


WHEREAS there is a need for statewide consistency in planning for sea level rise; and


WHEREAS California’s water supply and coastal resources, including valuable natural habitat areas, are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise over the next century and could suffer devastating consequences if adaptive measures are not taken; and


WHEREAS the country’s longest continuously operating gauge of sea level, at Fort Point in San Francisco Bay, recorded a seven-inch rise in sea level over the 20th century thereby demonstrating the vulnerability of infrastructure and resources within the Bay; and


WHEREAS global sea level rise for the next century is projected to rise faster than historical levels with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change predicting that global sea levels will rise by between seven to 23 inches this century and some experts predicting even higher rises; and


WHEREAS while climate models predicting global sea level rise are generally understood and improving, less information is available for sea level rise projections specific to California that accounts for California’s topography, coastal erosion rates, varying land subsidence levels and tidal variations; and


WHEREAS billions of dollars in state funding for infrastructure and resource management projects are currently being encumbered in areas that are potentially vulnerable to future sea level rise; and


WHEREAS safety, maintenance and operational efforts on existing infrastructure projects are critical to public safety and the economy of the state; and


WHEREAS the longer that California delays planning and adapting to sea level rise the more expensive and difficult adaptation will be; and


WHEREAS the California Resources Agency is a member of the California Climate Action Team and is leading efforts to develop and implement policy solutions related to climate change adaptation regarding current and projected effects of climate change; and


WHEREAS the Department of Water Resources (DWR) is responsible for managing the state’s water resources to benefit the people of California, and to protect, restore and enhance the natural and human environments; and


WHEREAS California’s coastal management agencies such as the California Coastal Commission, the California Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and California State Parks are charged with managing and protecting the ocean and coastal resources of the state; and


WHEREAS the California Energy Commission’s (CEC) Public Interest Energy Research Program has funded research on climate change since 2001 including funding the development of preliminary sea level rise projections for the San Francisco Bay area by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography/University of California at San Diego.


NOW, THEREFORE, I, ARNOLD SCHWARZENEGGER, Governor of the State of California, by virtue of the power vested in me by the Constitution and statutes of the State of California, do hereby order effective immediately:


1. The California Resources Agency, in cooperation with DWR, CEC, California’s coastal management agencies, and the OPC, shall request that the National Academy of Sciences (NAS) convene an independent panel to complete the first California Sea Level Rise Assessment Report and initiate, within 60 days after the signing of this Order, an independent sea level rise science and policy committee made up of state, national and international experts.


2. By March 31, 2009, the OPC, DWR and the CEC, in coordination with other state agencies, shall hold a public workshop to gather policy-relevant information specific to California for use in preparing the Sea Level Rise Assessment Report and to raise state awareness of sea level rise impacts.


3. The California Resources Agency shall request that the final Sea Level Rise Assessment Report be completed as soon as possible but no later than December 1, 2010. The final Sea Level Rise Assessment Report will advise how California should plan for future sea level rise. The report should include: (1) relative sea level rise projections specific to California, taking into account issues such as coastal erosion rates, tidal impacts, El Niño and La Niña events, storm surge and land subsidence rates; (2) the range of uncertainty in selected sea level rise projections; (3) a synthesis of existing information on projected sea level rise impacts to state infrastructure (such as roads, public facilities and beaches), natural areas, and coastal and marine ecosystems; and (4) a discussion of future research needs regarding sea level rise for California.


4. The OPC shall work with DWR, the CEC, California’s coastal management agencies and the State Water Resources Control Board to conduct a review of the NAS assessment every two years or as necessary.


5. I direct that, prior to release of the final Sea Level Rise Assessment Report from the NAS, all state agencies within my administration that are planning construction projects in areas vulnerable to future sea level rise shall, for the purposes of planning, consider a range of sea level rise scenarios for the years 2050 and 2100 in order to assess project vulnerability and, to the extent feasible, reduce expected risks and increase resiliency to sea level rise. However, all projects that have filed a Notice of Preparation, and/or are programmed for construction funding the next five years, or are routine maintenance projects as of the date of this Order may, but are not required to, account for these planning guidelines. Sea level rise estimates should also be used in conjunction with appropriate local information regarding local uplift and subsidence, coastal erosion rates, predicted higher high water levels, storm surge and storm wave data.


6. The Business, Transportation, and Housing Agency shall work with the California Resources Agency and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research (OPR) to prepare a report within 90 days of release of this Order to assess vulnerability of transportation systems to sea level rise that will include provisions for investment critical to safety, maintenance and operational improvements of the system and economy of the state.


7. By June 30, 2009, the California Resources Agency, through the Climate Action Team, shall coordinate with local, regional, state and federal public and private entities to develop a state Climate Adaptation Strategy. The strategy will summarize the best known science on climate change impacts to California (led by CEC’s PIER program), assess California’s vulnerability to the identified impacts and then outline solutions that can be implemented within and across state agencies to promote resiliency. A water adaptation strategy will be coordinated by DWR with input from the State Water Resources Control Board, an ocean and coastal resources adaptation strategy will be coordinated by the OPC, an infrastructure adaptation strategy will be coordinated by the California Department of Transportation, a biodiversity adaptation strategy will be jointly coordinated by the California Department of Fish and Game and California State Parks, a working landscapes adaptation strategy will be jointly coordinated by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the California Department of Food and Agriculture, and a public health adaptation strategy will be jointly coordinated by the California Department of Public Health and the California Air Resources Board, all as part of the larger strategy. This strategy will be facilitated through the Climate Action Team and will be coordinated with California's climate change mitigation efforts.


8. By May 30, 2009, OPR, in cooperation with the California Resources Agency, shall provide state land-use planning guidance related to sea level rise and other climate change impacts.


This Order is not intended to, and does not, create any rights or benefits, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity, against the State of California, its agencies, departments, entities, officers, employees, or any other person.


I FURTHER DIRECT that as soon as hereafter possible, this Order shall be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State and that widespread publicity and notice be given to this Order.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Great Seal of the State of California to be affixed this 14th day of November 2008.


________________________________

Arnold Schwarzenegger

Governor of California


ATTEST:

________________________________

Debra Bowen

Secretary of State



{mos_sb_discuss:3}

Image
Sonoma County's Henry 1 helicopter assisted in the search. Hidden Valley Lake residents reported that the helicopter flew over the community for part of the morning, beginning at around 8 a.m. Photo by Eric Soderstrom.
 

 

 

THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.


HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE – Following a day of searching, the second suspect in an early morning break-in on Noble Ranch Road was captured by officials late Thursday.


Malcolm Safa Brown, 40, of Santa Rosa was arrested shortly after 5 p.m. after one of two victims from the morning break-in and assault identified him, according to officials at the scene.


Earlier in the afternoon, Charles William Burk, 30, was arrested when deputies found him under the exterior deck of a residence in the 19000 block of Stonegate Drive of Hidden Valley Lake. He had been spotted running into the home's garage; 10 minutes later, the homeowner reported a water bowl was in an odd position in front of a small access door under their deck, and Burk was taken into custody.


The two men are alleged to have broken into a home on Noble Ranch Road at approximately 7:20 a.m., where they assaulted the residents before fleeing in a white pickup, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.


The two men in the pickup collided with a sheriff's patrol car before abandoning their vehicle on Spruce Grove Road South and fleeing into Hidden Valley Lake on foot, said Bauman.


Bauman said the sheriff's office sent out a phone alert to residents in a three-mile perimeter of where the men were believed to be, in the Greenridge and Stonegate communities. However, many area residents reported to Lake County News that they did not receive the notice.


The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office's Henry 1 helicopter assisted with the search from the air for a few hours during the middle of the morning while local sheriff's investigators and deputies combed the area for the men. Area schools also kept children on campuses longer in order to keep them safe while the search went on.


Burk was arrested shortly after 2 p.m. not long after deputies spotted him on foot in the Greenridge area and stopped him for questioning. He attempted to flee behind some nearby residences and was arrested following a house-to-house search, said Bauman.


At about 4:30 p.m. Bauman told Lake County News that the sheriff's office was suspending the search for the second suspect, who hadn't yet been identified.


However, as sheriff's personnel were leaving leave Hidden Valley Lake, Hidden Valley Security was reporting receiving calls about a shirtless male with buzz cut hair running down Foothill Road just after 4 p.m., according to reports at the scene.


Deputies returned to Hidden Valley Lake, where a California Highway Patrol officer had detained Brown at Highway 29 and Arabian Lane.


One of the victims of the morning assault was brought to the scene, where she identified Brown as one of the men who had broken into her home earlier that morning.


Burk, who has addresses in both Clearlake Oaks and Santa Rosa, is listed as a cement mason on his booking sheet, which was posted late Thursday. Bauman confirmed that Burk had previous contact with local law enforcement but did not give specifics.


He is facing a battery of felony charges, including attempted murder, attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon (that is not a firearm) on a peace officer, assault with a firearm, another charge of assault with a deadly weapon that is not a firearm and first degree burglary. Bail is set at $575,000.


Brown, a carpenter, is charged with four felony counts – attempted murder, attempted robbery, assault with a deadly weapon that's not a firearm and first-degree burglary, with bail set at $535,000.


Both Burk and Brown are scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 17, according to their booking sheets.


Harold LaBonte and Aimee Gonsalves contributed to this report.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

LUCERNE – Lucerne Senior Center staff had a scare on Wednesday, when a gas leak culminated in a hazard in the center's kitchen.


Lee Tyree, the center's executive director, said center staff began smelling a strong smell of propane last Friday.


That same day they called Northshore Fire to come and check out the building, but she said fire officials didn't report finding anything of consequence.


The propane smell continued to linger and got stronger over the weekend and into Tuesday, said Tyree. The center's propane provider, Ferrellgas, also came out to check the building and found no issues.


However, on Wednesday morning, as the center's cook was cooking food for the Meals on Wheels program, a blue flame shot out from underneath the stove and went up the kitchen wall, Tyree said.


“It was kinda scary for them in the kitchen,” Tyree said.


Tyree said they called 911 and the fire department came in and turned off the lines and stove.


The center is now waiting for Ferrellgas to come out and investigate. Tyree said the problem is believed to be with the propane line and the stove.


Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Pat Brown said the fire ball caused no damage, and the center should be fine but they need to have their propane problem fixed.


He said firefighters paid three visits to the center over the last week due to concerns over the gas problem.


Tyree said the center is now cooking without a stove, but they're making do in an effort to keep Meals on Wheels going. “Nothing puts Meals on Wheels on hold,” she said.


Repairing the stove may cost the center “money we don't have,” said Tyree.


A donation for $11,000 that the center received last month from the Lake County Foundation was gone within 24 hours, said Tyree, as the center paid off old bills.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}



LAKE COUNTY – Autumn is deer mating season, which means deer are on the move and less cautious about darting out into the road, which means drivers should be extra vigilant to be safe on the roads at this time of year.


The California Department of Transportation suggests drivers follow the following tips for driving in deer country.


  • Be particularly attentive between sunset and midnight, during the hours shortly before and after sunrise, and in foggy conditions. Most deer-vehicle collisions occur during those times.

  • Drive carefully in areas known to have high deer populations. Places where roads divide agricultural fields or streams from forestland are particularly dangerous.

  • If you see a deer, slow down. Others are probably nearby.

  • Use high-beam headlights when there is no oncoming traffic. The high beams can reflect off their eyes and warn you of their presence.

  • If a deer is in your lane, brake firmly but stay in the lane. The most serious crashes occur when drivers swerve.

  • Don't rely on deer whistles, deer fences, or reflectors to deter deer.

  • Wear seat belts.

  • If your car strikes a deer, don't touch the animal. If the deer is blocking the highway, call 911.


These tips are used with permission from the National Park Service.


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE – The Lake County Sheriff's Office has released the name of a man arrested Thursday afternoon in connection with a break-in and assault on Noble Ranch Road.


Charles William Burk, 30, was arrested in Hidden Valley Lake just after 2 p.m. Thursday after he attempted to flee from deputies who had stopped him for questioning, reported Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.


Burk, who has addresses in both Santa Rosa and Clearlake Oaks, is believed to have been one of two men who broke into a Noble Ranch Road home shortly before 7:30 a.m., where they allegedly assaulted two occupants of the home, according to Bauman.


Burk and his accomplice, who remains at large and who has not been identified, then fled in a white pickup which collided with a sheriff's patrol car, Bauman said. The two suspects then abandoned their vehicle on Spruce Grove Road South and fled on foot into Hidden Valley Lake.


Much of the day's search, according to Hidden Valley Lake and sheriff's officials, had focused on the Greenridge and Stonegate sections of the community.


Burk was located, said Bauman, while deputies were in the process of clearing some houses in the Greenridge area.


Bauman said two deputies began to question Burk, who took off on foot behind some nearby residences.


“They conducted a house-to-house search,” said Bauman.


Burk was found under an exterior deck of a home on Coyle Springs Road and arrested, Bauman said.


The sheriff's office has had some previous contact with Burk, but Bauman did not specify what those contacts may have been about.


Bauman said the sheriff's office was preparing to issue another Citywatch phone alert to community residents to let them know of Burk's capture.


There is currently not an active search under way for the second man, whom Burk has so far not provided information about, according to Bauman.


The Hidden Valley Lake community has been on alert since two residents of Park Point Court were robbed at gunpoint in their home on the night of Oct. 28, as Lake County News has reported.


The suspect in that robbery, a white male adult wearing a ski mask and dressed from head to toe in black, remains at large.


Is that robbery connected to the break-in and assault Thursday morning?


“We have no reason to believe that they are,” Bauman said.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

THE US GEOLOGICAL SURVEY HAS UPGRADED THIS QUAKE FROM 3.1 TO 3.5.

 

THE GEYSERS – A 3.5-magnitude earthquake struck The Geysers early Wednesday morning.


The quake occurred at 3:10 a.m. at a depth of 1.1 miles, according to the US Geological Survey.


The epicenter of the quake was located five miles north northwest of The Geysers, six miles west northwest of Cobb and eight miles south of Kelseyville, the US Geological Survey reported.


The US Geological Survey takes special note of all earthquakes measuring 3.0 or above on the Richter Scale.


The last earthquake of that magnitude was reported two miles east of The Geysers on Oct. 23.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE – South county schools were on the alert and keeping children on school grounds late Thursday as the search for a suspect alleged to have been involved in a break-in and assault on Noble Ranch Road continued.


At least one of two men who allegedly broke into the home early Tuesday morning, and subsequently fled into Hidden Valley Lake, had been caught shortly after 2 p.m. according to a radio report from the scene.


No further information about the captured suspect has so far been released.


However, both he and his alleged accomplice were considered armed and dangerous, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office. That had led officials earlier in the day to caution residents to stay in their homes with their doors and windows locked.


Middletown Unified School District Superintendent Korby Olson said the district had been communicating with the Lake County Sheriff's Office throughout the day to keep apprised of the situation.


“We decided it would be best to keep the kids in school where it was safe,” he said.


Middle school students were being held, and at Middletown High School the day was extended until 3:30 p.m., Olson said.


Children who lived in Cobb and other communities outside of Middletown were being released first, but children who school officials knew lived in the Greenridge and Stonegate areas of Hidden Valley Lake – where the search was most active – were being held until the district had more information, said Olson.


As the buses began to take children home late Thursday, Olson said bus drivers had been instructed to communicate with any parents they saw waiting along the way to let them know the situation.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Image
Pearl Harbor survivors Bud Boner (left) and Jim Harris raise the American flag at the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association's memorial mast in Library Park in Lakeport on the morning of Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Photo by Ginny Craven.
 

 


LAKE COUNTY – Veterans Day was marked in solemn fashion around Lake County, as the community remembered the sacrifices of members of the US armed forces in the difficult work of protecting the country.


Here are some images of the day.



Image
Members of the United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team raised the flag at Veterans Circle at Hartley Cemetery at 8 a.m. Rain caused the Avenue of Flags to fly for only a few hours at Hartley this year, with the flags not being flown at the Lower Lake or Upper Lake cemeteries. Photo by Terre Logsdon.


 


 

Image
The United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team does a rifle volley at Hartley Cemetery on Tuesday. Photo by Ginny Craven.
 

 

 

 

 

Image
The United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team's newly repainted bus, with team member Milt Hodgkinson and son, Mike Hodgkinson, and granddaughter. Photo by Ginny Craven.
 

 

 

 

 

Image
Robert Deppe, commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2015, and June Dye at Hartley Cemetery on Tuesday. Photo by Ginny Craven.
 

 

 

 

 

Image
Bagpiper Karen Seydal of Ukiah at the Blue Star Memorial By-Way marker unveiling in Nice on Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 


 

 

Image
The Sea Scouts Color Guard carries in the American flag at the county's Veterans Day ceremony in Lakeport. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 

 

 

Image
Robin Pokorski, president of California Garden Clubs Inc. (left), and Gina-Belle Smith of the North Lake Garden Club unveil the new Blue Star Memorial By-Way marker unveiling in Nice on Tuesday afternoon. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 

 

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

 

 

SACRAMENTO – California Department of Water Resources (DWR) and U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) scientists on Friday began a comprehensive three-month study of salmon migration through the Bay-Delta.


This new study comes in the wake of a salmon population crash which resulted in the state and federal government closing the commercial salmon fishing season off the coast of California and part of Oregon this spring.


Data gathered from the study will help agencies better manage the Bay-Delta ecosystem while enhancing habitat for salmon and other protected species and providing a scientific foundation for water policy, ecosystem and salmon fishery decision makers.


“Ultimately, with the data collected from this study, we hope to find ways to improve Delta water quality and water supply reliability for the State Water Project while protecting the salmon out-migrant population,” said Jim Wilde, DWR Senior Engineer coordinating the study for DWR.


Over the course of the study, scientists will release 6,000 tagged juvenile salmon into the Sacramento River to track their migration to the ocean.


Released salmon are implanted with acoustic transmitters that allow scientists to monitor their movements at junctions of waterways and throughout the Delta.


The transmitters are uniquely programmed for immediate detection and identification by an array of unmanned, robotic boats and electronic gear.


The high-tech experiment continues for the next three months between Sacramento and Pittsburg and will gather data on route selection and survival of the Sacramento River winter run of juvenile salmon.


Every year thousands of juvenile Chinook salmon migrate out of streams in the Central Valley and move through the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta on their way to the Pacific Ocean. How young salmon move through the Delta, however, is not well understood.


“This is an evolving story. We don’t have the answers, but we are using the latest science and technology to find them,” said USGS hydrologist Jon Burau, one of the study’s lead scientists. “This is an example of interagency cooperation across many scientific disciplines and offices. Scientists will be putting in thousands of hours over the next few months to understand how juvenile salmon migrate through the Delta.”


Collected data will be used to develop management tools capable of estimating how current operations and potential new projects may impact out-migrating juvenile salmon.


The field experiment will involve many scientific disciplines and the use of emerging technologies in fisheries science and hydrodynamic measurement.


Clear Lake also is connected to the Bay-Delta, which it empties into via Cache and Putah creeks, and the Yolo Bypass in the Sacramento Valley.


{mos_sb_discuss:2}


 

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF FORECLOSURES IN SEPTEMBER 2008 HAS BEEN CORRECTED.

 

LAKE COUNTY – As the economy has continued to struggle, foreclosure rates across the nation and the state have risen and, at the same time, the number of homes in peril in Lake County has grown.


RealtyTrac's last US foreclosure report for the third quarter shows a 3-percent increase in foreclosure activity over the second quarter of 2008.


Overall, foreclosures filings – including default notices, auction sale notices and bank repossessions – have risen by 71 percent over 2007's third quarter, the company reported.


Lake County had 470 properties affected by some kind of foreclosure action in the third quarter, a 658-percent rise over the third quarter of 2007, which gives it a rank of No. 12 among the state's 58 counties for most foreclosures per capita, RealtyTrac reported.


Nationwide, in September, foreclosures dropped by 12 percent from August, but were still up 21 percent over September 2007.


Lake County's foreclosures in September numbered 253 – or one for every 136 households – which was 14 percent above its August rate, and a stunning 3,514-percent above September of 2007, when only seven county properties were in some phase of foreclosure, according to RealtyTrac statistics.


The company reported that one in every 475 U.S. housing units received a foreclosure filing in September.


"Much of the 12 percent decrease in September can be attributed to changes in state laws that have at least temporarily slowed down the pace at which lenders are moving forward with foreclosures," said James J. Saccacio, chief executive officer of RealtyTrac.


He noted that SB 1137 in California took effect in early September and requires lenders to make contact with borrowers at least 30 days before filing a Notice of Default.


As a result, in September California's Notices of Default dropped 51 percent from the previous month, which significantly impacted national numbers because California accounts for close to one-third of the nation's foreclosure activity each month.


In the third quarter, there were foreclosure filings reported on 765,558 U.S. Properties. Nevada continued to lead the nation in the most foreclosures, followed by Florida, Arizona and California, which is now in fourth place for the quarter.


Foreclosure filings were reported on 69,548 California properties in September, a 32-percent decrease from the previous month but still up 36 percent from September 2007, according to RealtyTrac. One in every 189 housing units in California received a foreclosure filing during September.

California alone accounted for more than 27 percent of the nation's foreclosure activity, with 210,845 properties receiving a foreclosure filing during the third quarter – up 4 percent from the previous quarter and up more than 122 percent from the third quarter of 2007, RealtyTrac's report noted.


The state also accounted for six of the top 10 US metro areas for foreclosures, with Stockton at No. 1, Riverside-San Bernardino at No. 3, Bakersfield at No. 4, Sacramento at No. 7, Fresno at No. 9 and Oakland at No. 10.


Foreclosures have continued to hit record levels all year long, according to RealtyTrac and to DataQuick Information Services, another company that reports on foreclosure activity.


In quarters one and two of 2008, DataQuick said most of the at-risk mortgages – which Marshall Prentice, DataQuick's president, called “loans-gone-wild” activity – originated in 2005 and 2006. The concern, he added, was that if the economy went into recession the problems might spread beyond the “dicey” mortgage categories and into mainstream home loans.


Andrew LePage, a DataQuick spokesman, said foreclosures aren't showing any sign of slowing down.


What analysts are looking for, said LePage, is the sign that notices of default, the first step in the foreclosure process, have peaked.


Lake County numbers rise

In Lake County, foreclosure filings have grown over the past year, according to data provided by RealtyTrack to Lake County News.


In 2007, total foreclosure filings reached 105 in the first quarter, 72 in the second, 62 in the third and 358 in the fourth, RealtyTrac reported.


While 2007 set records for foreclosures, 2008 broke those records by leaps and bounds.


For 2008, first quarter filings totaled 318 and 411 in the second quarter, rising up to 470 in the third quarter.


Doug Wacker, the county assessor, said his office has been reassessing the value of thousands of homes due to the market changes and foreclosures. He also tracks foreclosures, and notes that the Hidden Valley Lake area is one of the worst hit in the county.


Lake County's state and federal lawmakers are offering information to help local homeowners.


Sen. Patricia Wiggin's Web site offers homeowners assistance at http://dist02.casen.govoffice.com/; click on “Home mortgage assistance.”


Wiggins also co-authored SB 1055 with Sen. Michael Machado, which Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed in September. SB 1055 offers state income tax relief to borrowers whose mortgage debt has been forgiven by their lender.


Congressman Mike Thompson also offers information about legislative relief at his Web site, http://mikethompson.house.gov/PRArticle.aspx?NewsID=259.


The House of Representatives in July passed the American Housing Rescue and Foreclosure Prevention Act, which established the HOPE for Homeowners Program, Thompson's office reported.


The program will help 400,000 families keep their homes by allowing borrowers in danger of losing their homes to refinance into a government backed, fixed-rate mortgage that is insured by the Federal Housing Administration.


Information on the program can be found at www.hud.gov/hopeforhomeowners/consumerfactsheet.cfm; those who need assistance on mortgage or related housing issues, can visit the Hope for Homeowners Web page at www.hud.gov/hopeforhomeowners/index.cfm.


The California Bar Foundation also has a Web site offering information for people trying to avoid foreclosure which is available in both English and Spanish at www.foreclosureinfoca.org/.


State seeks to help homeowners


Gov. Schwarzenegger announced last week his plans to call a special session to work on both immediate foreclosure relief and long-term mortgage reform in order to stabilize the state's teetering economy.


“The single most powerful action our state can take to shore up its economy is to help Californians stay in their homes – and I am presenting a plan to do just that,” Schwarzenegger said. “Curtailing foreclosures will stop the downward spiral of home prices, free up needed cash for homeowners, help save jobs and make an immediate positive impact on our economy.”


Schwarzenegger's proposals include:


  • A 90-day stay of the foreclosure processes for each owner-occupied home subject to a first mortgage on which a notice of default has been filed;

  • A “safe harbor” under which lenders will be able to exempt themselves from the 90-day stay procedure altogether if they provide evidence to the state official that the lenders have an aggressive modification program in place to keep borrowers in their homes;

  • A loan modification model to make loans more sustainable for homeowners.

     

Looking forward, in order to prevent future mortgage meltdowns, the governor is proposing that the Department of Real Estate and Department of Corporations be able to enforce federal laws and regulations such as the Truth in Lending Act and others, and discipline real estate licensees who violate those laws and regulations.


He also proposes to reform lending practices and licensing requirements and standards for loan originators, require pre-counseling interviews for borrowers entering into risky “non-traditional” mortgages, and urging the federal government to require loan originators to retain a portion of the loan risk to encourage sound underwriting of loans.


During this year's legislative session, Schwarzenegger signed into law several bills from the state Legislature that seek to give relief to homeowners facing financial difficulties. For more on those bills

see http://lakeconews.com/content/view/5729/764/.


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


{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Image
Frank Parker received the Veteran of the Year Award from Capt. Woody Hughes of the United Veterans Council on Tuesday, November 11, 2008. Photo by Harold LaBonte.



LAKEPORT – At 11 a.m. Tuesday, approximately 90 years after the armistice was signed to cease World War I – “the war to end all wars” that almost wiped out a generation of young men in Europe – Lake County residents came together to remember not just that war so long ago, but to recall the service of millions of veterans in all of the nation's wars.


The Lake County Veterans Day Ceremony and Celebration was held at the Little Theater at the Lake County Fairgrounds on Martin Street.

 

The Sea Scouts Color Guard posted the flags and the Lake County United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team was on hand to provide the rifle volley at the ceremony's end. Emily Barker, former Miss Lake County, sang the national anthem, the Clear Lake High School Band was on hand to play wartime favorites and United Veterans Council Chaplain Capt. Woody Hughes offered the opening prayer.


Bob Penny, Lake County's assistant veterans service officer, opened the event, and welcomed to the stage his boss, Jim Brown, who leads the Veterans Service Office, which works to get local veterans their benefits.


Brown thanked local veterans for their service. “We are in debt to our veterans,” Brown said. “All veterans have sacrificed part of their lives during war and peace.”


He, in turn, then welcomed Brad Onorato, district representative for Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena).

 

 

 

Image
Brad Onorato, district representative for Congressman Mike Thompson, spoke at the Tuesday ceremony. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 


Thompson, Onorato explained, is currently in Afghanistan with the troops and so couldn't attend the Tuesday ceremony.


Onorato discussed the history of Veterans Day, beginning in World War I, and explained how that in 1958 President Dwight Eisenhower signed legislation to create the holiday.


“We should never forget our veterans' sacrifices,” said Onorato, noting that there are about 8,000 veterans in Lake County alone, and nearly 24 million nationwide.


He pointed to important recent developments for service members, including a 3.9-percent pay raise for active military and a new GI Bill to increase college funding for soldiers returning from service. There also have been increases in personnel to help returning military personnel with health and injury issues.


Thompson, himself a Vietnam vet, has worked on behalf of military members and veterans to help bring about these changes, Onorato noted.


Regarding the current situation in Iraq and the effort to bring home US soldiers, Onorato noted, “We must make sure that when we do bring them home they will be treated with respect.”


As Onorato left the stage two dozen 4-H Club members distributed handmade thank you cards to all the veterans in the room.


One of the cards read: "Dear Veteran, I wake up each morning free to make choices because of the sacrifices you have made. You have our gratitude." It was written by 9-year-old Jared Smith and delivered to his grandfather, Korean War-era veteran Milton Heath.

 

 

 

Image
Milton Health and his grandson, Jared Smith. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 


Near the closing of the ceremony, Capt. Hughes surprised Lucerne resident and United Veterans Council member Frank Parker with the Veteran of the Year Award. Parker received a standing ovation along with the award, which is topped by a golden eagle.


At the closing, the Military Funeral Honors Team fired a rifle volley, which was accompanied by the playing of “Taps.”


Following the solemn event the community and its veterans sat down together to enjoy the annual barbecue that rounds out the morning ceremony.


E-mail Harold LaBonte at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

 

 

Image
The United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team waited outside the event to conduct their rifle volley. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 

 

Image

 

 

 

 

Image
More than 100 people attended the Tuesday ceremony, which was followed by a barbecue. Photo by Harold LaBonte.
 

 

 

 

{mos_sb_discuss:2}

Upcoming Calendar

28Mar
03.28.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Vision resource group
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 11:00 am
Second annual Bunny Brunch
30Mar
03.30.2024 9:00 am - 2:00 pm
Lakeport Community Cleanup Day
30Mar
03.30.2024 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm
Lake County poet laureate inauguration
31Mar
03.31.2024
Easter Sunday
31Mar
03.31.2024 1:15 pm - 1:45 pm
Lakeport Rotary Club Easter Egg Hunt
1Apr
04.01.2024
Easter Monday
1Apr
10Apr
15Apr
04.15.2024
Tax Day

Mini Calendar

loader

LCNews

Award winning journalism on the shores of Clear Lake. 

 

Newsletter

Enter your email here to make sure you get the daily headlines.

You'll receive one daily headline email and breaking news alerts.
No spam.