In conjunction with January being National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, Harris said the Human Trafficking in California Web site has been launched.

The site, which can be found at http://oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking, is a hub for information and resources designed to connect Californians in the fight against human trafficking, Harris said.

"This month, we are called upon to acknowledge the appalling existence of modern-day slavery – and to join together in the effort to eradicate slavery once and for all,” Harris said in a statement released by her office. “This effort requires our collaboration to protect victims and hold traffickers accountable, as well as our vigilance to protect these abuses from occurring in the first place.

“I have long been committed to fighting human trafficking,” Harris continued. “As district attorney of San Francisco, I co-sponsored the California Human Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2005, which made human trafficking a felony in this state. Now, as Attorney General, I am making the fight against human trafficking a priority for the California Department of Justice.

“I am proud to have many partners in this work, and to participate in the National Association of Attorneys General's Pillars of Hope initiative to combat human trafficking,” Harris said.

Harris said the new Web site “includes highlights of the important work being done across the state, as well as comprehensive resources to identify and report human trafficking. I encourage every Californian to visit the website, and to join in the fight against human trafficking."

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday night, Lake County’s nighttime sky was graced not just by a big, beautiful moon, but by a moon with a halo.

County resident Dwain Goforth captured this picture of a lunar halo and the moon, with the planet Jupiter pictured up to the right of it.

According to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the halo occurs when light refracts through tiny, hexagonal-shaped ice crystals contained in thin, high altitude clouds.

The light refracts 22 degrees, which NASA said corresponds to the moon halo’s radius.

The effect is not uncommon, NASA reported.

The Farmer’s Almanac said weather lore holds that lunar halos are a precursor of stormy weather, noting that cirrus and cirrostratus clouds – which contain the tiny crystals – often come before storms.

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A Pacific Gas & Electric crew works on installing new electrical equipment on Country Club Drive in Lucerne, Calif., on Wednesday, January 4, 2011. Photo by John Jensen.

LUCERNE, Calif. – Pacific Gas & Electric crews were working in Lucerne on Wednesday to upgrade equipment.

The company reported that it was installing new overhead equipment in the town.

The work required planned outages in some areas of Lucerne from 8 a.m. to about 4 p.m., with affected residents receiving notices of the outages beforehand.

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The fire was reported shortly before 3:30 p.m., as Lake County News has reported.

Willie Sapeta, who starts off 2012 as the new chief of Lake County Fire Protection District, said Thursday that the fire burned between three to five acres.

Sapeta said the fire was located south southeast of the old white bridge off of Lakeview Way, which radio traffic on Wednesday had indicated was the main road for accessing the blaze.

He said it occurred in an area of tules, which accounted for the thick black smoke witnesses had reported seeing.

“Every year we end up with a fire out there,” Sapeta said of the marsh's tule area.

The fire was difficult to reach, and Sapeta said firefighters had to park their engines way out and walk in.

A total of two hand crews, five engines, one water tender and two company officers responded, Sapeta said. Reports from the scene indicated there was assistance from Cal Fire.

Firefighters were able to clear the scene at about 6 p.m., Sapeta said.

Sapeta said the fire is still under investigation.

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A fire at Anderson Marsh in Clearlake, Calif., was reported on Wednesday, January 4, 2012. Photo courtesy of Cool Ghoul Tattoo in Clearlake.

The fire, located on Anderson Marsh’s “North Flat,” was reported shortly before 3:30 p.m., according to radio reports.

Witnesses in the area reported seeing thick black smoke rising from the fire.

Cal Fire and Lake County Fire engines responded to the blaze, which initially was reported to be between three to five acres, although Lake County News received information that it may have reached seven acres in size.

Firefighters accessed the fire from Lakeview Way, according to radio reports.

A Cal Fire helicopter that was called was canceled because firefighters on the ground were able to handle the blaze, but radio calls indicated at least one bull dozer was sent in.

Information on the fire’s cause wasn’t immediately available on Wednesday.

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The lack of precipitation across the state has led to one of the driest winters on record. According to the Department of Water Resources, the statewide water content is at 19 percent of normal.

Despite the fact that many areas of the state are experiencing cooler temperatures, the drier than normal conditions, coupled with wind events and low humidity, have frequently increased the fire danger over the past month, officials reported.

Cal Fire said its crews responded to an increased number of wildfires for a typical December.

“Fire activity in Northern California during winter is very rare, where snow-covered mountains and rain-soaked hillsides typically keep the fire danger relatively low,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire’s director. “We will be monitoring the rain levels over the next couple months, as it will be an indicator of the type of fire activity spring and summer will bring.”

In response to the above-normal fire activity, Cal Fire has been able to increase its staffing using its 4,700 permanent employees with the help of Cal Fire inmate fire crews.

In many areas Cal Fire has canceled burn days or even banned debris burning. The public is asked to be extra cautious due to the dry conditions, especially on windy days.

For more fire safety tips visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org or www.fire.ca.gov.

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The clinic will take place at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 21, Redbud Park, 14655 Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake.

In October, the association – in conjunction with the Clear Lake Area California Highway Patrol conducted – the same clinic in Lakeport.

“It was a great event, you could see the kids getting better as the day went on and as they got more confident in their skills,” said CHP Public Information Officer Kory Reynolds. “We are hoping this event will be even bigger and better.”

This time around, the event is going to the other end of the lake.

“We approached the city of Clearlake and they have been great,” said Reynolds. “They suggested Redbud Park and it has a big parking area, plenty of room to conduct the drills.”

He added, “People approach me all the time telling me they are worried about their teen driver, this event is one of the best, if not the best thing you can do for them.”

The National Auto Sport Association has conducted these clinics all over the United States and the focus is to teach kids how their cars will react in emergency situations.

Participants will perform such drills as ABS braking, split decision braking, reverse driving, skid pad, parallel parking and a two wheels off the roadway drill. The drivers will perform each drill several times and rotate in groups to the next drill.

“They perform these drills using their own cars so they know how their car will react,” Reynolds said.

In October Reynolds’ daughter participated in the event.

“I know parents are thinking ‘what about my car?’ But these are things our cars are made to do, my daughter is a much better driver thanks to NASA, I can’t thank them enough,” he said.

NASA operates the Teen Car Control Clinic as a nonprofit organization. A fee of $99 is charged but is used to cover insurance fees. Scholarships are available to all participants.

“The $99 is tax-deductible after the insurance is paid anything left over is put into the scholarship fund.” Reynolds said “At our last clinic 12 scholarships were available.”

To learn more about NASA and the Teen Car Control Clinic visit their Web site at www.nasacarcontrol.org or by contacting the event director Will Faules at 510-232-6272 or Officer Kory Reynolds at 707-279-0103.

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The Clearlake Police Department reported that on Wednesday Officer Andrew Jones, a member of the department who also works as a school resource officer for Konocti Unified School District, was requested at Lower Lake Elementary School.

The school reported that a juvenile student had furnished marijuana laced pastries to three other juvenile students, one of whom had become ill, according to the police report.

As a result of Jones’ investigation, police said a 14-year-old female student was arrested for a violation of Health and Safety Code 11360(B), furnishing or giving away marijuana, which is a cite-only offense.

Jones cited the girl and released her to the custody of her family pending a later court date, police said.

The source of the pastries is not yet know, however the investigation is continuing, according to police.

Persons with information about this case is asked to contact School Resource Officer Jones at 707-994-8251.

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Kevin Andrew Hoffert, 31, of Nice, Calif., was arrested on Monday, January 2, 2012, for assaulting another man with an aluminum baseball bat. Lake County Jail booking photo.

NICE, Calif. – A Northshore man has been arrested for assaulting another man with an aluminum baseball bat in a Monday evening altercation.

Arrested in the case was 31-year-old Kevin Andrew Hoffert of Nice.

Hoffert was booked for felony assault with a deadly weapon other than a firearm with great bodily injury likely and a felony parole violation on Monday night, according to his Lake County Jail booking sheet.

Lake County News had attempted on Monday and again on Tuesday to confirm with sheriff’s officials that his arrest was for the assault, but official confirmation did not come until Wednesday afternoon.

On Monday evening sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an address on Manzanita Drive in Nice in response to a report of an assault with a deadly weapon, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

When deputies arrived they contacted the adult male victim, who Brooks said was was being attended to by medical personnel from Northshore Fire’s Station 85 for injuries to his head.

The victim was transported by a Northshore Fire ambulance to Sentry Market, where a REACH air ambulance picked him up and took him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, as Lake County News has reported.

Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital told Lake County News late Tuesday that the male victim in the case was treated and released from the hospital.

During their investigation deputies learned there had been an altercation in the street involving the victim and four other individuals, Brooks said.

The victim was in a vehicle traveling on Manzanita Drive when the four individuals – which included three females and one male – started throwing rocks at the vehicle, according to Brooks’ report.

He said the male victim exited the vehicle and asked what was going on. Two of the females began punching the victim, who put his arms in front of his face in an attempt to protect himself.

The male who was walking with the three females – who later was identified as Hoffert – allegedly struck the victim in the head with a baseball bat. The victim fell to the ground and Hoffert reportedly struck the victim on the head a second time with the bat, Brooks said.

Hoffert was later located at an address on Dawes Street in Nice, where Deputy Shawn Nimau arrested him on the charges, according to Brooks and jail records.

Hoffert was booked into the Lake County Jail and placed on a no-bail hold because of the alleged parole violation, jail records indicated.

Hoffert made his first court appearance in the case on Wednesday, at which time Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff charged with him with felony assault with a deadly weapon for allegedly using the aluminum baseball bat in the Monday night incident.

Hinchcliff told Lake County News that Hoffert is scheduled to return to court next Monday, Jan. 9.

Hoffert’s bail has been set at $100,000, Hinchcliff said.

Jail records show Hoffert was arrested last July for a felony parole violation and a misdemeanor drug charge, and arrested again on a felony parole violation in November.

Anyone who may have information regarding this case is encouraged to contact the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 707-262-4200.

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The fire took place at 19827 Bear Valley Road, and was first reported at 7:46 p.m., according to a report from South Lake County Fire Protection District.

The district, in cooperation with Cal Fire, reported that resources responding to the home included 14 firefighters, three engine companies, one medic company, a water tender, a chief officer, two mutual aid companies and a rescue unit.

The fire was contained at approximately 8:20 p.m., but not fully controlled until 10:41 p.m., the district reported.

Approximately 40 percent of the home was damaged, South Lake County Fire said, but 60 percent of it was saved through the work of the firefighters.

The district said no injuries were reported as a result of the fire, which was traced to cooking on a stove in the home’s kitchen.

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Richard Mills II, 40, sustained major injuries in the crash, as Lake County News has reported.

The California Highway Patrol said Mills was driving his 2001 Chevrolet S-10 pickup southbound on Highway 175 in Cobb at 3:30 p.m. Tuesday at an unknown speed when he failed to negotiate a left curve in the roadway.

The CHP said Mills lost control of the pickup, went off the east shoulder of the roadway and sideswiped a tree before he hit a second tree head-on.

Mills was arrested at the scene for driving under the influence, the CHP said.

Mills sustained major injuries and was flown to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital by REACH air ambulance, according to the CHP.

The CHP said no update has been available on Mills’ condition.

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Charles Peter Lamb, 30, of Lakeport, Calif., was arrested on Monday, January 2, 2012, for allegedly raping a female acquaintance. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Police have arrested a local man for allegedly raping a female acquaintance.

Charles Peter Lamb, 30, of Lakeport was arrested at 8:30 a.m. Monday by Lakeport Police Officer Joe Eastham, according to Lake County Jail records.

Lamb’s booking records show he was booked on a felony count of rape by force or fear of injury.

Sgt. Kevin Odom said that on Sunday at 9 p.m. Eastham was dispatched to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake on the report of a female who was being treated there for a sexual assault that occurred in the city of Lakeport.

Eastham responded to the hospital and contacted the alleged victim, a local woman in her 20s, who identified Lamb as her attacker, Odom said.

Odom said Eastham investigated the case and arrested Lamb the morning after the initial interview with the alleged victim.

Police aren’t offering many details on the circumstances surrounding the alleged rape.

Asked about how Lamb and the woman knew each other, Odom would only say that they were acquainted.

Lamb’s bail was set at $100,000. He remained in the Lake County Jail on Tuesday.

Odom said Lamb is expected to be arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Wednesday.

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