Cal Fire Southern Region Chief Dale Hutchinson. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire.

Chief Ken Pimlott, acting Cal Fire director, announced the appointments, which take effect on Monday, Jan. 3, 2011.

The following chiefs will fill critical vacant positions managing Cal Fire's two regions and 21 operational units: Southern Region Chief Dale Hutchinson, Northern Region Chief Bill Holmes, Assistant Southern Region Chief Stan Craig, Assistant Northern Region Chief Doug Wenham and Assistant Deputy Director, Cooperative Fire, Training and Safety Program Clare Frank.

“I cannot recall a time when Cal Fire has experienced such a significant turnover in key leadership positions at one time,” said Cal Fire Director Ken Pimlott. “Each of these individuals brings new depth and experience to an already strong leadership team that will guide the Department through the many challenges ahead.”

Southern Region Chief Dale Hutchinson

Chief Hutchinson, of Banning, has 30 years of experience in the fire service, and most recently served as the assistant region chief for the Southern Region where he managed operations, administration and resource management for the nine Southern Operational Units and five contract counties within the Southern Region.

Hutchinson also served as the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) Fire and Rescue Branch Region Coordinator for Cal EMA Region 6 (Mono, Inyo, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego and Imperial counties).

Prior to his assignment as the assistant region chief, he served as the unit chief of the Madera-Mariposa-Merced Unit where he managed all risk operations in the three counties.

Chief Hutchinson has extensive experience in cooperative fire protection agreements and contract county administration from his 25 years working through the ranks from volunteer firefighter to deputy chief in the Riverside Unit.

He has a diversified background in fire protection operations, administration, budgets, labor relations, volunteer firefighter programs, fire prevention, law enforcement and pre-fire engineering.

Hutchinson served on Cal Fire Incident Command teams for eight years, with his last position as incident commander.

As the Cal Fire Southern Region chief, Hutchinson will oversee nine units from the Central Valley to the Mexico border.

Cal Fire Northern Region Chief Bill Holmes. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire.

Northern Region Chief Bill Holmes

Chief Holmes, of Cameron Park, started his career with Cal Fire as a seasonal firefighter in 1969 while attending college. He worked his way up through the ranks to the position of unit chief for the Amador-El Dorado Unit.

He is a certified chief officer in Cal Fire and with the State Fire Marshal. Holmes is a qualified national incident commander, operations section chief and agency administrator having served on major incidents throughout California, Wyoming, Montana and Oregon.

In 2007, Chief Holmes co-chaired the branding committee that developed and recommended the new Cal Fire logo.

As the Cal Fire Northern Region chief, Holmes will oversee 12 units from the Oregon border to the Bay Area.

Cal Fire Assistant Southern Region Chief Stan Craig. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire.

Assistant Southern Region Chief Stan Craig

Chief Craig, of Coarsegold, began his career with Cal Fire in Orange County in 1973. He worked in the Orange Unit and the Riverside Unit before moving to the Cal Fire Training Academy in Amador County.

After working at the training academy, Chief Craig moved to the Madera- Mariposa-Merced Unit (MMU), where he spent the remainder of his first 31 years with the Department.

In MMU, he worked his way up from battalion chief all the way to unit chief before he retired in May 2004.

In July of 2009, Chief Craig returned to state service and was appointed to the position of management services staff chief for the Southern Region.

Cal Fire Assistant Northern Region Chief Doug Wenham. Photo courtesy of Cal Fire.

Assistant Northern Region Chief Doug Wenham

Chief Wenham, of Redding, began his career with Cal Fire in 1982 as a seasonal firefighter in the Shasta-Trinity Unit (SHU).

In 1988, after a stint with the city of Redding Fire Department, he returned to Cal Fire and was appointed to a position as a fire apparatus engineer in the Nevada-Yuba-Placer Unit (NEU). He worked in NEU in various assignments including fire captain and battalion chief.

In 2000, he transferred back to SHU where he promoted to assistant chief in 2006, deputy chief in 2007 and to unit chief in January 2010.

As the SHU unit chief Wenham also served as the Shasta County Fire Warden and the Shasta County Cal EMA Operational Area Coordinator.

Chief Wenham is also a peace officer, has an AA degree in fire science and served seven years on Cal Fire Incident Command teams, including as the Incident Commander on Cal Fire Incident Command Team 1.

Cal Fire Assistant Deputy Director of Cooperative Fire, Training and Safety Program Clare Frank

Chief Frank, of San Jose, has more than 23 years of fire service experience.

Prior to this appointment, Frank was the deputy chief of the Civil Cost Recovery Program, which recouped nearly $26 million in the past 24 months from parties who negligently caused fires.

Chief Frank began her career as a seasonal firefighter in the San Mateo-Santa Cruz (CZU) Unit in 1982.

She has held a variety of field and management positions in the Department, working in training, fire prevention, administration and operations.

She also served as the fire chief for the city of Milpitas, a progressive, all-risk fire department in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Chief Frank is also an accomplished attorney who has practiced as a labor-employment lawyer, a California deputy attorney general and a federal staff attorney for the U.S. District Court.

She holds an associate of science degree in fire protection technology, a bachelor's of science degree in fire administration, a juris doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law and is a member in good standing of the California Bar.

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The National Weather Service issued small stream flood warnings for Lake County and surrounding counties that remains in effect through 1 p.m. Wednesday.

A storm front moving across the region is expected to intensify rainfall into early Wednesday, the agency said. Between 1 and 3 inches of rainfall is expected, particularly over the Coastal Range.

Officials cautioned that drivers needed to give themselves more time when traveling. If water covers the roadway, don't cross it, as it may be too deep for a vehicle to safely pass.

The National Weather Service also issued a wind advisory through 4 a.m. Wednesday for Lake County below 4,000 feet, warning of gusts between 25 and 35 miles per hour, and as high as 50 miles per hour.

Lake County could see snow as low as 2,300 feet on Wednesday, with chances of rain at 50 percent, according to the forecast.

Rain is expected to taper off during the week, with rain possible on New Year's Day, the forecast said.

Lake County Public Works Road Division crews were checking drainages and patching potholes on Tuesday, according to Road Superintendent Steve Stangland.

He told Lake County News late Tuesday afternoon that all county roads were open, with some standing water reported on Soda Bay Road near Big Valley Rancheria outside of Lakeport.

“That's the only report we have of anything out of the ordinary,” Stangland said.

On the area's highways Tuesday there were reports of potholes, pooling water, rocks and mud as a result of the storms, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP reported a tree on Bottle Rock Road near Kelseyville before 10 p.m. and a large boulder on New Long Valley Road just north of Highway 20 shortly before 11 p.m.

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The association is organizing a series of “Main Street rallies,” set to start in January, to inform area residents of the initiative to revitalize downtown Lakeport based on a national model called The Main Street Program.

The public meetings will take place in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St., at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 19, and at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 22.

Both meetings – each expected to take less than an hour – will explain the concept and offer opportunities for volunteers, said association Executive Director Carol Hays.

Those interested in building a better Lakeport and who have ideas about how that can be done are encouraged to attend, Hays said.

Hays said the Main Street Program was developed by the National Trust for Historic Preservation more than 25 years ago.

The program – now administered in California by the California Main Street Alliance – unites the forces of local economic redevelopment and historic preservation to build and enhance the quality of life in America's small towns, she said.

Hays said she's seen the program work in other towns and she's enthusiastic about the potential for Lakeport.

“A busy, fun, beautiful downtown improves the quality of life for all of us whether you’re from north, south, east or west Lake County,” she said.

The model draws on pride in community, Hays explained.

Originally, when created by the federal government, the program had funding. Hays said that is no longer the case.

However, it does offer training, which local participants will get as they follow the process, she explained.

Hays said there will be grassroots committees to focus on four key areas: promotion, design – including street and public art, lamp posts and street furniture – economic restructuring and organizational structure.

The association will be seeking volunteers to help with all of those areas, she said.

Volunteers don't necessarily need to live within the Lakeport city limits or be merchants; Hays said the goal is to draw on people from all walks of life and many different kinds of interests.

“This is something of interest to the entire county,” Hays said.

Hays said each of the several committees is expected to have between five and seven volunteers.

For more information contact Hays at 707-263-8843 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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From left, Tribal Council Treasurer Sally Peterson, Tribal Chair Carl Rivera, jackpot winner Dale Valentine, Tribal Council Secretary Pam Reyes-Gutierrez and Tribal Council Representative Tim Rivera on Tuesday, December 28, 2010. Photo by www.minennaphotography.com .

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A retired firefighter from San Leandro won big when he visited a local casino this week.

Dale Valentine was making one of his regular visits to Twin Pine Casino in Middletown on Tuesday when he hit a jackpot of approximately $8,430,301.44 on a statewide California Megabucks slot machine.

“Our tribe has been committed to providing great success in our community,” said Tribal Chairman Carl Rivera. “We are extremely excited with the new found fortune of Dale Valentine, one our loyal customers who frequents our gaming facility.”

Rivera said it's truly inspiring when a valued customer like Valentine wins a jackpot of this magnitude.

Valentine and his wife, who call Twin Pine their favorite casino, own a vacation home in Lake County and spend much of their time in the county.

“I’m glad I hit the jackpot, but I’m really glad it happened here,” Dale Valentine said.

Twin Pine officials reported that Valentine has been a loyal customer at the casino for 15 of the 16 years it has operated, and has hit a few smaller jackpots during that time.

The couple's plans for the money include putting some away in the bank, a large donation to hospice, learning how to ride a Harley Davidson motorcycle for him and for her a larger bathroom and closet.

Twin Pine Casino & Hotel is owned and operated by the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California. The casino is located at 22223 Highway 29 at Rancheria Road, Middletown. Visit the casino online at www.TwinPine.com .

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“This boosts our hopes that we will have an adequate water supply for our cities and farms as we continue to shake off effects of the 2007-09 drought,” said state Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin.

Before Tuesday's readings, the Department of Water Resources estimated that it would be able to deliver 50 percent of requested State Water Project water in 2011.

The early projection equals the amount delivered this year, and is all-but-certain to increase as hydrologic conditions continue to develop.

The final amount delivered to 25 million Californians and nearly a million irrigated acres of farmland will largely depend on weather between now and spring, the state reported.

The Department of Water Resources said deliveries were 60 percent of requests in 2007, 35 percent in 2008, 40 percent in 2009, and will total 50 percent of the 4,172,126 acre-feet requested this year.

The last 100 percent allocation – difficult to achieve even in wet years because of pumping restrictions to protect threatened and endangered fish – was in 1996.

Most of the state’s major reservoirs – bolstered by early rains with the spring snowmelt still to come – are near or above normal storage levels for the date.

Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal reservoir, is at 95 percent of normal, holding 2,099,731 acre-feet.

Lake Shasta north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir is at 119 percent of normal, holding 3,421,013 acre-feet.

The Central Valley Project's Folsom Lake near Sacramento is at 90 percent of normal, holding 428,933 acre-feet.

Lake Oroville, heavily dependent on the spring and summer snowmelt, last filled to its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity in the summer of 2003.

Snow surveyors from the Department of Water Resources and cooperating agencies manually measure snowpack water content on or about the first of January, February, March, April and May, augmenting and checking the accuracy of electronic readings taken throughout the winter by sensors up and down the mountain ranges.

Tuesday's electronic readings show snow water equivalents in the state’s northern mountains at 169 percent of normal for the date and 57 percent of normal for April 1, generally the peak date for snowpack water content.

Readings for the central mountains are 180 percent of normal for the date, and 61 percent of the April 1 average.

The numbers for the southern mountains are 261 and 78.

Last year on this date, electronic readings indicated that water content in the statewide snowpack was 85 percent of normal for the date and 28 percent of the April 1 average.

The readings were 77 percent and 26 percent for the northern mountain ranges; 83 and 28 percent for the central mountains, and 100 and 30 percent for the southern mountains.

Northern California snowpack readings are taken from the Trinity River basin through the Feather and Truckee river basins.

Central mountain readings extend from the Yuba River and Lake Tahoe basins through the Merced and Walker river basins.

The southern measurement zone is from the San Joaquin River, Mono Lake and Owens Lake basins to the Kern River basin.

Snow water content is important in determining water supply.

The measurements help hydrologists prepare water supply forecasts as well as provide others, including hydroelectric power companies and the recreation industry, with critical data.

Monitoring is coordinated by the Department of Water Resources as part of the multi-agency California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program.

Surveyors from more than 50 agencies and utilities take readings at hundreds of snow measurement courses.

Readings from snowpack water content sensors are posted at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ .

Historic readings from snowpack sensors are posted at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/rpts1/DLYSWEQ .

Reservoir levels may be found at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action and http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/reservoirs/RES .

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The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office reported that 76-year-old Eugene Bright of Boonville was located shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve.

Bright, who had been reported missing the previous day by a neighbor, was found near his residence but on a neighbor's property, said Capt. Kurt Smallcomb.

Smallcomb said Bright was transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for observation due to his exposure to the weather conditions.

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The quake occurred at 4:12 p.m., according to the US Geological Survey.

Its epicenter was three miles east of The Geysers, six miles southwest of Cobb and four miles west northwest of Anderson Springs at a depth of 1.4 miles, the agency reported.

The US Geological Survey received five shake reports from four zip codes – Middletown, Eureka, Vallejo and one from San Diego, 839 miles away.

A 2.9-magnitude earthquake was reported Tuesday at 6:26 p.m., also at a depth of 1.4 miles, two miles west of Anderson Springs, four miles east southeast of The Geysers, four miles south of Cobb, the survey reported.

Three shake reports were made to the US Geological Survey from two zip codes – Morgan Hill and Olivehurst.

A 3.4-magnitude earthquake occurred near Anderson Springs on Dec. 21, as Lake County News has reported.

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RealtyTrac released its U.S. Foreclosure Market Report earlier this month.

The report shows that foreclosure filings, from default notices, to scheduled auctions and bank repossessions, were reported on 262,339 U.S. properties in November, a 21 percent decrease from the previous month and a 14 percent decrease from November 2009.

That amounts to one in every 492 U.S. housing units receiving a foreclosure filing during November, the company said.

“While part of the decrease can be attributed to a seasonal drop of 7 to 10 percent that typically occurs in November, fallout from the foreclosure robo-signing controversy forced lenders and servicers to hit the pause button on many foreclosures while they scrambled to revamp their internal procedures and revise or resubmit questionable paperwork,” RealtyTrac Chief Executive Officer James J. Saccacio said in a written statement.

RealtyTrac reported that both the 21 percent month-over-month decrease and 14 percent year-over-year decrease in foreclosure activity were the highest drops recorded since it began publishing the U.S. Foreclosure Report in January 2005.

More detailed numbers the company provided to Lake County News showed that Lake County had one foreclosure for every 183 housing units, which earned it the rank of No. 19 amongst the state's 58 counties.

Total foreclosure filings in November in Lake County totaled 193, down from the 250 filed in October, for a 22.8 percent drop, the report showed.

The county's foreclosures in November also were down by 10.23 percent as compared to November 2009, when there were 215 total foreclosure actions, the statistics showed.

Yuba County had the highest foreclosure rate in November, with one action for every 130 homes, the report said. The lowest number of foreclosures for a county was in San Francisco, with one in every 827 homes impacted.

Nearby Colusa County, which had the second-highest unemployment ranking statewide in November, was ranked No. 11 in the state for foreclosures, with one action for every 157 homes.

Glenn County had one filing in 257 homes, ranking it No. 32; Napa, one in 263 homes, No. 34; Yolo, one for 279 homes, No. 38; Sonoma, one in 291 homes, No. 39; and Mendocino, one in 379 homes, No. 50.

Decreases shown across variety of filings; California remains among top foreclosure states

The report stated that 78,955 properties nationwide received default notices in November, accounting for a 21 percent decrease from the previous month and a 31 percent decrease from November 2009. The company said that's the 10th straight annual decrease in default notices, with November's numbers the lowest registered since July 2007.

In states that practice judicial foreclosures default notices decreased 31 percent from October and were down 43 percent from November 2009, while nonjudicial default notices decreased 9 percent from the previous month and were down 12 percent in a year-over-year comparison, according to RealtyTrac.

Foreclosure auctions were scheduled for the first time on a total of 115,956 U.S. properties in November, a 16 percent decrease from the previous month and unchanged from November 2009, the report said.

RealtyTrac said scheduled judicial foreclosure auctions decreased 34 percent from the previous month and were down 12 percent from November 2009, while scheduled non-judicial foreclosure auctions decreased 7 percent from the previous month but increased 5 percent from November 2009.

Additionally, the company said lenders foreclosed on 67,428 U.S. properties in November – down 28 percent from the previous month and down 12 percent from November 2009.

While bank repossessions decreased month-over-month in 37 states and the District of Columbia – which RealtyTrac said was the lowest number since May 2009 – November’s numbers pushed the year-to-date 2010 bank repossession total to more than 980,000, which the report said already is above the record year-end total for 2009.

In November, the top 10 states for foreclosure were Nevada – which has led for 47 straight months – followed by Utah, California, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Idaho, Illinois and Colorado. The report said those 10 states accounted for more than 70 percent of the national foreclosure total.

California was responsible for 22 percent of that national total, with one in every 233 housing units receiving a foreclosure filing in November, or 57,378 affected properties.

The state showed a 14-percent decrease from the previous month and a 22-percent decrease from November 2009, according to the report.

Top 10 cities for foreclosure nationwide included seven California cities – Stockton, Bakersfield, Modesto, Vallejo-Fairfield, Merced, Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario and Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville.

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Pacific Gas & Electric spokesman JD Guidi said the outage was reported at approximately 7:21 p.m. Sunday.

He said the area affected stretched north of Middletown along Highway 29, and along the Butts Canyon Road to the Napa County line.

Also affected were Cobb, a small area of Kelseyville and one resident who reported losing power in Clearlake Park, Guidi said.

Guidi said 975 customers were impacted in Cobb, 63 in Kelseyville, one in Clearlake Park and 1,376 in Middletown.

By around 10:30 p.m. approximately 674 Middletown customers had their power restored, he said.

Guidi said the cause was still under investigation, with PG&E crews working as quickly and safely as possible to get power restored.

He said power was expected to be restored to the remaining 1,322 customers at around 6 a.m. Monday.

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Malyia Jeffers, 2, fell ill early in December 2010 with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, a severe and rare form of invasive Group A Streptococcus. She is being treated at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University in Palo Alto, Calif., where she has had to have one hand and both feet amputated. Friends of her family are raising money to help defray the costs of her care. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A young man with Lake County connections is enduring a parent's nightmare – watching his young daughter fight for her life against a rare and often deadly bacterial infection.

Ryan Jeffers and his wife, Leah, have been with their 2-year-old daughter, Malyia, throughout a month-long ordeal involving a near-fatal bacterial infection that resulted in amputations of her feet and one hand.

On Dec. 1, the tiny Malyia was flown by helicopter from Sacramento to Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University in Palo Alto after she contracted Group A Streptococcus, also referred to as Strep A, her father said.

“I didn't even know what it was,” Jeffers said, explaining that he wants to help raise awareness of the condition.

Strep A is the same bacterium that causes millions of cases annually of such illnesses as strep throat or impetigo, according to a fact sheet from the Centers for Disease Control.

However, in some cases, a life-threatening, invasive Group A Streptococcus – or GAS – disease results in people who can't fight off the infection, the agency reported.

In Malyia's case, it was one of the most severe – and least common – forms of invasive GAS disease, called streptococcal toxic shock syndrome.

The Centers for Disease Control said streptococcal toxic shock syndrome causes major organ failure and a rapid drop in blood pressure.

Such was the case with Malyia, whose organs failed. Her father said she was put on dialysis as a result, and also required blood pressure medication.

The Centers for Disease Control said that, nationwide, there are between 9,000 and 11,500 cases of invasive GAS disease reported annually, with between 1,000 and 1,800 deaths resulting.

Streptococcal toxic shock syndrome accounts for 6 to 7 percent of those invasive cases. The Centers for Disease Control said that between 10 and 15 percent of those with invasive GAS disease die from it, while 35 percent of those with streptococcal toxic shock syndrome succumb to it.

Jeffers said of his daughter, “She's very lucky to be even alive right now.”

The severity of the infection led to doctors having to amputate both of Malyia's feet, along with her left hand and some of the fingers on her right hand, her father said.

On Tuesday, Jeffers said his young daughter was doing a lot better – much better than expected – and is recovering.

He said she was wide awake and doctors were checking her eyes. She was shaking her head “yes” and “no” in response to questions.

“She wants me to stay there with her,” Jeffers said, noting she would put her hand on his to indicate wanting him to stay.

Jeffers said Malyia is off of blood pressure medication, but still requires dialysis.

A trial skin graft surgery using donor skin is to take place on the amputation areas Wednesday, Jeffers said. If that goes well, they plan to do skin grafts using Malyia's own skin.

Jeffers said he, his wife and two sons are holding up, and getting a lot of support from friends in Lake County, where he was raised in Kelseyville by his grandmother, who died about a year ago.

He said doctors had a plan for getting Malyia home in about three weeks, but Jeffers isn't sure about when his daughter's hospitalization would end.

“There's still a long ways to go,” he said.

Friends of the family are working to raise funds to help defray the costs of staying with the child at the hospital, as well as the enormous medical bills.

Just to fly Malyia from Sacramento to Palo Alto via helicopter cost $26,000, said Jeffers, who just received a bill for the flight.

Friends have started a donation page at www.chipin.com .

The page, set to expire on Jan. 2., showed that 82 contributors had given approximately $2,717 as of Tuesday night.

To donate, visit http://jeffersfamily.chipin.com/ryan-jeffers-and-family.

For a full fact sheet on Strep A, along with tips on how to prevent its spread – which include things as basic as thorough hand washing – visit the Center for Disease Control's Web site at www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dbmd/diseaseinfo/groupastreptococcal_g.htm .

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The California Employment Development Department's report on unemployment – derived from two separate surveys – showed that Lake County's November unemployment rate was 18.7 percent, up from 17.1 percent in October and 17.4 percent in November 2009.

Those numbers earned Lake County a statewide employment ranking of No. 53.

California's unemployment rate in November was 12.4 percent, unchanged from the previous month, and up slightly from the 12.3 percent rate recorded in November 2009, the report said.

The Employment Development Department said the number of people unemployed in California in November was 2,267,000 – up by 11,000 over the month, and up by 40,000 compared with November of last year.

The nation's unemployment rate was 9.8 percent for November, up from 9.6 percent in October but down from 10 percent in November 2009, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.

During the November survey week there were 600,196 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits, compared with 592,475 in October and 781,449 in November 2009, the Employment Development Department said.

The agency said new claims for unemployment insurance were 72,768 in November, compared with 67,168 in October and 84,738 in November of last year.

Marin County remained the county with the lowest unemployment, 8.2 percent, while Imperial County had the highest unemployment in the state, registering a 29.1 percent rate, the state reported.

Lake County had 24,780 people in its labor force in November, of which 20,150 were employed, compared to 25,220 people and 20,900 employed workers the previous month, based on Employment Development Department statistics.

Lake's neighboring counties registered the following unemployment rates and statewide ranks in December: Colusa, 20.8 percent, No. 57; Glenn, 15 percent, No. 35; Yolo, 13.3 percent, No. 28; Mendocino, 11.3 percent, No. 15; Sonoma, 10.1 percent, No. 9; and Napa, 10 percent, No. 8.

In Lake County, Upper Lake had the lowest unemployment once again, with 9.8 percent in November, while Clearlake Oaks remained the area of highest unemployment, at 27.3 percent.

The following unemployment rates were reported for other areas of the county, from highest to lowest: Nice, 26.8 percent; city of Clearlake, 26.4 percent; Lucerne, 19.7 percent; Kelseyville, 19 percent; Middletown, 18.9 percent; city of Lakeport, 18 percent; Cobb, 16.8 percent; Lower Lake, 15.8 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 15.5 percent; and north Lakeport, 14.9 percent.

Surveys show different results for state's unemployment

Statewide, nonfarm jobs totaled 13,863,300 in November, an increase of 1,600 jobs over the month, according to a survey of businesses that is larger and less variable statistically. The survey of 42,000 California businesses measures jobs in the economy, according to the report.

The year-over-year change – November 2009 to November 2010 – showed an increase of 12,400 jobs, which the Employment Development Department said accounted for a slight, 0.1 percent increase.

The federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed a decrease in the number of employed people during the month.

That survey estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in November was 15,970,000, a decrease of 2,000 from October, but up 71,000 from the employment total in November of last year.

The Employment Development Department's report on payroll employment – wage and salary jobs – in the nonfarm industries of California totaled 13,863,300 in November, a net gain of 1,600 jobs since the October survey. This followed a gain of 43,200 jobs – as revised – in October.

Six categories – construction; information; professional and business services; educational and health services; leisure and hospitality; and government – added jobs over the month, gaining 22,400 jobs, the state said.

In those categories, construction posted the largest increase over the month, adding 7,800 jobs, the data showed.

The Employment Development Department report showed that five categories – mining and logging;

manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; financial activities; and other services – reported job declines in November, down 20,800 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities posted the largest decline over the month, down by 12,400 jobs.

Four industry divisions – mining and logging; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the past year, adding 93,000 jobs, the report said. Of those, professional and business services recorded the largest increase over the year on a numerical basis, up 52,400 jobs, a 2.6-percent increase.

The state said mining and logging recorded the largest increase over the year on a percentage basis,

up 3.7 percent, or 900 jobs.

Seven categories – construction; manufacturing; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 80,600 jobs, the state said.

Construction employment showed the largest decline over the year on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 37,100 jobs, or a 6.4-percent decline, according to the report.

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The National Weather Service's Sacramento office issued a special weather statement Sunday for most of the state's northern half, including Lake County, that warned of a storm system developing in the Gulf of Alaska.

It's expected to start with light rain and snow over the northern half of the Sacramento Valley and surrounding mountains on Monday night before moving on, with rain resulting in lower elevations and mountain snow falling over the south and east during the day on Tuesday, the agency said.

The National Weather Service said the front will move through the interior part of the state on Tuesday night, with moderate to sometimes heavy precipitation possible. Gusty winds may occur in the Central Valley, with ridgetop winds up to 50 miles per hour.

Snow levels will drop Tuesday night but go down more on Wednesday, with forecasters predicting a drop to about 2,500 feet over southern Lake County, with a couple of inches of snow possible at that level, up to 2 feet above 6,000 feet.

Showers are forecast to continue on Wednesday around Northern California. The National Weather Service said colder air filtering into Northern California will lower snow levels, and hail and sleet could result.

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 Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .