Friday, 29 March 2024

News

LAKE COUNTY – An vehicle collision that occurred Thursday evening resulted in major injuries, while in other areas of the county roads were impacted by downed trees and power lines.


The crash took place on Highway 29 just south of Bradford Road near Middletown, according to the California Highway Patrol.


At about 5:46 p.m. a vehicle was reported to have gone off the roadway, the CHP reported.


A male subject was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where he underwent a cat scan and was admitted. At about the same time a male subject was reported to have been undergoing an x-ray at St. Helena Hospital-Clearlake.


Based on the initial report, it was not clear how many people had been involved or the full extent of their injuries, and their identities were not reported.


The roadways on Christmas appeared mostly impacted by weather-related issues.


Just after 7 p.m., a tree was reported in the road on Bottle Rock Road just west of Pine Grove, according to the CHP. At about 9:30 p.m., a tree also was reported in the middle of Dry Creek Road at Highway 175 in Cobb.


Not long after 10 p.m., CHP also received a report of rocks in the roadway on southbound Highway 29 one mile south of Highway 20.


A power pole with power lines was reported down on southbound Highway 175 just south of Anderson Springs shortly before 9 p.m. The CHP reported that Pacific Gas and Electric was summoned to the scene and the roadway was opened again in both directions just before 10 p.m.


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


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Wine Alliance Board members and Ginny Craven (front, center) at the check presentation on Tuesday in Kelseyville. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.


KELSEYVILLE – The Lake County Wine Alliance on Tuesday spread some holiday cheer and handed out some large checks to several local groups who work to make Lake County a better place.


The proceeds from the alliance's ninth annual Lake County Wine Auction – held in September at Buckingham Golf and Country Club – were distributed at a festive pre-Christmas gathering at Marie Beery's Saw Shop Gallery Bistro Tuesday afternoon.


In all, 16 community nonprofits shared $91,500.


“We had an incredible year,” said Wine Alliance Treasurer Rob Roumiguiere.


Since it began in 2000, the Lake County Wine Auction has contributed approximately $713,002 to community organizations, alliance board members reported. The group's charter directs it to foster the arts, benefit health services and support the community while, at the same time, promoting Lake County as a wine-growing region.

 

 

 

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Rob Roumiguiere speaks about the Wine Auction effort as fellow Wine Alliance Board members Marie Beery and Wilda Shock look on Tuesday. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.
 

 


Joining Roumiguiere in making the check presentations were fellow Wine Alliance Board of Directors members including President Margaret Walker-Stimmel, Vice President Marie Beery, Secretary Pamela Shine-Duncan; and directors Judy Luchsinger, Wilda Shock and Janet Thompson. Jim Fetzer, another director, didn't attend.


This year, the Wine Alliance took its signature event in a different direction, adding new facets to it – such as a cooking presentation with noted chef John Ash, Roumiguiere said.


“This event really has become the premier event for Lake County,” he said, adding that about 400 people attended this year.


Recipients were categorized into three major groups – arts, health and community – each of which divided up $30,000. An additional $1,500 went to the Buckingham Junior Golf Program to fund Lake County Junior Golf Council activities.

 

 

 

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Brad Onorato, district representative for Congressman Mike Thoompson, with representatives of the Lake County Literacy Coalition. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.
 

 

 


In the arts, $5,000 went to Kids 4 Broadway, which provides tuition scholarships for children ages 6 through 14 to participate in theater productions, plus $5,000 each to the fine arts programs at Clear Lake High School, Kelseyville High School, Lower Lake High School, Middletown High School and Upper Lake High School.


Health-related groups included Lake County Special Olympics, $2,500, for sports equipment, uniforms, training supplies and transportation costs; Wiloth Equine Therapy and Riding Center, $2,500, for equine-assisted therapy programs for special needs youth; Adult Day Care/Respite of Clearlake, $12,500, providing a caring, accepting environment for dementia-impaired adults; and Hospice Services of Lake County, $12,500, offering high-quality, end-of-life services to county residents.


Susie Wiloth said her therapy and riding center, located between Lower Lake and Middletown, will use the $2,500 it received to sponsor children who are students of the school. She said the school will provide matching funds to provide more therapeutic riding opportunities for the students.


In the community category, the United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team received $2,500, as did Church Women United. Operation Tango Mike was awarded $5,000, while the Lake Family Resource Center and the Lake County Literacy Coalition each received $10,000.

 

 

 

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Rich Feiro and Frank Parker of the United Veterans Council Military Funeral Honors Team and Wine Alliance Board member Wilda Shock. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.
 

 


The $2,500 that went to the Military Funeral Honors Team will go toward uniforms and team operations, said team member and United Veterans Council President Frank Parker. The funds also will help cover a recent engine overhaul for the group's bus, which carries team members to veterans' funerals and military-related events.


“We operate strictly on donations,” said Parker.


Ginny Craven, founder of Operation Tango Mike – which sends care packages to local troops overseas – said the $5,000 her group received will help ensure several more months of supplies to members of the military.


To send between 80 and 100 packages a month averages about $1,000 in shipping costs each time the packages go out, Craven said, adding that shipping costs will go up after the start of the new year.


Church Women United will use their funds to provide shoes and socks for school-age children in need and the Lake Family Resource Center will operate separate summer camps for young men and women ages 12 through 17. The Literacy Coalition plans to train more tutors to serve adults needing help reading and writing English.

 

 

 

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Susie Wiloth (third from left) and Wine Alliance Board members. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.
 

 

 


Despite the tough economy, Roumiguiere said this year's distribution was the same as last year's. “It's pretty incredible,” he said.


The auction's administrative costs are covered by ticket sales and sponsors, which allows them to put more of the proceeds back into the local groups that they select as beneficiaries this year.


Roumiguiere hopes to see the event grow even larger next year.


“The bigger we can make this event the more we can give away,” he said.


The Wine Alliance is now taking applications from nonprofits that wish to be considered as recipients of the 2009 Wine Auction proceeds. The deadline for applications is March 1, 2009.


For more information, contact Judy Luchsinger, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 263-3280. The Lake County Wine Alliance may be contacted at 866-279-WINE or by mail at P.O. Box 530, Kelseyville, CA 95451.


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


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CLEARLAKE – Wal-Mart is looking to expand its Lake County presence.


Wal-Mart officials met with city of Clearlake staff on Dec. 5, at which time they submitted an application to expand their current store on Dam Road, said City Administrator Dale Neiman.


Kevin Loscotoff, a Wal-Mart spokesman, confirmed the plans.


He said the Clearlake Wal-Mart was built in 1994 and is 109,000 square feet, an “average-sized” store for the time in which it was built.


Loscotoff told Lake County News that the corporation wants to expand the store to about 148,000 square feet. The expanded store isn't being called a supercenter.


Stores are designed specifically for the communities they're meant to serve, said Loscotoff.


The reason Wal-Mart is moving forward with its expansion is that the demand from the community has grown so significantly that “it's actually surpassed the intended original customer demand,” Loscotoff said.


As part of the expansion, Loscotoff said the store's exterior and interior will be updated, with new fixtures and design, and wider aisles to make shopping more comfortable and convenient. The exterior will feature updated but no new signage.


“It is intended to be a store of the community,” he said, noting that the corporation is very excited about the expansion.


Perhaps the most notable changes will be that the tire and lube express services will be replaced by new general merchandise and a full service grocery, according to Loscotoff.


He said Wal-Mart has been expanding its grocery services at stores all over the country due to demand.


Wal-Mart is reported to be the world's largest retailer, with grocery sales also on the rise. The corporation owns a chain called Neighborhood Markets, which are groceries only, said Loscotoff.


Despite the recession, Wal-Mart has continued to show rising profits. Its November sales report shows a 6.5-percent growth rate for its US stores that the corporation said exceeded expectations, and was punctuated by a strong Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.


Loscotoff said they don't have a timeline for the expansion at this point, which he said will be dictated by the city's administrative process.


Neiman also, couldn't specifically outline a timeframe for the expansion.


“What we told them was that they were going to have to do an EIR (environmental impact report),” said Neiman. “They already knew that.”


Neiman said an EIR was completed on the prior project, which city staff is currently reviewing to see if it is applicable here and how much remains valid. Once city staff is done with the review, they'll discuss with Wal-Mart what they've found.


He said he suspects there are a lot of issues from the prior EIR that won't need to be addressed this time. However, Neiman added that he expect Wal-Mart will have to conduct a drainage study and build a retention basin for the site. He believes that the building's current facilities have been sized for full development.


Neiman confirmed that Wal-Mart officials didn't bring up the “supercenter” designation, which he said usually covers much larger stores closer to 200,000 square feet or above.


In the city's review, they also will look at potential square footage limitations. Neiman said that, based on the city's zoning ordinance, there are three factors that affect building size – landscaping, parking and current building size.


“Typically it's those three factors in relation to lot size that tell you what you can do or can't do,” he said.


Loscotoff said the expansion will result in new job opportunities for the community, but he didn't have a projected number of jobs that will be created at this time.


Wal-Mart is carrying on several other store expansions around Northern California at this time, said Loscotoff. “We continue to see strong demand from the customers,” he said.


As one example, the company reported that it is expanding its Willows store to a supercenter.


“We're proud of our ability to be able to allow our customers to save money so they can live better,” Loscotoff said.


Other local businesses were concerned at the news of the Clearlake Wal-Mart's proposed expansion into the grocery business.


Dennis Darling, president of Foods Etc., anticipates the expansion will make it difficult for other area grocers.


The city already has several grocery stores – Foods Etc., Ray's Food Place and Safeway, said Darling.


“Clearlake doesn't need another 50,000 square feet of grocery, I can tell you that,” said Darling.


Darling likened Wal-Mart to the Borg Collective from the “Star Trek: The Next Generation” television series. The collective is made up of cyborgs that go around assimilating everything in its path.


“They're not good for local communities,” Darling of Wal-Mart.


He added that the idea that Wal-Mart will generate more money for the community has been proved wrong time and again. Rather, he said they cannibalize current businesses.


Ray's Food Place, located next door to the Clearlake Wal-Mart on Dam Road, could be affected the most.


Dan Cepeda, director of marketing for C&K Market Inc. of Brookings, Ore., which owns 60 Ray's Food Place and Shop Smart stores in California and Oregon, said they've been affected by Wal-Mart expansions in other markets.


“Wal-Mart definitely impacts local business whenever they bring their stores to a town, either new builds or expansions such as a supercenter,” Cepeda said.


He added, “We definitely would expect to be impacted by that move of theirs,” at the Clearlake store.


Cepeda said Ray's Food Place will continue focusing on its strengths – customer service, clean stores and fully stocked merchandise. Bigger retailers can't quite match them on that level, he said.


Ray's Food Place has six stores in the greater Grants Pass, Ore. area, said Cepeda. In the same area, Wal-Mart expanded a store to a supercenter. “Our stores fared very well,” he said. “Sales continue to be strong.”


Initially, there is always a drop off in sales, and then it begins to pick up again, he said.


Customers usually come back, said Cepeda. “Once the thrill of a new retailer is gone, they decide what it is they really want most.”


Neiman said Wal-Mart's proposed expansion is one of several commercial projects currently before the city, including a proposed Walgreens and Starbucks, a new Rite Aid, a Calvary Chapel project and the ongoing negotiations for the city's airport property.


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


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From left, veterans Kirk Macdonald, Harry Graves, Dan Davi and Woody Hughes hand out Christmas goodies at Lakeport Skilled Nursing on Tuesday as part of the "Seniors Not Forgotten" holiday campaign. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

 

 


"To live is not to live for one's self; let us help one another." – Menander



LAKEPORT – Local veterans gathered together this week to share holiday good cheer with seniors around the county.


Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 951, Veterans of Foreign Wars and the United Veterans Council took part in the fourth annual "Seniors Not Forgotten" Christmas campaign.


This year Dan Davi and Frank Parker once again coordinated the gathering of donations – both from local businesses and residents – in order to provide gifts to seniors and care facilities. Despite the tough economy, the vets reported that the community was generous once again.


This past Saturday, the groups kicked off the week of Christmas giving with a gift wrapping party at St. Mary Immaculate Catholic Church Hall in Lakeport. They put together gifts including blankets and an abundance of handmade items, the latter crafted by Suzanne Schneider.


Over the next several days, they visited Lakeport facilities including Edelweiss Nursing Home, Evergreen Lakeport Healthcare and Lakeport Skilled Nursing. They're slated for a visit to Meadowood Nursing Center in Clearlake on Christmas morning.


When the Seniors Not Forgotten effort started several years ago, it initially focused on reaching out to veterans in convalescent facilities. However, the groups expanded their efforts to reach out to the hundreds of seniors who are in permanent care in the nursing centers, giving out fleece blankets and slipper socks.


This year, Davi and Dean Gotham, president of the local Vietnam Veterans of America chapter, said they decided to go to the nursing facilities to ask if there was anything in particular they wanted to help care for their senior patients.


Gotham said the facility administrators all made the same request – a Wii gaming system.


The system, the center administrators told the vets, could help with therapy for seniors who needed the mental and physical stimulation.


This week, that wish was granted, with the vets delivering the Wiis and Christmas greetings during visits to the care facilities.


On Tuesday afternoon, the vets gathered at Lakeport Skilled Nursing, where they joined with a roomful of seniors to sing Christmas carols and give out the handmade gifts.


During the visit, they presented the gaming system plus another gift – a barbecue that the seniors can enjoy once the warmer weather arrives.

 

 

 

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Dan Davi prepares to present the Wii gaming system and barbecue to the seniors at Lakeport Skilled Nursing on Tuesday. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.
 

 


Joining the vets was Santa Claus – played by Supervisor Rob Brown – who made the rounds of the rooms to visit those residents who were unable to make it to the activity room.


Gotham and his fellow veterans walk patrol on behalf of those who need a helping hand year-round, but their efforts have taken on a special importance at the end of what has been a challenging year for many residents.


Earlier his week, Lake County News received a letter from Bill Conway and his son, Joshua, of Glenhaven, thanking Vietnam Veterans of America and Veterans of Foreign Wars for their unexpected help this holiday season.


On Saturday, Davi, Gotham and VFW Adjutant Kirk Macdonald showed up at the Conways' home with gifts and groceries after finding out about their need. Bill Conway compared the men to the three wise men bearing gifts.


The goal was simply to reach out to someone who needed a helping hand. Gotham said they didn't realize until later that Conway happened to be a Vietnam-era veteran.


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

 

 

 

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Santa (portrayed by Supervisor Rob Brown), a Lakeport Skilled Nursing staffer and United Veterans Council President Frank Parker visit patients at Lakeport Skilled Nursing on Tuesday. Photo by Elizabeth Larson.

 

 


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The California Highway Patrol will have extra patrols on the highways during Christmas and New Year's. Courtesy photo.

 

 

LAKE COUNTY – If you chose to drink and drive this holiday season, those flashing red lights in your rear-view mirror won’t belong to a red-nosed reindeer, but to a California Highway Patrol (CHP) officer’s vehicle.


In an effort to keep California’s roads safe, every available CHP officer will be out on the road during the upcoming Christmas Maximum Enforcement Period (MEP) which begins Wednesday, Dec. 24, at 6 p.m. and continues through midnight, Sunday, Dec. 28.


“Consider this a warning,” said Clear Lake Area CHP Lieutenant Mark Loveless. “We will be out there taking a zero tolerance approach and will arrest you if you are drinking and driving.”


CHP officers arrested 1,661 motorists statewide for driving under the influence (DUI) during last year’s Christmas MEP.


During that same time period, 43 people died in the 4,613 collisions that occurred in California. Among those killed, 18 lost their lives in alcohol-related crashes.


“Remember to designate a non-drinking driver before the celebrating begins, watch your speed and always wear your seatbelt,” Loveless added.


Along with the increased enforcement effort, the CHP is asking motorists to help keep the state’s roadways safe by calling 911 to report a suspected drunk driver. Callers should be prepared to provide dispatchers a description of the vehicle, its location and direction of travel.


“The holiday season is a time for family, friends, and celebrations; unfortunately it is also a time when we see too many alcohol-related highway fatalities,” said CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Even if we save just one life by getting the message out, that is one life that has been spared.”


The CHP will conduct a similar maximum enforcement effort over the New Year’s holiday weekend which begins Wednesday, Dec. 31, at 6 p.m. and continues through midnight, Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009.


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COBB – Dozens of earthquakes have hit areas of Cobb Mountain and The Geysers since Sunday, with one of them measuring 3.0 in magnitude.


The quakes began after 1 a.m. Sunday morning, culminating in a 3.0-magnitude quake that occurred at 4:36 p.m. Sunday, according to the US Geological Survey.


Recorded at a depth of eight-tenths of a mile, the 3.0 quake was centered one mile from The Geysers, four miles west southwest of Cobb and six miles west northwest of Anderson Springs.


Over the following hour, a series of smaller quakes – some as large as 2.4 in magnitude – followed in The Geysers and Anderson Springs areas.


In all, 25 quakes hit Anderson Springs, Cobb and The Geysers on Sunday, the US Geological Service reported.


Cobb resident Roger Kinney, who regularly updates Lake County News on happenings in his area, reported that the earthquake activity had seemed to spike about 5:30 p.m. Sunday.


Kinney said the earthquakes usually calm down a bit in winter, but they've continued coming this year.


The quakes continued into Monday. Kinney said he felt a quake shortly after 10 a.m. that he described as “more of a rolling motion than the usual, BANG-SHAKE type of quakes.”


A 2.9-magnitude quake that occurred shortly before 6 a.m. woke up Anderson Springs resident Joan Clay.


Clay said she immediately called Calpine's hotline to report the quake.


She said the severity of the quakes depends on where a person lives in Anderson Springs.


Clay added that the quakes seem to occur when it's raining.


“We have them all the time,” she said.


The last time an earthquake measuring 3.0 in magnitude or above hit that area was on Dec. 14, when a 3.1 was recorded near The Geysers.


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


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LAKE COUNTY – With parts of Lake County already covered in snow in time for a white Christmas, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning, and officials are urging caution on the roads.


The National Weather Service warned that a hazardous winter storm could be coming into Lake County, with an urgent winter storm warning in effect through noon on Christmas day.


The National Weather Service said that rain will mix with snow, and snow is expected to fall as low as 1,500 feet on Christmas morning, with 3 to 6 inches of snow possible to 3,000 feet by Christmas afternoon, and 1 to 2 inches as low as 2,000 feet.


The agency also warned of wind gusts of up to 40 miles per hour that will decrease by late morning on Christmas.


Cobb residents reported about 3 inches of snow fell early Wednesday, with some of it melting off.


Throughout the day, the Cobb area was the scene of hazardous road conditions, with the California Highway Patrol reporting icy and snow-covered roads, causing vehicles to get stuck in the snow.


The snow was so bad in some spots that tow trucks reported the roads weren't passable. The Lake County Roads Department was called in to plow the areas.


Other parts of the county also reported the impact of the winter conditions on roads, with trees and boulders reported on portions of Highway 29.


CHP Officer Josh Dye said most of the weather-related road issues on Wednesday were to be found in Cobb due to the snow, with some snowy slush in the Clear Lake Rivieras also reported. He advised that after dark the roads become icy all over the county.


Late Wednesday, the CHP reported snow in parts of the Mendocino National Forest above Upper Lake.


On Wednesday evening, the CHP began its maximum enforcement period, which Dye said will be in effect until Dec. 28.


During that four-day period, Dye said the CHP will have 80 percent of its available staff on duty, which will mean from three to five officers at a time will be patrolling the county's roadways during the busy holiday.


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


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LAKE COUNTY – A head-on traffic collision on Highway 20 Tuesday evening resulted in minor injuries.


The collision occurred on westbound Highway 20 about 15 miles west of Highway 16, according to the California Highway Patrol.


The vehicles involved were said to be a silver Honda Civic and a pickup truck. One of the vehicles was off the roadway, according to the CHP.


The CHP and the Lake County Sheriff's Office reported to the scene, where the roadway was reported to be partially blocked.


At least one person was transported to St. Helena Hospital-Clearlake, but CHP did not release information about the names of the crash victims.


The roadway was reported to be open shortly before 8:30 p.m.


Information also was not available Tuesday on a crash that occurred Monday evening on Highway 53 near Clearlake.


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


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LAKE COUNTY – Lake County's unemployment rate continued to climb in November, hitting the highest level in 11 years.


The state Employment Development Department reported that Lake County's unemployment hit 12.4 percent in November, up from 11.2 percent in October and well above the 8.9 percent unemployment Lake County experienced in November 2007.


California's unemployment rate was 8.4 percent, up from October's 8.2 percent rate, with 32,000 more people unemployed, and the total number of people out of work across the state now rising to 1,562,000. In November 2007, California's unemployment rate was at 5.7 percent.


Likewise, the United State's unemployment rates climbed in November, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, rising from 6.5 percent in October to 6.7 percent in November. Approximately 37 states and the District of Columbia reported their rates rising from October, and 49 noting higher unemployment this year than last. The state of Wyoming reported growing employment and a surging economy, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.


Lake County's November rate is the highest unemployment level the county has seen since March of 1997, according to historical data compiled by the Employment Development Department.


Approximately 3,220 people were out of work in Lake County in November – approximately 980 more than were out of work in November 2007 – a number that hasn't been surpassed locally since March of 1994, when 3,250 people were out of work and unemployment was 14.7 percent.


The county's November unemployment rate ranked it at No. 49 among the state's 58 counties.


Marin County has the lowest unemployment rate in the state, with 5 percent unemployment. Next in the top five were San Mateo, 5.5 percent; Orange and San Francisco, tied for third with 6.1 percent; and Santa Barbara came in at No. 5 with 6.3. percent, the Employment Development Department reported.


Imperial County had the highest unemployment in the state, with 23.4 percent.


Lake's neighboring counties recorded the following rates: Napa, 6.5 percent, No. 6 statewide for employment ranking; Sonoma, tied with Napa for sixth place with 6.5 percent; Yolo, 9 percent, No. 28 statewide; Glenn, 10.8 percent, No. 39 statewide; and and Colusa, 18 percent, No. 58 statewide.


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UKIAH – An Upper Lake man survived a Tuesday evening vehicle collision that saw his vehicle plummet hundreds of feet down a steep ravine off of Highway 101, claiming the life of a teenage passenger.


Hugo L. Macias Jr., 20, and the 16-year-old male from Laytonville, whose name was not released because of his age, were traveling southbound on Highway 101 in a 1994 Geo Tracker when the crash occurred at around 6:14 p.m. Tuesday, according to a report from the California Highway Patrol.


The crash occurred in the Ukiah area north of mile post marker 36.01, the CHP reported. Conditions at the time of the collision were reported to be cloudy, cold and dry.


The CHP report said that Macias, who was driving about 55 to 60 miles per hour, suddenly veered off the roadway and continued over the side of the road, plummeting 350 feet down a steep ravine.


Both Macias and his passenger were wearing their seat belts, but the violent nature of the crash – in which the vehicle overturned several times – resulted in the teenage passenger being ejected and sustaining fatal injuries, according to the CHP report.


Macias was flown via REACH Air Ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries.


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SACRAMENTO – Attorney General Jerry Brown on Tuesday made public a report outlining the revenues generated by the 730 commercial fundraisers registered with the California Department of Justice in 2007 and describing what percentage of the donations ended up in charitable coffers.


“The report reveals that some fundraising campaigns are wildly successful and others are profound disappointments,” Attorney General Brown said. “In some cases, commercial fundraisers have stunning successes, generating millions for good causes. In others, the overhead costs outpace the dollars raised, and the charities have to foot the bill.”


The Attorney General’s Charitable Solicitation Report found that in 2007, commercial fundraisers collected $370.33 million from Californians in donations.


In total, just $161.6 million – or 43.6 percent of the donations raised actually made it to the charities. The remainder went to commercial fundraisers who receive a percentage from each donation or a flat fee as payment.


These figures, however, are averages and do not provide the full picture.


There are some cases where the vast majority of funds make it to the charity. For instance:


  • A commercial company raised $15.9 million for the March of Dimes Foundation, which received $11 million, or more than 70 percent.

  • A commercial company raised $1.2 million for the Alzheimer’s Association, which received $873,606, or 72 percent.


But other cases are not so successful, where the charity can find itself tens of thousands of dollars in the red.


The California Legislature passed a law in 1989 requiring commercial fundraisers to file these financial reports with the Attorney General. This is the 16th year that the Attorney General has published this annual report.


The report also describes and provides statistics for automobile donations and thrift store operations.


The Attorney General also publishes the Guide to Charitable Giving for Donors that provides advice, guidelines and information to help donors in making giving decisions. The guide suggests that donors:


  • Ask the solicitor how a donation will be distributed.

  • Ask what percentage of donations pays for fundraising expenses.

  • Learn about the charitable organization, its activities and its fundraising practices. Research charities by going to the Attorney General’s Web site. Check with the Wise Giving Alliance (www.give.org), Council of Better Business Bureaus (www.bbb.org) and the American Institute of Philanthropy ( www.charitywatch.org).

  • Ask if the solicitor works for a commercial fundraiser and is being paid to solicit.

  • Avoid cash donations.

  • Avoid giving credit card information to a telephone solicitor or in response to a telephone solicitation.


The guide is available on the Attorney General’s Web site at http://ag.ca.gov/charities/ or a copy can be requested by writing to the Attorney General’s Registry of Charitable Trusts, P.O. Box 903447, Sacramento, CA 94203-4470.


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The holiday season is here and that means holiday parties, and I want to let the hosts of these parties to think about: A) Serving crab; and B) inviting me to have some.

Crab in the American culture is considered a luxury item while most Asian cultures consider it a staple. That is why crab purchased in grocery stores is sold at a premium price, but crab sold in Asian markets is much more economically priced, many times as a loss leader.

The flavors, textures, sizes and intimidation factor of crabs vary greatly so there are many choices to consider when thinking about what kind of crab to serve. I hope the information I give here will help you in your selection. The important thing to remember about any type of crab is to thaw your crab as slowly as possible, because quick thawing causes the meat to lose liquid.

King crab

Harvested in the Arctic waters of the Bering Sea, the king crab can grow to be 6 feet from end to end. SCUBA diving clubs in Alaska have “King Crab Rodeos” where a diver will try to grab a king crab and wrestle with it to the surface; the loser naturally gets eaten by the winner.

There are several subspecies that get sold under the king crab name, but it’s like comparing Cornish game hens to capon, they all taste like chicken. The large legs are sold at a higher price than the smaller legs so it can be more economical to by smaller ones and shell them ahead of time so no one knows.

The “merus” section of the leg, the leg closest to the body, is the most prized among seafood connoisseurs. The merus can best be compared to or thought of as the thigh portion of each leg. Personally I agree that the closer to the body the better the meat, with the meat out of the “toe” having a definite waxy texture and taste.

The commercial king crab fishing season is only three months long (mid-October to mid-January), so if you want the freshest crab possible ask to see the shipping tag. Grocery stores are required by law to keep these tags on hand a full 90 days after all of the crab is sold. The tag will tell you when the crab was caught and shipped. They are caught at sea, taken to processors where they are immediately cooked, cut into manageable sizes and then frozen for shipping.

The flavor of king crab is very rich, sweet and salty, with a nice firm texture. The flavor holds up in a variety of recipes, but bear in mind that the crab is already cooked so you don’t want to overdo it.

Prices vary from season to season but you can expect to pay between $10 and $20 dollars a pound at the grocery store, and more if you buy online. But be reassured that the meat to shell ratio is about 40/60 depending on the size of the legs.

This is my favorite type of crab.

Dungeness crab

The favorite and local crab of the West Coast, Dungeness crabs are a staple at Thanksgiving to many California families (my in-laws included). Caught in the cold waters of Northern California all of the way up to Alaska, the Dungeness season starts in November and continues on to June, so crab being sold in October on special has been frozen for a considerable time and is being “dumped” to make way for the new season. It is usually cooked at the seafood processors before being sent to market, although live crabs are available on occasion at some stores.

Only the males are harvested, while the females are returned to the water so they can continue to breed. The meat is moderately flavored, unique and there is plenty of it. Most grocery stores will clean the major parts of the crab at your request, which essentially entails taking apart the crab and presenting you with the leg clusters.

The yellow liquid inside the body is referred to as crab brains, but if the crab had that much brains it wouldn’t have wound up in the grocery store. It actually is made up mostly of the crab’s liver and other organs. This chunky fluid is considered a delicacy in many cultures throughout the world. Some like to spread it on bread like butter, while others stir it into sauces or seafood stews.

When purchasing Dungeness crabs I look for ones with barnacles on them. The presence of barnacles lets you know that crab hasn’t shed for some time ensuring plenty of “filling.” Crabs sold upside down will be moister since the back of the crab acts like a bowl holding moisture inside the crab instead of allowing it to leak out.

When “picking” or cleaning the meat out of a whole Dungeness crab, look forward to getting about 25 percent of the crab’s weight in meat. You can expect to pay between $3 and $8 per pound.

This is my favorite type of crab.

Blue crab

This is the East Coast’s favorite crab. They are an aggressive crab that will actually lunge at anything it thinks is a threat (maybe that’s an East Coast thing). The population of Blue crabs on the American East Coast can no longer meet the demand, and so the majority of Blue crabs are now from Asian fisheries.

The meat is milder flavored than most other crabs and the claw meat has a mild bitterness to it while the body meat is much sweeter. Claims of males being meatier than females aren’t very impressive since only 15 percent of the body is edible meat. But when the crabs shed their old shell and before their new shell hardens, they are caught and sold as soft-shelled crab and are almost 100 percent edible, after only a couple of adjustments.

The soft-shelled crab is what is used in sushi bars “Spider rolls.” The internal organs of these crabs are also considered a delicacy and are called “mustard” on the East Coast.

Blue crabs are available on the East Coast live, and to the rest of the nation are sold frozen or as shelled “picked meat” in buckets/plastic containers. They are usually cooked whole and shelled at the table, or the picked meat is made into crab cakes. Southeastern U.S. has a fondness for “She-crab soup,” which, as the name implies, is made from female crabs.

The price for whole blue crabs varies by size, and the picked crabmeat varies in price based on where on the crab the meat came from (backfin, lump and claw are the three main areas). For whole crabs expect to pay $5 to $10 each, and $7 to $20 per pound of picked meat.

This is my favorite type of crab.

Snow crab

Snow crab is just a marketing term for several species of similar-looking crabs. Like the several species of King crabs, they look and taste alike. They are found in the icy waters of the Arctic region of both the Atlantic and Pacific, are caught and then immediately cooked at the processors.

At the height of their popularity they were caught almost to the point of irreversible damage to their survival, but quick regulations and harvest limits saved the species. Only males are harvested while the caught females are released.

Snow crab season runs from mid-October through the end of May. The crab being alive at the time of cooking is a vital factor in the processing; if a crab is dead when it is cooked the meat will stick to the shell and make extraction difficult. They are then cut into sections, frozen, and shipped to buyers.

The meat is sweet, full-flavored and easy to extract and eat. The usable meat per cluster is typically around 30 to 40 percent.

This is my favorite type of crab.

Stone crabs

These are the only “renewable” resource of crabs. Only one claw of each stone crab is allowed to be harvested. The crab is trapped, retrieved and, making sure that it still has another claw to defend itself, one claw is removed. In about 18 months the removed claw grows back and the other claw can be removed. This can be done numerous times over the lifetime of the crab.

The claw shell is so hard that ordinary shell crackers won’t work easily on them, so processors now saw several slices into the claw after cooking to make it easier to consume. They are caught in the waters from the Carolinas down to Mexico, with the primary catch coming from Florida.

Stone crab season is from mid-October to mid-May. They have firm, sweet flesh that can sometimes have a bitter or iodine-like hint to them. You’ll need about a pound and a half per person.

Avoid purchasing any Stone crab claws called “lights” as they have less meat in them. I have not seen them in the stores locally, but online you should expect to pay $12 to $50 per pound, depending on size.

This is my favorite type of crab.

The bad news

All of the world’s crab fisheries are dangerously overfished. Agencies around the world are enacting self-imposed limitations in order to save the species. The most recent statistics show that demand for crab is so great that they are hovering just above the endangered species list, but hopefully not crossing onto it.

Since king, snow, and Dungeness crabs live several hundred to several thousand feet down on the ocean floor we really have no way of actually taking an accurate population count. We can only guess at their numbers by gaging how many we catch.

There’s also the added factor that though they release females and undersized crabs back into the ocean, there is no proof that they make it back to the safety of the bottom alive. They may very well die of decompression or be eaten by predators on the way down.

The world’s record king crab was/is 25 pounds ‒ currently 18 pounds is considered giant and average size is 10 pounds showing that we are harvesting younger and younger ones all the time just to meet the demand.

I haven’t included the nutritional information today like I usually do, because with crab that can be pretty depressing. It’s true that crab is high in sodium and has more cholesterol than my doctor would like, but I’m not advocating crab as a daily meal.

But I am recommending it as a party and holiday treat, like eggnog! Speaking of eggnog, I love that too, and since you now know my favorite type of crab I’ll be expecting those invitations to start pouring in.

Ross A. Christensen is an award-winning gardener and gourmet cook. He is the author of "Sushi A to Z, The Ultimate Guide" and is currently working on a new book. He has been a public speaker for many years and enjoys being involved in the community.

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