The National Weather Service in Sacramento had issued a hazardous weather outlook warning of the possibility of snow on Thursday thanks to a cold front moving down from the north.

The weather was definitely cooler and windier on Thursday, until the afternoon, when cloud cover blew in.

At around 3 p.m. the National Weather Service's Doppler radar picked up thunderstorms developing along an area from far southeast Lake County through Solano and Colusa counties, and moving toward Sacramento.

Reports from readers came in reporting a serious hail storm in the area of Highway 20 and Highway 16 in the county's southeast area.

After 4 p.m. pea-sized hail swept over areas of the county including Nice, Lucerne and Upper Lake, and hailstorms were later reported in Kelseyville, Clearlake, Hidden Valley Lake, Loch Lomond and Cobb.

Snow also was reported in Clearlake and Cobb late Thursday afternoon, although area residents reported that the snow didn't last for long.

The National Weather Service is predicting more sun and some wind over the weekend, with warmer temperatures at the start of next week and chances of showers in the middle of the week.

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The Heron Festival is a celebration of birds, wildlife and springtime on beautiful Clear Lake. Festival keynote speaker and photographer, Lyle Madeson captured this shot of a Great Blue Heron.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The upcoming Heron Festival and Wildflower Brunch, on April 30 and May 1, sponsored by the Redbud Audubon Society and the Clear Lake State Park Interpretive Association (CLSPIA), promises an array of fun and interesting nature-oriented activities, ranging from pontoon boat tours on Clear Lake to a live birds presentation.

Heron Festival is in its 17th year and since its founding by the Redbud Audubon Society, the event has grown to become one of Northern California’s most popular nature festivals.

The festival is held at the Clear Lake State Park at 5300 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

Pontoon boat birding tours on Clear Lake are a popular feature of the festival, but a great variety of other activities and programs are offered.

Boat tours are held on both days beginning at 8 a.m. and last for approximately 90 minutes. Advanced reservations are strongly suggested for the boat tours. This may be accomplished by going to the Heron Festival website at www.heronfestival.org. Price for a boat ride is just $15 per person.

Other activities on Saturday include an Audubon Bird Walk with Brad Barnwell starting at 8:30 a.m., the popular Wildflower Brunch from 9 a.m. until noon, a Nature Fair, which features exhibit booths highlighting education displays and information from nature-related government agencies, local environmental nonprofit groups, and nature-related artists and craftsmen.

Keynote speaker on Saturday is highly acclaimed Lake County nature photographer, Lyle Madeson. Don’t miss his spectacular photos of the nesting cycle of herons and egrets, with special emphasis on mating behaviors, nest building, and fledging. His presentation will be given at the Visitor Center Auditorium at 10 a.m. In the visitor center there are interpretive displays of Lake County’s natural and cultural resources to enjoy.

Children’s activities will include a wide range of fun educational programs for children to learn about nature, including owl masks, peanut butter birdseed feeders to take home, and making a personalized bird journal. A family nature walk is available on Saturday at 12 p.m. and Sunday at 10 a.m.

Pontoon boat tours continue on Sunday along with more walks, the nature fair, and a 10 a.m. presentation by Dr. Harry Lyons on “Myths and Music of Clear Lake.”

At 11:30 a.m. children of all ages will enjoy a nature-inspired Sing-along Puppet Show and at 1 p.m. a live birds presentation, “Raptor Speak,” by Native Bird Connections will give visitors the opportunity to see raptor behavior up close. The “Raptor Speak” program will repeat at 2 p.m. and the puppet show at 3:15 p.m.

All events except the pontoon boat tours and the Wildflower Brunch are free and open to the public. Registration for both the boat tours and the brunch are required and can be made by going to the festival website or by calling 707-263-8030.

The Web site, www.heronfestival.org, also features the full schedule of events for the two day Heron Festival at Clear Lake State Park.

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Thanks to a local resident, a family of squirrels has found a unique home.

Bob Reynolds, the county's retired air pollution control officer, captured these pictures of a squirrel family at home in a custom-made “Mac House.”

Reynolds, who lives in Kelseyville, said the Mac House has been up for 14 years.

This year, for the first time, a mom squirrel has moved in and has three babies with her, Reynolds said.

He said he's looking forward to the adolescent play phase as the three young squirrels “should really add a dynamic in racing around the trees.”

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NICE, Calif. – The US Army Corps of Engineers said it's negotiating with Robinson Rancheria regarding the agency's finding that the tribe violated the federal Clean Water Act in building its new gas station project on Highway 20.

Following a site visit earlier this year, Army Corps Regulatory Branch Manager Peck Ha said he made the final determination on the property, situated across the highway from the tribe's casino, which is located at 1545 E. Highway 20 in Nice.

The Army Corps notified the tribe in a letter, dated Feb. 9, that it found the tribe had discharged dredged or fill material into wetlands – which are “waters of the United States” – without a Department of the Army permit.

The Army Corps' letter to Robinson instructed the tribe to provide more information on the project, and also asked for comments from appropriate state, local and federal agencies, which were copied on the letter. Those agencies include the US Environmental Protection Agency, US Fish and Wildlife, California Department of Fish and Game and the California Regional Water Quality Control Board.

In 1999 the tribe had received Army Corps authorization for another, similar project in the area, which Ha said will be taken into consideration as it looks at the current case.

Lester Marston, Robinson Rancheria's Ukiah-based attorney, said the tribe doesn't agree with the determination.

“The tribe disputes the Army Corps' finding that there was a violation,” he said.

Army Corps spokesman John Prettyman said the tribe has verified receipt of the letter, noting that the tribe's formal response includes a denial that they've violated the Clean Water Act's Section 404, which has to do with wetlands, and that they will provide documentation.

“All the tribe did was put rock over an existing dirt road that is a public easement or right-of-way that was dedicated to the county to prevent soil erosion and siltation into the ditch,” said Marston, noting that rock isn't a pollutant under federal regulations, although sand and gravel are.

Marston said it's the tribe's intention to make sure the area where the rock was put down was restored to its original condition.

According to Ha, however, the riprap or placement of fill across the roadway is just one part of the violation.

His finding also included grading for the gas station platform closest to the detention basin where runoff is contained. Ha said both the riprap and the grading of the gas station platform activities resulted in impacts to approximately 0.23 acre of waters of the U.S. including wetlands.

Marston didn't respond to followup questions about those additional findings in the determination.

Prettyman said in the response the tribe's attorney stated that if there was a violation, the tribe would mitigate for the wetlands loss.

“Right now we are waiting on that documentation,” Prettyman said this week.

He said Army Corps officials spoke with Marston in the middle of March.

“They seem to be open to working with us,” Prettyman said, noting the Army Corps is working to find the best solution.

Federal officials aren't seeking punitive measures, but are instead are wanting to work with the tribe. Because there are “minor impacts” to the wetlands, Ha said the Army Corps is recommending that the tribe seek an after-the-fact permit.

“The tribe has no problem applying for a permit if a permit is needed,” said Marston.

Ha said the Army Corps also will ask the tribe to mitigate the damage to the wetlands, which can be done in a variety of ways, or the tribe can propose to conduct a mitigation on its own property to make up for the impacts.

Marston said the tribe had studied the area more than a decade ago when applying for the 1999 permit.

“The tribe went out and did a wetlands study for the specific purpose of delineating the wetlands,” he said.

That earlier project would have included construction in the wetlands area. “This project was designed so there would be no construction in the wetlands,” Marston said.

That original map was provided to the Army Corps, said Marston, who noted that he's also personally walked every inch of the property. Since the 1999 permit, the wetlands haven't changed or expanded, he said.

Regarding when the matter could be resolved, Prettyman noted, “As to right now there is no specific time line.”

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The crash occurred just after noon on Highway 29 south of Cruickshank Road, according to the California Highway Patrol.

A 73-year-old Clearlake Oaks man was driving his 2001 Chevrolet Corvette northbound on Highway 20 south of Cruickshank at approximately 55 miles per hour, and a 50-year-old Lower Lake woman was driving her 1997 Mercury Mountaineer southbound, also at 55 miles per hour, the CHP said.

For a yet-to-be-determined reason, the Corvette traveled across the double-yellow lines and hit the Mountaineer head-on, according to the CHP report.

The CHP said the Corvette's driver was flown via REACH air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital with major injuries, while the woman in the Mountaineer was taken via Kelseyville Fire ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport, where she was treated for minor injuries.

Both drivers were wearing their seat belts, the CHP said.

Reports from the scene indicated the crash blocked both lanes of traffic, with the highway completely cleared just before 2 p.m.

CHP Officer Randy Forslund is investigating the incident.

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From left, Melanie Combs, Kevin Johnson and Ira Donelson were arrested in a Lake County Narcotics Task Force operation on Friday, April 8, 2011, in Lake County, Calif. Lake County Jail photos.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force on Friday in Upper Lake has resulted in three arrests, the seizure of methamphetamine and currency for asset forfeiture.

Last week, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for the person, home and vehicles of 46-year-old Melanie Lee Combs of Upper Lake, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

On Friday, April 8, at approximately 8:30 a.m., detectives served the search warrant at Combs’ home at the Meadow Point Trailer Park on Highway 20, Bauman said.

Bauman said that when narcotics detectives announced their presence at the front door, they received no response and had to force entry to serve the warrant.

Once inside the home, detectives encountered a locked bedroom door and again received no response when announcing their presence, Bauman said. When detectives forced entry into the bedroom, they located and detained Combs and 51-year-old Kevin Arthur Johnson, also of Upper Lake.

During a search of the bedroom, detectives located a small plastic food container concealed beneath the bed. Bauman said that inside of the container detectives found a total of 37 plastic baggies containing methamphetamine packaged for sales. A further search of the bedroom revealed digital scales, pipes, currency, marijuana and more methamphetamine concealed in a night stand.

Combs was arrested for possession of a controlled substance for sales, possession of narcotics paraphernalia and possession of marijuana. Bauman said Johnson was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

He said a total of 16 grams of methamphetamine was seized and $200 in currency was seized for asset forfeiture as the suspected profits of drug trafficking.

While detectives were searching Combs’ residence, another subject arrived at the home with the apparent intent to purchase narcotics, Bauman said.

He reported that 34-year-old Ira Jude Donelson of Upper Lake was detained and subsequently arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

All three suspects were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Bail for Donelson, Combs and Johnson was set at $1,000, $10,000 and $3,000, respectively. Jail records indicated all three posted bail and were released.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force anonymous tip line is 707-263-3663.

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Although the numbers have improved from the previous year, in 2009, more than 700 people in the state were killed in a crash where the primary collision factor was driving under the influence (DUI); another 19,805 people were injured under similar circumstances.

“These are more than statistics, they are real people killed in collisions that were entirely preventable,” said California Highway Patrol (CHP) Commissioner Joe Farrow. “Impaired driving is an issue that crosses all segments of society.”

Driving with a measurable blood alcohol content of .08 percent or more for motorists 21 years old or older is illegal in California.

In 2009, law enforcement throughout the state made more than 210,000 arrests for driving under the influence. The CHP accounted for 44 percent of those arrests.

Enforcement alone will not halt this overwhelming problem in California, the CHP.

That's why, during the next several months, the CHP will conduct a grant-funded public education and awareness program with a focus on educating drivers about the dangers of DUI and the devastation it

causes.

The “Designated Driver Education Program” grant will fund the production of public service announcements; educational materials will be also produced and distributed statewide.

“Nobody ever thinks it’s going to happen to them,” said Farrow. “They think it happens to other people. Anytime an impaired motorist is on the road, not only do they put themselves at risk, they’re putting the lives of everyone else around them in danger.”

Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety, through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

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Christine Duggan and her son Mathew Gardiner were arrested on Tuesday, March 29, 2011, with investigators alleging that they were involved in a series of Clearlake Oaks burglaries. Lake County Jail photos.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Clearlake Oaks woman and her adult son were arrested last week in connection with a series of residential burglaries in the Clearlake Oaks area.

Christine Annette Duggan, 47, and her 22-year-old son, Mathew Martin Gardiner, were arrested on Tuesday, March 29, according to a Wednesday report from Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Bauman said the arrests resulted from ongoing investigations the Sheriff's Major Crime Unit was conducting into the burglaries. The arrests also resulted in recovery of stolen property.

He said that, over the past several months, the sheriff’s office has responded to multiple reports of burglaries or thefts in the community of Clearlake Oaks.

Sheriff’s detectives and patrol deputies have been coordinating their investigations to develop leads on the cases, and Bauman said last week their efforts led them to a home where stolen property was being stored.

On March 24, sheriff’s detectives received information from one of the burglary victims that Duggan and Gardiner may have been involved in the thefts. Bauman said detectives were told that Duggan and Gardiner had been seen taking items of property in and out of a vacant residence on Oak Grove Avenue at night.

He said further investigation revealed that the Oak Grove Avenue home was owned by an Oakley man, who later confirmed the home was supposed to be vacant and no one had permission to be there. Detectives informed the owner of the situation and obtained permission to search the home for stolen property.

On March 28, detectives searched the Oak Grove Avenue home and found evidence that it had been recently occupied. Bauman said their search revealed several items of property, some of which were confirmed stolen in at least two of the prior burglary cases.

Detectives subsequently contacted other burglary victims and confirmed other items of property found in the search were stolen in two other burglaries, he said.

On March 29, sheriff’s deputies working the Clearlake Oaks area located and detained Duggan and Gardiner near the Oak Grove Avenue home, Bauman said. Detectives responded to assist and both suspects were subsequently arrested.

Duggan’s Chevy pickup truck was impounded as it was also believed to contain stolen property. A search warrant for the truck was secured and detectives located two iPods in Duggan’s purse, inside of the truck. The iPods were seized as suspected stolen property, Bauman said.

Duggan and Gardiner, both of whom were listed as caregivers on their booking sheets, were booked at the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, according to jail records.

Duggan was charged with receiving stolen property, with bail set at $10,000, and Gardiner was charged with first-degree burglary, with bail at $25,000. Both have since posted bail and been released.

As a result of the arrests, Bauman said four burglary cases have been closed, however the investigation continues.

The Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying other recovered property that has yet to be tied to any of the burglaries. Bauman said property items recovered that have yet to be identified include appliances, kitchen ware, computer equipment, power tools, jewelry and numerous DVDs.

The sheriff’s office also reminds the public to always record serial numbers and descriptive information for valuable items and keep such information in an inconspicuous place in the home.

Bauman said the information is essential for investigators to recover, identify and return stolen property to victims, and to apprehend and prosecute suspects.

Anyone who may be a burglary or theft victim, or who may have information relating to these burglaries, is encouraged to call Detective Sgt. John Gregore at 707-262-4200.

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The rulings were made on Thursday, April 7, in the cases of Timothy John Shaw, 46, and Paul Alva, 47, according to a report from Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.

The men were tried separately in trials presided over by Judge Richard Martin in Lake County Superior Court's Department 2. Hinchcliff said the cases were prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg, with defense attorney Doug Rhoades representing each of the men.

Hinchcliff said sexually violent predator proceedings are a form of civil commitment codified at Welfare and Institutions Code section 6600 et seq. All persons convicted of felony crimes of sexual violence are evaluated by the California Department of Mental Health prior to their release on parole to determine if the inmate meets the criteria to be deemed a sexually violent predator.

At trial, to establish that a person is a sexually violent predator, the prosecutor must show, beyond a reasonable doubt, that the inmate has been convicted of committing sexually violent offenses against one or more victims; the inmate has a diagnosed mental disorder; as a result of that diagnosed mental disorder, the inmate is a danger to the health and safety of others because it is likely that he will engage in sexually violent predatory criminal behavior; and that is necessary to keep him in custody in a secure facility to ensure the health and safety of others, Hinchcliff said.

Alva was convicted of two counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14 on Sept. 9, 1993, in Santa Clara County, according to Hinchcliff.

Hinchcliff said that on June 19, 2000, Alva was convicted in Lake County of annoying or molesting a child – Penal Code section 647.6 – and sentenced to 12 years in state prison. Hinchcliff said Penal Code section 647.6 is typically a misdemeanor; however, because of Alva's prior convictions, the case was charged as a felony.

Prior to his parole eligibility date of Aug. 3, 2009, Alva was evaluated by two California Department of Mental Health physicians. Hinchcliff said each evaluator concluded that Alva suffered from a mental disorder – pedophilia – and that if released he was likely to engage in sexually violent predatory behavior.

The Lake County District Attorney’s office filed a petition alleging that Alva was a sexually violent predator on Aug. 13, 2009, Hinchcliff said. Based on the evidence presented at the court trial, Judge Martin found that Borg had proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Alva was a sexually violent predator.

On Dec. 10, 1992, Shaw was convicted of four counts of committing a lewd and lascivious act with a child under the age of 14 by force against three separate victims. Hinchcliff said Shaw was sentenced to four consecutive prison terms of eight years each for an aggregate term of 32 years. He became eligible for parole on May 17, 2010.

Due to the nature of his underlying convictions, prior to his release Shaw also was evaluated by two California Department of Mental Health physicians to determine whether he met the criteria to be deemed a sexually violent predator, Hinchcliff said.

Like in Alva's case, Hinchcliff said the evaluators concluded that Shaw suffered from pedophilia and was likely to engage in sexually violent predatory behavior if released, which led the Lake County District Attorney’s office to file a petition on June 2, 2010, alleging that Shaw was a sexually violent predator.

As with Alva, Judge Martin concluded that Shaw was a sexually violent predator, Hinchcliff said.

Judge Martin ordered both Alva and Shaw committed to the State Hospital at Coalinga for an indeterminate term, according to Hinchcliff.

He said both Shaw and Alva will receive further treatment while incarcerated and will continue to be evaluated by medical and psychiatric staff at the California Department of Corrections.

Hinchcliff said both of the men will continue to be incarcerated indefinitely unless they are determined in the future by the Department of Mental Health to be safe to release into society.

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The theft occurred at the Gualala Chevron on South Highway One, according to Capt. Kurt Smallcomb of the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office.

At 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 2, Mendocino County Sheriff's deputies were dispatched to the station regarding the theft, Smallcomb said.

On arrival deputies learned that at 4:30 a.m. that day a U-Haul truck and an unknown type of two-door sedan arrived at the Chevron Station, Smallcomb said.

It's believed that through some type of electronic manipulation the pumps were unlocked, which allowed the gas to be taken, according to Smallcomb.

He said the estimated value of the theft is $5,500.

Anyone with information investigating Mendocino County Sheriff's Deputy Mike Gander at 707-463- 4086.

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Gov. Jerry Brown and North Coast Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) penned separate letters sent to Obama on Wednesday asking for the assistance for the state, which suffered $48 million in damage to ports, harbors, boats, businesses and infrastructure due to a water surge triggered by Japan's March 11 quake and tsunami.

That $48 million damage estimate, Brown said, exceeds California’s state threshold of $44 million as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, and is adding to California's current economic crisis.

Thompson's letter to Obama supports Brown's requests.

“Last month’s tsunami caused significant damage to infrastructure up and down California’s coast,” Thompson said in a statement issued by his office. “Without assistance, I am extremely concerned that recovery efforts in affected communities, including those I represent, will languish. That’s why my colleagues and I are strongly urging the president to support Governor Brown’s request for a federal disaster declaration to help get local communities back on their feet.”

Brown's letter asks for additional federal resources to supplement state and local repair and recovery efforts.

It follows emergency proclamations Brown issued for Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties, which his letter said were “significantly impacted,” with Del Norte and Santa Cruz reportedly hit hardest.

Brown's letter said the Crescent City Harbor, which last year generated crab and fish revenues of $12.5 million, sustained an estimated $19.9 million in eligible damage, and the Santa Cruz Port sustained an estimated $26.4 million in eligible damage.

The Santa Cruz Port District, whose businesses employ approximately 800 people, operates as a government-owned business, funded entirely by user fees and generates approximately $16.8 million annually for Santa Cruz County, Brown reported. The port district has reported that businesses in the harbor, and those dependent upon harbor operations, are experiencing a loss of almost $59,000 per day.

Brown also had issued an executive order issued to waive the waiting period for victims to apply for unemployment insurance, expedite the hiring of emergency and cleanup personnel and request state tax officials to accommodate those affected by the water surge.

He also reported that, since January 2010, California has received four major federal disaster declarations, had six fires declared under FEMA's Fire Management Assistance Grant Program, endured 20 events for which funds under the California Disaster Assistance Act were issued, and received four disaster designations from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and seven U.S. Small Business Administration designations.

Thompson's letter, signed by 22 fellow members of the California Congressional Delegation, also asks Obama to provide California with federal disaster assistance. He said the funding would be used to repair and rebuild harbors and other damaged infrastructure, and to safeguard coastal communities from future losses.

The letter notes that more than 150 vessels have been damaged, and over 30 vessels have sunk. “Additionally, oil sheens have been reported, and the sunken vessels continue to pose the threat of substantial hazardous releases, as well as navigational dangers, that would exacerbate the economic devastation.”

The letter added, “California state authorities are working with local governments and the United States Coast Guard and have taken a proactive and timely response. Efforts to secure loose vessels, remove debris and sunken vessels, assess damages, and monitor coastal areas for oil sheens are fully underway. However, additional federal assistance is necessary to repair and rebuild harbors and other damaged infrastructure, as well as to safeguard our communities from future losses.”

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