LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local officials said this week they are monitoring health-related concerns associated with the late summer cyanobacteria blooms on Clear Lake.
The county of Lake reported that recent lab results from water samples taken from specific areas in Clear Lake show high levels of microcystins – or toxins – in the cyanobacteria blooms occurring in recent weeks.
Although these microcystins can be harmful to pets and wildlife, and if ingested in large doses have the potential for harm in humans, recreation on Clear Lake can still be safely enjoyed if proper precautions are taken, the county reported.
Although cyanobacteria blooms also are known as blue green algae, they can also appear as white, red, brown or black mattes or paint-like scum floating on the top of the water.
Clear Lake is often susceptible to blooms due to its shallow depth, high nutrient levels and warm temperatures.
Cyanobacteria frequently bloom on Clear Lake in the hot months of late summer and early fall.
Recent water samples were drawn from Clear Lake by the Environmental Protection Agencies of the Big Valley Rancheria and the Elem Indian Colony from areas at Austin Park, Clearlake Oaks, Soda Bay Cove, south Lakeport, Lucerne Park, Big Valley and Sulphur Bank Mine.
The draws were overseen by Environmental Director Sarah Ryan of Big Valley Rancheria and Environmental Director Karola Kennedy of Elem Indian Colony.
The samples were analyzed at the California Animal Health and Food Safety lab at UC Davis. Repeat testing is currently under way, the county reported.
In response to these test results, the county of Lake reported that it is taking a series of actions.
“Public Health is monitoring technical information, working with local health care facilities and coordinating with other agencies as necessary to address health concerns that relate to potential impacts of cyanobacteria,” said Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait. “We are not alone in facing new challenges posed by cyanobacteria. This is a global phenomenon. We are working hard to identify and respond to related health concerns.”
Local utilities who are receiving water taste and odor complaints are in communication with state regulatory agencies and as a safety precaution, water samples are being drawn at the raw intakes and at different treatment locations for analysis, county officials reported.
There is currently “Health Advisory” signage posted at public parks and beaches along Clear Lake. The county is urging residents and visitors to read those advisories and follow the safety guidelines set forth. Businesses that work directly with tourists are encouraged to educate those visitors about the safe use of the lake during cyanobacteria blooms.
In mid-May, the Lake County Department of Water Resources mailed out an informational cyanobacteria postcard entitled “Living with a Natural Lake” to owners of properties along the shoreline.
The postcard was created in a partnership between the Lake County Water Resources, Environmental Health, Public Health and Administrative departments.
Do’s and don’ts to stay safe and healthy around cyanobacteria blooms are included in the postcard. It also provides information on how to distinguish cyanobacteria blooms from the harmless algae blooms that grow on Clear Lake.
Those postcards also were distributed to local lodging facilities and businesses to hand out to visitors and residents.
Postcards are still available for distribution. Please call 707-263-2580 to request your copies.
Caltrans and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) are reminding motorists to remain alert for wildlife near roadways during “Watch Out for Wildlife Week,” which runs from Sept. 15 to 21.
“It’s important that motorists, when driving through areas frequented by deer, elk and other animals, be alert to protect themselves as well as California’s wildlife,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.
Defenders of Wildlife (Defenders), a national nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting native species and their natural communities, reports more than 200 people are killed nationally in collisions with deer, elk and other large mammals each year with an estimated 1.5 million animals hit annually.
The Watch Out for Wildlife campaign is supported by Caltrans, CDFW, Defenders and the Road Ecology Center at the University of California, Davis.
“It’s a shame that many animals and people are injured and killed on our roads every year,” said Craig Stowers, CDFW's Game Program Manager. “Many injuries, deaths and costly vehicle repairs can be avoided if drivers would pay more attention when animals are most active, and be prepared to react safely if an animal moves onto the road.”
Caltrans, CDFW and Defenders offer a few tips for motorists:
– Be particularly alert when driving in areas frequented by wildlife and give yourself more time to react safely by reducing your speed. – Pay particular attention when driving during morning and evening, as wildlife are most active during these times. – If you see an animal cross the road, know that another may be following. – Don’t litter. The odors may entice animals to venture near roadways.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Black Fire in Mendocino County grew in acreage on Sunday, and while a number of homes remain threatened officials have canceled an evacuation order.
As of Sunday evening, the fire has burned approximately 417 acres since beginning shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday off of Black Bart Trail between Redwood Valley and Pottery Valley. Cal Fire said the fire is 50-percent contained.
The fire has destroyed five structures and five outbuildings, and resulted in three injuries, Cal Fire reported.
While 10 structures remain threatened, the evacuation order for areas from Hell's Delight Canyon and northeast toward Potter Valley has been canceled, and the evacuation shelter at Eagle Peak Middle School has been closed. Red Cross representatives can reopen the shelter if needed, according to Cal Fire.
Approximately 332 firefighting personnel, 30 fire engines, 10 fire crews, four bulldozers, two helicopters and five water tenders are assigned to the fire, Cal Fire said.
Firefighters are working to construct containment lines, extinguish hot spots near the containment lines and defend structures.
Cal Fire said the Black Fire is burning in a mix of grass, brush, oak and pine trees.
The agency said firefighters are working in extreme conditions, dealing with high heat and low humidity, and facing the potential for erratic winds.
Black Bart Trail East is closed while firefighters work in the area, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the fire's cause remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Members of a Bay Area family are asking residents across Northern California to be on the lookout for their elderly father, who has been missing since earlier this month.
Paul Merrill, 87, of Belmont, took a road trip to the McCloud area in Siskiyou County, where he was last confirmed seen on Sept. 4, according to the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office.
His family is offering a $5,000 reward for information leading to the discovery of Merrill or the classic 1956 Mercedes 190SL convertible he was driving.
The California Highway Patrol issued a Silver Alert for Merrill across 19 Northern California counties – including Lake – early on the morning of Sept. 5 after Merrill's family reported that he hadn't returned home from his McCloud trip.
The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said Merrill was last seen at the McCloud Chevron Station on Sept. 4. A witness said Merrill left the station, traveling in the direction of Fowlers Campground and Cattle Camp off of Highway 89 near McCloud.
Siskiyou County Search and Rescue, California Highway Patrol, Shasta-Trinity National Forest, Modoc National Forest and Lava Beds National Monument Park Ranger personnel responded to the area and deployed search teams in the Fowlers Campground, but didn't find him, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office reported.
There also had been reports of sightings of Merrill which couldn't be confirmed, according to Jayme Lynch, the Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office public information officer.
Lynch told Lake County News that the search for Merrill was suspended this past Saturday evening after they stopped receiving extensive leads and information about sightings of the missing man.
Since then, authorities have received no new information about Merrill, Lynch said.
“Until we get any more positive leads, we've ended our search efforts here,” she added.
According to a letter posted by his daughter, Aimee Merrill, on the Find Paul Merrill Facebook page – https://www.facebook.com/findpaulmerrill – Merrill was an Eagle Scout and also had been a US Army Ranger, and during his younger years was an avid fly fisherman and hunter.
Merrill's wife died last year, and his daughter said he headed north in his convertible and was “recreating romantic memories” of a trip he and his wife had taken to McCloud.
While there, he planned to spend some time writing his annual Christmas letter, in which he planned to “convey his sentiments about the passing of his beloved wife,” his daughter wrote.
Aimee Merrill said her father was not known to be depressed at the time of his trip. The innkeeper at the McCloud Hotel reported talking with him on the morning he checked out, finding him to be talkative and in good spirits.
Lynch said the sheriff's office was not advised of Merrill having dementia or any other specific health issues.
“We have no reason to believe any foul play or anything like that” has occurred, Lynch said.
Despite the fact that the search was suspended, Aimee Merrill said her family is not giving up hope that her father will be found safe.
Aimee Merrill said they received reports of a sighting from the night of Sept. 5, when the Mercedes was spotted on the side of Highway 89 – 10 miles east of McCloud – after dark. No person was seen.
Witnesses also reported seeing Merrill later that same weekend walking at the McCloud River between Cattle Camp and Fowler Campgrounds. His car was not seen at that time, and his daughter suggested he could have put a beige car cover over it to protect it from the elements.
A family friend reached out to Lake County News in the hopes that someone in the region may have seen him as he was heading north or – possibly – traveling south on his way back home.
Merrill is 5 feet, 10 inches tall, weighs 160 pounds, has white hair and blue eyes, and wears glasses. The Siskiyou County Sheriff's Office said he was last seen wearing a cream-colored, long-sleeved shirt with embroidery on the front, khaki pants and brown shoes.
His car is a two-door, silver 1956 Mercedes, 190 SL convertible, California license plate number EZX295 with a Stanford University license plate frame. The car has a primered front hood. Merrill left the Mercedes' removable hardtop at his residence in Belmont.
Anyone with information about Merrill's whereabouts is encouraged to contact the Siskiyou County Sheriff’s Office 24-hour Dispatch Center at 530-841-2900 or the Belmont Police Department at 650-595-7400.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
On Monday Caltrans announced a new department-wide mission, vision and goals as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize operations and improve performance and accountability across California.
“Adopting a new mission, vision and goals is a critical step toward aligning Caltrans with state transportation planning and policy goals and better serving all Californians,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “This key change helps focus everyone at Caltrans on improved department performance, employee accountability and communications. The next step will be to set specific performance metrics to communicate honestly and transparently about our progress in meeting our goals.”
In coordination with the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA), and on the heels of an external review that called for bold reforms and a more modern department, Caltrans crafted a new mission and vision that is fully consistent with California's planning and policy objectives.
Caltrans' old mission was to “improve mobility,” which did not capture state efforts to clean up the environment, improve quality of life and strengthen California's economy:
– MISSION: Provide a safe, sustainable, integrated and efficient transportation system to enhance California's economy and livability. – VISION: A performance-driven, transparent and accountable organization that values its people, resources and partners, and meets new challenges through leadership, innovation and teamwork.
“Caltrans is embracing reform and transforming into a modern transportation agency, equipped to handle today's challenges and those of tomorrow,” said CalSTA Secretary Brian P. Kelly in a recent letter notifying the California State Legislature of the new mission at Caltrans. “Next, we will develop new performance measures, which will objectively measure progress toward achieving our goal of transforming into the transportation department we envision for the future.”
In order to achieve this mission and vision and give Californians the most efficient transportation system possible, Caltrans also laid out five new goals:
– Safety and health: Provide a safe transportation system for workers and users, and promote health through active transportation and reduced pollution in communities. – Stewardship and efficiency: Money counts. Responsibly manage California's transportation-related assets. – Sustainability, livability and economy: Make long-lasting, smart mobility decisions that improve the environment, support a vibrant economy, and build communities, not sprawl. – System performance: Utilize leadership, collaboration and strategic partnerships to develop an integrated transportation system that provides reliable and accessible mobility for travelers. – Organizational excellence: Be a national leader in delivering quality service through excellent employee performance, public communication, and accountability.
Adopting a new mission, vision and goals for Caltrans concludes the department's implementation of four “early action” recommendations made by the State Smart Transportation Initiative (SSTI) in January, when it called for bold reform and a more modern department:
1) Develop a new mission consistent with state planning and policy goals; 2) Organize teams to develop implementation plans; 3) Work toward successful implementation of SB 743; and 4) Modernize state transportation design guidance.
Caltrans will now work with the CalSTA to develop new performance measures, which will objectively measure progress toward achieving state goals.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Napa earthquake that occurred at 3:20 a.m. Aug.24, 2014, will certainly be remembered in the years to come.
The earthquake, described as a “sudden release of energy,” definitely shook many of us awake here in Lake County. Thankfully, little, or no damage was reported here.
I spoke with local geologist, Dr. Dean Enderlin (who was sorry he'd missed it!) about the quake.
When asked about the specific fault on which this earthquake occurred, he answered, “The epicenter was located along what appears to be a splay of the 'West Napa Fault,' which is known to be an active fault. This is the largest earthquake that has been measured along that fault zone. There was an M5.0 earthquake along it back in 2000 that also damaged parts of Napa, but not to this degree.”
Asked about the earthquake's aftershocks Enderlin stated, “Yes, aftershocks are continuing up to about M3.0. It takes time for the rock around the initial earthquake to adjust to the new stresses.”
Regarding the occurrence of other quakes this size or larger in Lake County, aside from the Loma Prieta 25 years ago, Enderlin said, “There was a large earthquake (actually a series of earthquakes) centered in Santa Rosa in 1969 that was felt over our region. It damaged buildings in Calistoga, and may have done a little damage in Middletown. The pair of earthquakes measured 5.6 and 5.7, and were centered on the Rodgers Creek Fault Zone (the largest and most dangerous fault zone in our area).”
The tool of choice for earthquake measurement is a seismometer. The word comes from the Greek, “seismos.” The term was first used by David Milne-Home in 1841.
Seismometers take the measurements of ground motions, and are utilized in both earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.
Seismologists generally record magnitude 5 or larger earthquakes. Those which are smaller than a 5 are measured by seismological observatories take their measurements from a scale called “the local magnitude scale” and are measured on a Richter scale.
The Richter scale, also known as the 'Richter Magnitude Scale', was designed from a base-10 logarithmic scale.
It was developed in 1935 by seismologists Charles Francis Richter and Beno Gutenberg, who were both based at the California Institute of Technology.
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is an educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also writes for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Median home prices are continuing to improve in Lake County, according to the latest report from the Lake County Association of Realtors.
The association reported that the median sales price of single family residences in August rose to $172,000 up from $168,000 in July.
The report also showed a significantly increase in the median days to sell, which nearly doubled from 56 days in July to 102 days in August.
That statistic, the association said, may be an anomaly, as the yearly median is tracking at 72 days to sell and for the last two years the median has been 75 days and 74 days.
Inventory levels increased to 6.27 months of inventory versus 5.68 in July. Normal inventory levels are considered to be six months, the association reported.
“August showed an increase in distressed property sales,” said Lake County Association of Realtors President Rick White. “This is a reversal from the trend we have been seeing, but fluctuations in the market can be expected when looking at short term results.”
White went on to state that 30 percent of the sales were distressed in August compared to 20 percent in July. However, this number was down from 43 percent of the sales in August 2013.
On the financing front, the August report showed a dip in cash buyers who made up 30 percent of the purchases compared to 39 percent in July and 45 percent in August of 2013.
Purchases with a conventional loan rose to nearly 44 percent, up from 32 percent in July and more than double the 21.5 percent in August of 2013, according to the report.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – Firefighters are getting closer to fully containing a Mendocino County wildland fire that has destroyed numerous structures and burned several hundred acres.
Cal Fire said Monday evening that the Black Fire is 80-percent contained, with the size estimate rolled back slightly to 403 acres due to more accurate mapping.
The fire broke out late Saturday afternoon off of Black Bart Trail, north of Lake Mendocino and between Redwood Valley and Potter Valley. Cal Fire said the cause remains under investigation.
The fire has burned a total of 11 structures – six of them outbuildings – and resulted in three injuries, Cal Fire reported.
No structures remained threatened as of Monday evening, according to Cal Fire.
Despite challenging conditions, firefighters on Monday made great progress on strengthening control lines and mopping up hot spots around the fire perimeter, with the fire suppression repair and rehabilitation phase beginning, Cal Fire said.
On Monday evening, 220 firefighting personnel remained assigned to the incident, along with 20 fire engines, six fire crews, one bull dozer and seven water tenders, according to Cal Fire's report.
Cal Fire said firefighting resources have started the demobilization process and are becoming available to support new incidents or return to their home units.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – It was 3 in the morning on a Pennsylvania highway when Charlie Breidenfield saw the flashing red light in his rear view mirror.
So he eased up on the accelerator and backed off the Ferrari’s speed by 40 miles per hour to 100 miles per hour.
Then he stopped and engaged the state police officer in a chat about the virtues of the car before receiving a ticket.
Breidenfield had lead-footed exotic European cars at such speeds before because (1) he wanted to test-drive them before he and his younger brother Bill, who were partners in a business, sold them and (2) he didn’t give a damn.
Why should he? Sometime in the future he knew that he would succumb to a condition in which he could not speak, swallow or even breathe.
“I had no fear. That’s why I drove like a lunatic,” Breidenfield said. “I’d do anything. I tried everything, just raised hell. I never worried about tomorrow because I figured sooner or later I’m going to get Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
This was a more-than-reasonable assumption for Breidenfield. As certain as sundown.
That is the cold reality for Lou Gehrig's disease – amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS – which currently is the beneficiary of a fundraising program sweeping the nation that involves pouring a bucket of ice and water over someone’s head.
A study released earlier this year by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that, while deadly, Lou Gehrig's disease still remains rare in the general population. For the period from Oct. 19, 2010, to Dec. 31, 2011, there were approximately 12,187 people in the United States identified by the National ALS Registry as has having the disease.
However, for Breidenfield and his family, the disease has appeared with frightening frequency.
The reality for Breidenfield and his family is a chart created in 1993 to track its genealogy and deaths resulting from the ALS that Breidenfield and the rest of his family have come to know as “the family disease.” For a good and substantial reason.
“The people’s names in black are the ones in our family who died from it,” said Breidenfield as he unfolds his chart. “There are 111 that we know of.”
Or, about one out of every three names on the chart.
Generations on the chart, Breidenfield said, date back to the 1860s when his great-great-grandmother, Anna Herman, came to America from Berlin and married into a family named Reich.
It is believed that Anna Herman Reich introduced the condition – then known as Pott's disease-- to the first American generation of Breidenfield's ancestors.
“Doctors will say it’s 50-50 (fatal), but doctors are lousy on odds. The majority that I found – like in my father’s generation – died from it,” said Breidenfield. “During my grandfather’s generation there was only one who didn’t die from it.”
Devastating a family
For the past half-century ALS has been called “Lou Gehrig’s disease,” named for Babe Ruth’s iron-man teammate who was an ALS victim in 1941, two years after he played his final game for the New York Yankees.
In Europe ALS is still known as Charcot disease, named for the pioneering and preeminent 19th century French neurologist Jean-Martin Charcot.
By whatever name, it is caused by a dominant – and for the most part dooming – gene, a genetic time bomb that makes people prisoners in their own bodies and kills them in as little as two years.
“You only need one person with a gene mutation to spread it to the next generation,” said Breidenfield.
For that reason, he and Donna, his wife of 24 years, elected not to have children. The two have lived in California – most recently in Hidden Valley Lake – for the past 11 years after coming here from Michigan.
Within the past couple of years, Breidenfield learned of another branch of the family that he hadn’t realized existed when a cousin called him from Long Island.
She told Breidenfield she was in a wheelchair and a half-dozen members of her branch of the family, including her mother, died from Lou Gehrig’s disease.
Then another cousin – this one living just outside Philadelphia – contacted him to tell him about six of his relatives who were Lou Gehrig's disease victims.
In his immediate family, Breidenfield lost older and younger brothers and his father to ALS. His grandfather died as a result of the disease at age 46, his father was 67 when he died.
Charlie Breidenfield's older brother John would succumb to the disease at age 66. His younger brother Bill, an aspiring actor, was on a ventilator for 12 years before dying at age 42. Bill’s death and the death of their father, John, were separated only by a few weeks. Both died literally in Charlie Breidenfield’s arms.
Back up a few years to the top of the stairs in the Breidenfield family home in Michigan where Charlie Breidenfield, not 5 five years old, and his brother, John, older by two years, sat and for the first time learned about the debilitating neurological disorder that would take on such importance in their lives.
At the time, 1954, they were listening to their father in a long-distance, late-night phone call with one of their favorite aunts, talking about how another aunt, then suffering from Lou Gehrig’s disease, would not make it through the summer.
“I was devastated,” Breidenfield said.
Groundbreaking research
The most incredible part of Breidenfield’s story is that medical researchers have traced the ALS gene mutation he carries – a marker on the Y chromosome – back through 93 generations. That's 2,000 years on the Common Era calendar.
The worldwide study has established that Breidenfield is a member of the third largest family in which the ALS gene – known scientifically as A4V-SOD1 – has been a dominant factor.
It recently was estimated that the A4V mutation occurred 540 generations – or 12,000 years – ago. Researchers conclude that the mutation was carried by the Asian ancestors of American Indians who reached the Americas via the Bering Strait land bridge.
Even so, ALS is not primarily a familial disease. Researchers say 90 percent of the mortalities caused by the gene are sporadic.
Breidenfield has spent interminable hours and funds in his effort to combat and survive with ALS.
Twice a month he makes contact with neurologist Dr. Teepu Siddique of Northwestern University, who along with Dr. Robert Brown of Harvard discovered the first ALS mutant gene more than 20 years ago.
The major news media – including Tom Brokaw of NBC and CNN – heralded Siddique’s discovery, which Siddique said at the time “is the first time we’ve found a cause and identified what may lead to a to a treatment.”
With a treatment of choice still to be found, Breidenfield has adopted his own system of medication. Every hour on the hour he consumes a variation of compounds that presumably have warded off the disease.
“I’ve come a long distance from where I was,” he said. “Late in 2011 and early 2012 I was in a whole lot of pain. My brother John, who didn’t come back from it, was pretty sure that I was on the same road as he was.”
His brother John died at age 66. Charlie Breidenfield’s 65th birthday is in November.
“We got to the point where we were almost identical in what was happening to us,” Breidenfield said. “He had lost 18 pounds of muscle off his legs and was using a cane and I knew I was real close to needing a cane or not walking.”
Tragic as his brother’s death was, Breidenfield was motivated by it.
“It drove me like mad,” said Breidenfield. “After dinner I would sit down and stay on a computer until I blacked out. Now, I feel blessed that I can do as much as I can.”
In the time since his older brother’s death, Breidenfield has busied himself in an interminable search for medicines that can aid a Lou Gehrig’s victim. He also attempts to contact other victims.
He estimates he has tried or reviewed more than 100 compounds with mixed results. He has written to hundreds of other ALS victims including Hall of Fame and former Oakland A’s pitcher Jim (“Catfish”) Hunter who died, a victim of ALS, in 1999.
Most likely because Breidenfield is not a doctor, indeed not even a licensed practitioner, hardly anyone takes him serious in his effort to share information.
“Nobody responds,” he said sadly, “They’ll just say ‘who the hell’s Charlie Breidenfield?’ Until you see the clip from Tom Brokaw you‘d think I was just another bull-----er like you find on the next bar stool.”
He estimates he’s sent out hundreds of unanswered letters to ALS victims. Some of the victims, he believes, cling to the hope that, “If I change my name it will all go away.”
Universities and drug companies react in a entirely different way to Breidenfield's calls.
“When I call them and identify myself they know right away they’re talking to someone who knows what’s going on,” he said.
Breidenfield, along with his sister Pam, has also spent countless hours tracing his ancestry.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve gone through the family graveyard in Philadelphia,” he said. “I also went to a 200-year-old funeral parlor to find some family members and I’ve spent a lot of time digging up dead bodies – not really digging them up, but finding paperwork regarding relatives who died from Lou Gehrig’s disease.”
Donna Breidenfield has had to watch her husband struggle with the effects of ALS and gamely wage his battle against it.
“He’ll have very good days and very bad days,” she said. “The trouble is when I see him having a bad day I feel I can‘t control anything. I’m just helpless at that point.
“It can be very stressful,” she continued. “Two years ago there was a point where he couldn’t get in or out of the car, he was dropping a lot of things, tripping over things, didn’t do much and had no energy.”
In terms of the battle to find a cure for Lou Gehrig’s disease, Charlie Breidenfield is indeed somebody.
“I asked Dr. Teepu a year ago how many (ALS-) involved family members talk to him like I do. Turns out I’m the only (ALS victim) who works with him and talks with him about what he’s found,” Breidenfield said.
A moment after Breidenfield said that the phone at his Hidden Valley Lake home rang. It was Siddique returning a call.
“How important was my family in finding the gene mutation?” Breidenfield asked him.
“It was very important,” Siddique replied.
Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
California's summer fire season remains in full swing, with several major incidents burning around the state.
Cal Fire had updates late Monday on several of the fires, which altogether have burned more than 10,000 acres.
Perhaps the most damaging in terms of personal property broke out on Monday afternoon on Boles Creek near Weed in Siskiyou County.
Within hours the Boles Fire had ripped through Weed, burning 350 acres, destroying or damaging more than 100 structures and resulting in evacuation orders not just for Weed but also for the communities of Carrick and Lake Shastina, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire estimated the Boles Fire was 15-percent contained on Monday night.
In El Dorado County, the King Fire – burning since Saturday – scorched 8,600 acres in two days. It was 5-percent contained Monday, Cal Fire said.
Cal Fire said the blaze is threatening some 500 homes, with evacuation orders in effect in a number of communities there. Nearly 1,500 personnel and approximately 137 fire engines are assigned to the incident.
The closest of the major incidents to Lake County, the Black Fire north of Lake Mendocino in Mendocino County, burned 403 acres by Monday, at which point containment was estimated at 80 percent. Cal Fire said the fire, which began Saturday, has destroyed 11 structures.
The Gulch Fire in Shasta County, sparked east of Bella Vista last Wednesday by a vehicle, has so far burned 1,375 acres and is 96-percent contained, Cal Fire said.
In Madera County, the Courtney Fire has burned 320 acres near Oakhurst since it began on Sunday. Cal Fire said the fire was 35-percent contained Monday night.
The Courtney Fire has destroyed 33 residences, 28 outbuildings, 13 vehicles and four recreational vehicles, with damage to another four residences, six outbuildings and two vehicles, according to Cal Fire.
Two hundred structures with 600 residents in the Bass Lake Heights community remain in the fire's path, with an evacuation order for the threat area still in effect, Cal Fire said.
In Nevada County, the Dog Bar Fire is nearing full containment. Cal Fire said it began on Saturday near Alta Sierra.
The fire has burned 247 acres and was 90-percent contained Monday night. All evacuations have been lifted.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control's shelter this week has several tabbies and a calico cat needing homes.
The two males and three females range in age from a kitten to adults, with a variety of coat lengths and colors.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Male gray tabby
This male gray tabby has a short coat.
He is in cat room kennel No. 20, ID No. 676.
Gray tabby kitten
This female gray tabby kitten has a short coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 30, ID No. 706.
Female orange tabby
This female orange tabby has a medium-length coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 57, ID No. 660.
'Bob'
“Bob” is a 3-year-old orange tabby.
He has a short coat and gold eyes, and has been neutered. Staff said he would make a great outdoor cat.
He's in cat room kennel No. 66, ID No. 625.
Domestic short hair mix
This female domestic short hair mix has a calico coat.
She is in cat room kennel No. 72, ID No. 703.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A fast-moving fire in Mendocino County destroyed several structures and led to evacuations Saturday.
The Black Fire was first reported just before 4 p.m. on Black Bart Trail, north of Lake Mendocino and between Redwood Valley and Potter Valley, according to Cal Fire.
The fire sent up a large, dark plume of smoke that could be seen on Lake County's Northshore.
By nightfall Cal Fire confirmed that the fire had burned 125 acres, with radio reports indicating later in the evening that 150 or more acres were burned, with several houses also lost.
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office issued an emergency notification to residents from Hell's Delight Canyon and northeast towards Potter Valley at around 5:30 p.m. Saturday notifying them of mandatory evacuations.
An emergency evacuation shelter was set up at Eagle Peak Middle School, located at 8601 West Road in Redwood Valley, sheriff's officials reported.
Officials asked for people to stay out of the fire area while firefighters and other emergency crews are working.
Information about the cause of the fire was not immediately available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.