HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The victim of a solo-vehicle crash near Hidden Valley Lake on Friday evening was flown to an out-of-county hospital.
The crash occurred on Highway 29 near Spruce Grove Road just before 7:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP said the male driver and lone occupant of the vehicle – described by witnesses as a gray full-sized sedan – reported that he swerved to avoid hitting a deer that had run out in front of his vehicle.
The car went off the road, flipped over and went about 30 feet down an embankment, coming to rest on its roof, the CHP said.
The driver reported hitting his head during the crash, and a REACH air ambulance was called to the scene to transport him, according to radio reports.
REACH lifted off just after 8:30 p.m., en route to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
The wreck followed a number of other crashes around the south county Friday afternoon and evening, including a crash near the Bar X Ranch and a motorcycle crash in Middletown. No serious injuries were reported in those incidents.
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.
Every summer, something strange and wonderful happens high above the north pole.
Ice crystals begin to cling to the smoky remains of meteors, forming electric-blue clouds with tendrils that ripple hypnotically against the sunset sky.
Noctilucent clouds – a.k.a. “NLCs” – are a delight for high-latitude sky watchers, and around the Arctic Circle their season of visibility is always eagerly anticipated.
News flash: This year, NLCs are getting an early start. NASA's AIM spacecraft, which is orbiting Earth on a mission to study noctilucent clouds, started seeing them on May 13.
“The 2013 season is remarkable because it started in the northern hemisphere a week earlier than any other season that AIM has observed,” said Cora Randall of the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics at the University of Colorado. “This is quite possibly earlier than ever before.”
The early start is extra-puzzling because of the solar cycle. Researchers have long known that NLCs tend to peak during solar minimum and bottom-out during solar maximum – a fairly strong anti-correlation.
“If anything, we would have expected a later start this year because the solar cycle is near its maximum,” Randall said. “So much for expectations.”
For sky watchers, this means it's time to pay attention to the sunset sky, where NLCs are most often seen. An early start could herald brighter clouds and wider visibility than ever before.
Noctilucent clouds were first noticed in the mid-19th century after the eruption of super-volcano Krakatoa. Volcanic ash spread through the atmosphere, painting vivid sunsets that mesmerized observers all around the world.
That was when the NLCs appeared. At first people thought they must be some side-effect of the volcano, but long after Krakatoa's ash settled the noctilucent clouds remained.
“They've been with us ever since,” said Randall. “Not only that, they are spreading.”
When AIM was launched in 2007, the underlying cause of NLCs was still unknown. Researchers knew they formed 83 km above Earth's surface where the atmosphere meets the vacuum of space – but that's about all. AIM quickly filled in the gaps.
“It turns out that meteoroids play an important role in the formation of NLCs,” explained Hampton University Professor James Russell, the principal investigator of AIM. “Specks of debris from disintegrating meteors act as nucleating points where water molecules can gather and crystallize.”
NLCs appear during summer because that is when water molecules are wafted up from the lower atmosphere to mix with the “meteor smoke.” That is also the time when the upper atmosphere is ironically coldest.
Back in the 19th century, NLCs were confined to high latitudes. You had to go to Alaska or Scandinavia to see them. In recent years, however, they have been sighted as far south as Utah, Colorado, and Nebraska. Some researchers believe that the spread of NLCs is a sign of climate change.
One of the greenhouse gases that has become more abundant in Earth's atmosphere since the 19th century is methane.
“When methane makes its way into the upper atmosphere, it is oxidized by a complex series of reactions to form water vapor,” said Russell. “This extra water vapor is then available to grow ice crystals for NLCs.”
The early start of the 2013 season appears to be caused by a change in atmospheric “teleconnections.”
“Half-a-world away from where the northern NLCs are forming, strong winds in the southern stratosphere are altering global circulation patterns,” explained Randall. “This year more water vapor is being pushed into the high atmosphere where NLCs love to form, and the air there is getting colder.”
“All of this has come as an interesting surprise for us,” noted Russell. “When we launched AIM, our interest was in the clouds themselves. But now NLCs are teaching us about connections between different layers of the atmosphere that operate over great distances. Our ability to study these connections will surely lead to new understanding about how our atmosphere works.”
Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
Even though some areas of the state are experiencing June gloom, emergency preparedness and health officials are preparing for periods of elevated and extreme heat this summer and fall.
They're reviewing internal procedures, updating cooling center data bases and identifying state fairgrounds and facilities that serve as cooling centers¸ as well as implementing other “seasonal readiness” activities outlined in California’s Contingency Plan for Excessive Heat Emergencies.
And for good reason. On average, 56 Californians die each year due to heat-related emergencies while about 500 are hospitalized and 3,800 seek treatment at a hospital emergency room for heat-related symptoms.
At least 136 Californians tragically lost their lives due to illnesses prompted by the 13-day heat wave that surged through the state in July 2006.
As they prepare, state officials says now is the time for all Californians, particularly businesses, to take actions that could reduce, if not prevent, family members, friends, employees and co-workers from suffering heat exhaustion, heat stroke and other life-threatening illnesses.
“June has barely arrived, but we’ve already experienced highs ranging from the low to mid-90s in downtown Los Angeles and Paso Robles to the low 100s in the Antelope Valley and 109 and 111 at Palm Springs and Thermal airports,” said California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) Acting Southern Regional Administrator Doug Huls.
“Many areas of the N will orthern California haven’t been immune from similar temperatures,” noted Jim Brown, who oversees operations in Cal EMA’s Coastal and Inland regions. “So far this year, the thermometer has already surpassed 100 in Redding, reached 99 in Marysville, Modesto and Stockton, 97 in Concord, Santa Rosa and downtown Sacramento and 92 in San Jose”.
They noted that Cal EMA and its partner agencies are doing all they can to be prepared to respond to heat related emergencies this summer and fall, but every Californian needs to do his or her share in reducing heat-related injuries and deaths.
“Prolonged exposure to excessive temperatures can be extremely dangerous, if not deadly, particularly for infants, small children seniors and those with health problems,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health. “Last year was the hottest year on record in the United States. Heat waves in California are projected to occur earlier in the season, be more intense and last longer.”
Workers who are working outdoors are at special risk of heat illness. “All employers have a responsibility to provide safe working conditions,” said Ellen Widess, chief of Cal/OSHA.
California’s Heat Illness Prevention regulation requires all employers with outdoor workers to:
Train all employees and supervisors about heat illness prevention;
Provide enough fresh water so that each employee can drink at least 1 quart per hour, and encourage them to do so;
Provide a shaded area for workers to cool down. Employees should not wait until they feel sick to cool down;
Give workers a period of time to get used to the heat, especially during a heat wave or for new workers;
Prepare an emergency heat plan and train workers on steps to take if someone gets sick;
Follow special high heat procedures when temperatures reach 95 degrees.
Simple steps most Californians can take now and during periods of extreme heat to reduce illness and death include:
Reviewing and updating family emergency plans and contact information;
Storing or replenishing supplies of emergency food, water and medications;
Learning first aid and CPR;
Determining whether family members who are elderly or have access and functional needs require help with powering devices, food, water, medications and transportation;
Pre-identifying paratransit, dial-a-ride or other modes of transportation and assistance for those needing help;
Installing window air conditioners and making sure ducts are properly insulated;
Weather stripping doors; and
Identifying places that can provide relief from the heat such as malls, theaters and locally operated cooling centers.
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force and California Department of Fish and Wildlife wardens seized 653 marijuana plants during one of two search warrant services in Clearlake Oaks that occurred this past Tuesday.
No arrests were made in the operation, which occurred the same day as another property in Clearlake Oaks was searched, with nine arrested and large amounts of marijuana seized, according to sheriff's Lt. Steve Brooks.
On Tuesday the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force assisted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with the service of a search warrant located in the 18000 block of E. Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks, Brooks said. The search warrant was written by California Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel.
Brooks said authorities decided before the service of the search warrant that the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force would conduct the marijuana investigation and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would investigate any environmental violations.
During the search detectives located a large scale outdoor marijuana cultivation operation involving two large green houses and two large outdoor marijuana plots. Brooks said two vehicles were located on scene along with camping gear and an outdoor kitchen.
While searching the area, detectives observed a Hispanic male running away from law enforcement, several ridges away, according to Brooks.
Brooks said 181 marijuana plants were located inside the two green houses, with an additional 472 marijuana plants located within the two outdoor plots. The marijuana grow was located on an undeveloped parcel.
Detectives are still following leads and the Hispanic male who fled on foot was not located, Brooks said.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife assisted with any environmental and water diversion crimes, he added.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Wardens on Tuesday morning resulted in nine arrests, the seizure of marijuana in plant and processed form, as well as thousands of dollars in cash.
Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office said at 9 a.m. Tuesday the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force assisted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife with the service of a search warrant located in the 2400 block of New Long Valley Road in Clearlake Oaks.
He said the search warrant was written by California Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel.
It was decided before the service of the search warrant that the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force would conduct the marijuana investigation and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife would investigate any environmental violations, according to Brooks.
Brooks said detectives located and detained 40-year-old Cassio Dimintri Arezzo-Caturegli of Sebastopol; 51-year-old Shona Marie Potts of Albuquerque, New Mexico; 59-year-old Jose Manuel Hernandez of Clearlake Oaks; 55-year-old Scott Michael Kaiser of Clearlake Oaks; 41-year-old Jaime Valle Lorenzo of Clearlake Oaks; 24-year-old Carlos Manual Hernandez of Puerto Vallarta, Mexico; 39-year-old David Billy Mingo of Choctaw, Miss.; Alejandro S. Abdad of Sandy, Utah; and Celia Joya Virgen of Clearlake Oaks.
During a search of the property, detectives located and seized 1,934 marijuana plants in various stages of maturity. Brooks said in the barn detectives located and seized approximately 100 pounds of processed marijuana and 10 pounds of concentrated cannabis.
The detectives said it appeared that the cultivation operation was producing a continual harvest every two weeks of no less that 200 marijuana plants per harvest, according to Brooks. Above the barn in a living area, detectives located $3,792 in cash and a currency counter.
Detectives contacted Scott Kaiser, who said he was the primary renter of the property. Kaiser estimated that he was paying approximately $5,000 a month for PG&E and $1,200 a month for rent, said Brooks.
Kaiser further told detectives that he was able to fund the start up for this current marijuana operation from proceeds he made from last year’s harvest. Brooks said Kaiser also said that he had no job and no income, other that what he had saved from the prior harvest.
Brooks said that during the investigation, detectives determined this operation was a conspiracy to cultivate and process marijuana for the unlawful purpose of sales.
Abad, Arezzo-Caturegli, Jose Hernandez, Kaiser, Lorenzo, Carlos Hernandez and Mingo were arrested for cultivation of marijuana, possession of marijuana for sale, unauthorized possession of marijuana and conspiracy, Brooks said. Potts was arrested for resisting arrest and trespassing.
All of those arrested were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Virgen was arrested for trespassing and released on a citation, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be contacted through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An early morning vehicle pursuit on Thursday resulted in the arrest of a Kelseyville man.
Jesus Primitivo Lopez, 36, was arrested for evading a peace officer with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property, violation of his post release community supervision terms and driving on a suspended license, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
At 12:15 a.m. Thursday a Lake County Sheriff’s deputy was traveling southbound on Highway 29 when he noticed a beige colored Nissan Maxima sedan directly in front of him, which was also southbound, according to Brooks.
As the vehicles approached the intersection of Highway 29 and Highway 175, the Nissan entered the left turn lane and stopped for the red light. The deputy noticed that the brake lamps of the vehicle did not illuminate when it came to a stop, which is a violation of the California Vehicle Code, said Brooks.
When the light turned green, the vehicle started to make a left turn through the intersection. Brooks said the deputy activated his forward facing red light to conduct an enforcement stop.
The vehicle stopped at the posted stop sign at the intersection of Highway 175 and Soda Bay Road and turned right onto Soda Bay Road. Brooks said the deputy activated all of the emergency overhead lights and the siren of his vehicle.
The vehicle entered the parking lot of Jack in the Box, slowed down and then quickly accelerated through the parking lot at speeds in excess of 15 miles per hour, Brooks said. The deputy reported there were several people standing in the parking lot as the vehicle traveled through at an unsafe speed.
Brooks said the vehicle entered Soda Bay Road traveling southbound. The vehicle accelerated to speeds in excess of 75 miles per hour in a marked 35-mile-per-hour zone. The vehicle also traveled over the marked double yellow lines several times as the driver attempted to evade the deputy.
During the pursuit two deputies had positioned themselves in the area of Soda Bay Road and Osprey Court in Lakeport. Brooks said the deputies deployed a spike strip in an attempt to safely disable the tires of the vehicle. The suspect vehicle drove over the spike strip disabling all four tires.
The vehicle continued at approximately 65 miles per hour in a marked 45-mile-per-hour zone in a residential area that also is the primary entrance to Konocti Vista Casino, Brooks said.
He said the vehicle's driver attempted to turn left onto Mission Rancheria Road but lost control due to the high rate of speed and disabled tires.
The vehicle hit a fence and a tree located in the front yard of a residence. The deputy was able to take the driver, Jesus Lopez, into custody without further incident, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the deputy reported that Lopez drove with complete disregard for the safety of other potential motorists, pedestrians and residents in and around the roadway where the incident took place. Due to Lopez’s disregard for safety, the pursuit resulted with his vehicle colliding with a property fence line, approximately 15 feet away from a residence.
The collision did not result in any injuries, Brooks said.
Because Lopez is a state prison parolee who is alleged to have violated his post release community supervision terms – he was released by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, with Lake County Probation assigned to supervise him – he is being held without bail, according to jail records.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Expected triple digit temperatures, low humidity and breezy winds have elevated the fire danger over the next several days, prompting Cal Fire to increase its staffing across many parts of Northern California.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning due to the heightened fire danger that began Friday afternoon and is expected to last through Saturday evening for parts of Shasta, Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Lake and Colusa counties.
On Sunday in the higher country, dry thunderstorms and lightning are possible in the Northern, Central and Eastern Sierra Nevadas.
With the increased potential for new fires, Cal Fire has brought on additional firefighters to staff extra equipment during the high risk days.
“While we are hoping we can make it through the next couple of days with minimal fire activity, we are prepared to respond if Mother Nature doesn’t agree,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “With approximately 94 percent of our wildfires being human caused, we are strongly urging the public to be extra careful and to take the proper steps to prevent wildfires.”
Since Jan. 1, Cal Fire has responded to more than 2,100 wildfires across California that have charred over 50,000 acres.
Fire activity remains significantly higher than average; typically by this time of year Cal Fire would have responded to only about 1,100 wildfires with 8,000 acres burned.
During the red flag warning, Cal Fire urges all Californians to exercise extreme caution outdoors in order to prevent wildfires. A few helpful reminders and fire prevention tips include:
Don’t mow or weed eat dry grass on windy days;
Ensure campfires are allowed, and if so, be sure to extinguish them completely;
Never pull your vehicle over in dry grass;
Never burn landscape debris like leaves or branches on NO Burn Days or when it’s windy;
Make sure all portable gasoline-powered equipment have spark arresters.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Along with more than 35,000 radio amateurs in the United States and Canada, ham radio operators in Lake County will participate in ARRL Field Day, an annual event that showcases the hobby.
From 11 a.m. Saturday, June 22, until 11 a.m. Sunday, June 23, local hams will gather in the parking lot of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Visitor’s Center at George Hoberg’s Vista Point in Lakeport.
Members of the public are invited to stop by for demonstrations of radio communications and learn about what ham radio does for Lake County.
Local ham radio operator Jim Plank, also a Red Cross volunteer, encourages anyone interested to “Come find out how to communicate without a cell phone or the Internet.”
Knowledgeable local radio operators will be available to talk about and demonstrate various aspects of amateur radio including Morse code, use of local radio repeaters, long-distance communications using high frequency (HF) radios and newer options that combine radio and internet technologies.
ARRL Field Day is organized by the American Radio Relay League, a national organization comprised of more than 150,000 amateur radio operators.
This annual event is an opportunity for amateur radio operators to socialize, participate in contests to make as many over-the-air contacts as they can, and to share their hobby with others.
Amateur radio, often called “ham radio,” has been in existence for a century. On a day-to-day basis, it serves as an enjoyable hobby that combines technical skills with social networking.
Those skills are put to work on a regular basis to support bike races, walk-a-thons and other public events. Following disasters, ham radio communications play a critical role in emergency response.
Before getting on the air, radio operators must pass a written test and be licensed by the Federal Communications Commission.
Although referred to as “amateur,” hams must follow strict rules for use of the air waves and, with experience, they gain high levels of proficiency in the set up and use of radio equipment.
The hobby provides lifelong learning opportunities starting in children as young as 8 years of age and includes people from all walks of life.
There are 373 licensed hams listed as having Lake County addresses.
The Lake County Amateur Radio Society and the Nice Amateur Radio Club meet regularly, conduct frequent local activities, and welcome interested guests and new members.
LUCERNE, Calif. – A project to improve water flow and stop seasonal flooding of a Lucerne creek is under way.
The Victoria Drainage Channelization and Culvert Upgrade project began this week on Victoria Street in Lucerne.
According to the county's project description, the work to be done includes reshaping and excavating approximately 1,000 cubic yards over 675 linear feet of drainage channel and replacing two culvert crossings with Contech con/span structures with headwalls.
The project so far has involved removing a part of the street and a small bridge and culvert.
The end of Victoria Street that intersects with Country Club Drive will be closed until July, according to Steve Phillips, a Lake County Public Works construction engineer.
The area along what's known as Victoria Creek, where it intersects with Victoria Street and Kensington Way, has been known to flood during the winter rainy seasons, with water pooling in the streets.
The flooding was particularly bad on New Year's of 2006, causing concerns for nearby homeowners.
“It builds up with gravel, mainly because the flow capacity of the existing culvert structures were too small, so we' re upsizing the culvert size at Victoria Street and also Kensington Way,” said Phillips.
Increasing the culvert size is expected to mitigate flooding problems, said Phillips.
Because the county is performing a hazard grant mitigation project at the site, the Federal Emergency Management Agency gave the county grant funding to cover the work, according to Phillips.
Phillips said the total project cost currently is estimated at $262,000, which he said is paid for entirely by the FEMA grant.
“The construction should be completed by the end of July,” said Phillips.
Next Monday, Phillips said, demolition of a portion of street around the existing culvert on Kensington Way will take place.
Concrete for the footings for the new culvert on Victoria Street will be poured on Friday, he said.
Phillips said the county has already extracted gravel upstream of the Victoria Street crossing, and the contractor on the project, Bouthillier's Construction Inc., will conduct gravel extraction from the Victoria crossing down to Country Club as part of the project, Phillips said.
Bouthillier's Construction Inc., based in Willits, submitted the winning bid for the project last year, according to county records.
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.
California has enacted a new statutory exclusion from change in ownership for local tax assessments that protects certain cotenants (co-owners) from reassessment at the death of a cotenant.
Real property that has been held for a long time is often taxed at a lower value than it would be if its value was reassessed to its current value.
Let us examine the new exclusion, how it fits in with other exclusions, and what it all means
The new exclusion – applicable at the death of a cotenant – protects two cotenants who together own 100 percent of the property, either as tenants in common or as joint tenants provided all the following additional conditions also apply:
both cotenants must be owners of record for the one year period preceding the death;
the property must have been the principal residence of both cotenants for the same 1 year period;
the surviving tenant must obtain 100 percent ownership at the death of the other cotenant; and
the surviving cotenant must sign an affidavit that he/she continuously resided at the residence as his/her principal residence for the 1 year period preceding the other cotenant’s death.
The foregoing exclusion is clearly most relevant to unmarried persons living together who are not registered domestic partners. It also has some application to some siblings who live at home together.
The new co-tenancy exclusion has overlap with the existing joint tenancy exclusion rules that apply at the death of a joint tenant in the following situations:
where the joint tenancy was created by transferring ownership from the same persons as tenants in common to themselves as joint tenants; and
where a spouse or registered domestic partner of an existing joint tenant was added to the joint tenancy; provided that the original joint tenant (whose spouse or partner was added) also remained on title as a joint tenant.
The foregoing joint tenancy exclusions are useful for a wider variety of transfers than the new exclusion (although there is overlap) to which the frequently used interspousal exclusion, the parent to child exclusion or the narrower grand-parent to grand-child exclusion do not apply.
Both rules have application to certain real property transfers between siblings, between aunts & uncles and nieces & nephews, between co-habiting unmarried persons (who are not registered domestic partners), and between other co-owners who are not married to each other.
Let us illustrate each of the foregoing exclusions from reassessment using hypothetical examples.
First, consider two siblings who inherit their parents’ home as tenants in common of record and who each continue to reside together at the home.
The new cotenancy exclusion would apply when the first sibling dies provided they had each lived at the residence for the 1 year period immediately preceding the first sibling’s death.
Then, if the surviving sibling was married or had child and later dies leaving the residence to these persons, the interspousal or parent-child exclusions apply, as relevant.
Second, take the same hypothetical but now say that one sibling does not reside there for the required period. In that case, if the siblings transfer title from themselves as cotenants in common to themselves as joint tenants – perhaps adding their respective spouses and/or registered domestic partners as joint tenants – then the death of the first joint tenant will not trigger a reassessment.
That however, also means that the surviving joint tenant(s) inherit(s) complete ownership of the residence.
Clearly that is not the typical result desired by most persons involved that type of co-ownership situation who usually want to leave their share to their children.
The foregoing rules each have their own nuances that are beyond the scope of this article. Before proceeding to rely on any exclusion consult with a qualified advisor.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-263-3235. Visit his Web site at www.dennisfordhamlaw.com .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – If you like it hot, you are going to love the weather beginning Friday and throughout the weekend, as temperatures climb to record (or near record) highs above 100 degrees.
The frost and rain of the recent Memorial Day weekend seem far behind as the late summer-like temperatures of this week spike even higher Friday and Saturday, according to Western Weather Group Lake County.
With the expected light northernly winds Friday, temperatures in most locations are expected to top out well above 100 degrees, and reach even higher in the warmest locations on Saturday.
Forecasters are calling for daytime temperatures in the warmest locations to reach 110 degrees, with other locations around the county 100 to 108 degrees.
Valley areas with the highest daytime temperatures are predicted to cool off the most overnight, with lows in the 50s, while higher terrains will only cool in to the 60s or near 70.
Sunday will cool off a few degrees, but many areas will still reach the century mark or the high-90s.
A cooling trend will begin on Monday, as temperatures decrease back into the low 90s and upper 80s with a nearly 20-degree dip in daytime high temperatures. Overnight temperatures will again near 50 degrees.
Current forecast models are mixed at this point for how long the cooling trend will last next week, but at this point, temperatures should start inching back up beginning on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Sacramento has issued a special weather statement for this weekend, and wants to encourage everyone to complete all outdoor activities in the morning if at all possible.
Those who are sensitive to the heat – including the elderly and small children – should limit their exposure to the hot weather.
As a reminder, it is illegal to leave pets unattended in vehicles, even with the windows rolled down. If you find your pet missing that you had left in your vehicle, a caring person may have called or taken it to Lake County Animal Care and Control.
The National Weather Service also reminds people to keep livestock, pets, and plants cool and hydrated, as all are susceptible to death at these extreme temperatures.
Email Terre Logsdon at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Representatives of agencies from one end of Lake County to the other assembled late last month to draft a mission statement for a coalition to serve local youth.
Their meeting at The Harbor on Main on Lower Lake's Main Street is envisioned as the first link in the formation of a youth organization that will serve as both the advisory committee to Harbor on Main as well as an advocacy and planning youth coalition with active youth participation.
The Harbor on Main, an affiliate of Redwood Children's Services Inc., only recently celebrated its first year in operation. But it has made exceptional progress in that time under Redwood Children’s Services' Program Coordinator Jolene Chappel's direction.
The youth-led and designed resource center lists Lake County Behavioral Health, Lake County Office of Education, Department of Rehabilitation, Carlé Continuation High School and Yuba College as partners.
“The formation of this youth coalition will afford us the opportunity for systems expansion within the county,” Chappel said in a written welcoming statement to the representatives in attendance. “You are being invited because of your expertise as a youth provider and/or youth advocate.”
The meeting was perhaps the first on a countywide basis to bring a majority of youth providers and advocates together in one conference room to unite in a common cause
In addition to Chappel, those present included Ida D. Morrison and Aimee Jackson, both members of the Executive Council of the Habematolel Pomo of Upper Lake; Brian Martin, assistant chief of Lake County Probation; Valerie Mick of the Lake County Department of Social Services; Carolyn Holladay of Lake County Public Health; Jamey Gill of Mendo Lake Credit Union; Linda Aldridge of Lake County Behavioral Health; and Nura Brown, who represented the youth.
“I'm excited. I knew this needed to happen to address more individuals from different agencies locally and coming up with a plan,” said Mick.
The formation of a coalition, said Chappel, will help the center expand its services for youth throughout the county. The center served 200 predominantly south county youth in its first year.
“It's good for youth on the Southshore, but youth on the Northshore can't get here as easily,” Chappel said. “We don't have answers for transportation. So there's currently a lack of knowledge of what's going on and what services are available or where we're lacking. The goal is to oversee the activities that we do in the The Harbor and recommend changes or increase services.
“Right now we only serve a small portion of the youth, but we appeal to all the youth in the community and we're all here together to make that happen,” she added. “What I want to see is an increase of youth served through any youth-serving program, and I also want to see the self-sufficiency and the resiliency of the youth throughout the community increased.”
The purpose of the coalition, Chappel said, is to determine “how we can collaborate to expand programs for youth in the community.”
The agencies involved in the formation of the coalition are scheduled to meet again on Friday, Aug. 23, at The Harbor on Main to finalize their mission statement.
They agreed that the document they adopt must cover “recovery, prevention and self-sufficiency for youth.”
Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .