LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) reported that his office has recouped more than $1.6 million owed to residents of the Fifth Congressional District by federal agencies in 2016, including money that was for Lake County residents.

“Providing first-rate constituent services has always been a top priority,” said Thompson. “I’m proud to announce that my office has been able to help residents of our Congressional District recoup over $1.6 million owed to them by federal agencies like the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs among others, including over $23,700 for Lake County residents.”

He added, “If you ever encounter any trouble with a federal agency, please contact my Napa District Office. We’re here to help.”

After receiving assistance with the IRS from Thompson’s office, Barbara and Dave Galvan of Cobb, said: “After waiting for nearly a year for our amended tax return refund we contacted Mike Thompson's office. A week or so later we were notified that our refund would arrive the following week, which it did. It feels great to receive the assistance we're looking for when we contact Mr. Thompson's office. He and his staff are sincere and care about our needs.”

Thompson can assist individuals, nonprofits and businesses in our Fifth Congressional District to navigate and resolve issues with federal agencies, including: the Social Security Administration (SSA); the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA); the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA); U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS); the Department of State; the Office of Personnel Management (OPM); the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD); the Department of Labor (DOL); the Department of Education; the Department of Defense (DOD); and the U.S. Postal Service (USPS).

Thompson helps constituents resolve a wide variety of issues with the above mentioned federal agencies, including issues related to veterans’ benefits; Social Security and Medicare benefits; immigration; passport and visa issues; IRS and tax-related issues; small business concerns; students loans; HUD housing issues; disaster assistance; and USPS issues.

In Lake County, Thompson helped constituents recoup more than $19,600 from the IRS in the form of delayed refund checks and over $4,050 from FEMA in the form of disaster assistance.

To inquire about whether or not Thompson’s office may be able to assist you or a family member, contact his Napa District Office at 707-226-9898 or send an email via this link.

All constituents will be asked to complete an advocacy authorization form before Thompson’s staff inquires with an agency on his or her behalf.

Please note that while Thompson’s office cannot guarantee a particular outcome, his staff does their best to ensure that constituents receive a fair and timely response from the agency in question. Thompson’s office is unable to offer legal advice or recommend an attorney.

Thompson represent California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

The State Water Resources Control Board announced that urban Californians’ monthly water conservation was 18.3 percent in September, up from 17.5 percent in August but below the 26.2 percent savings in September 2015, when state-mandated conservation targets were in place.

The State Water Board stressed the need for continued conservation as California heads into a possible sixth drought year.

The cumulative statewide savings from June 2015 through September 2016 was 23 percent, compared with the same months in 2013. Since June 2015, 2.15 million acre-feet of water has been saved – enough water to supply more than 10 million people, or more than one-quarter the state’s 38 million
population, for a year.

Although October storms in Northern California provided an encouraging start to the 2016-2017 water year (Oct. 1, 2016 – Sept. 30, 2017), planning for the possibility of another dry winter is essential.

The State Water Board will continue to monitor conservation levels and water supply conditions, and staff will develop a proposal for extended emergency conservation regulations in January 2017. The proposal may include a return to state-mandated conservation if dry conditions prevail.

“I am glad to see the slide stop, and even reverse a bit overall, especially as we move into traditionally lower water-use months when we would expect percentages to drop significantly,” said State Water Board Chair Felicia Marcus. “Overall, we’re happy to see millions of Californians and many water agencies continue significant conservation. Conversely, we're concerned to see some agencies return to using hundreds of gallons per person per day while saving little. Whether it’s because we know we don’t know what the weather will bring this season, or because it is just the smart thing to do, we need to keep conserving.”

“The early rains are very welcome, and we’ll take every drop we can safely handle. But just because we're ahead in the early innings doesn't mean that we've won the game,” Chair Marcus said. “Considering that the majority of precipitation typically occurs between January and April in any given water year, we have a long way to go before we know whether we’ll make another significant dent in the drought.”

Conservation data

• Statewide water savings for September 2016 was 18.3 percent (116,703 acre feet or 38.0 billion gallons), an increase from August 2016’s 17.5 percent savings, but a decrease from September 2015’s 26.2 percent statewide savings (55.9 billion gallons). September 2016 water savings are 32 percent lower than September 2015.

• Cumulative statewide water savings for June 2015 to September 2016 (16 months) was 23.0 percent, compared with the same months in 2013. That equates to 2,145,241 acre-feet (699 billion gallons).

• Statewide average per person water use for September 2016 was 105.9 residential gallons per capita per day (R-GPCD), below the 113.7 R-GPCD in August 2016 but above 96.9 R-GPCD reported for September 2015.

Conservation levels have remained significant for many communities that had certified that they did not need state-imposed mandates to keep conserving.

Under the board’s revised emergency water conservation regulations, urban water agencies have the ability to identify their own conservation standards based on a “stress test” of supply reliability.

Water suppliers had to document that they have sufficient supplies to withstand three years of continuous drought or take additional measures that include state-imposed mandatory conservation standards. The regulation is in effect through January 2017.

In September, more than a third of the suppliers that passed their stress test achieved conservation savings above 20 percent.

These 132 suppliers serve more than nine million people, and include Sacramento, California Water Service Company Bakersfield, Otay Water District, San Gabriel Valley Fontana Water Company, Cucamonga Valley Water District, Contra Costa Water District, Sweetwater Authority, Suburban Water Systems San Jose Hills, Garden Grove, Santa Margarita Water District and Pomona.

Additionally, many water suppliers showed September 2016 conservation levels above September 2015 levels, including California Water Service Company King City, Wasco, Westborough Water District, Santa Barbara, Blythe, La Habra, Goleta Water District, Coalinga and Benicia.

Conservation plunges for some suppliers

However, not all suppliers are sustaining significant conservation.

State Water Board staff continues to look at why conservation levels have dropped in these communities, and is particularly concerned about suppliers with extremely high levels of per-capita water use.

Suppliers with high R-GPCD levels and sharp reductions in conservation include San Juan Water District, Vaughn Water Company, Myoma Dunes Mutual Water Co., Valley Water Co., Folsom and LA County Waterworks District 29 (Malibu).

One question for the board is whether these suppliers need assistance to comply with SB 814(Hill), which takes effect Jan. 1, 2017.
 
The new law requires urban water suppliers to establish financial penalties for excess water use during droughts. Suppliers can either create excess use ordinances with defined penalty amounts, or they can adopt rate structures that charge their highest users more during drought emergencies.

Some communities continue to maintain low overall per capita residential water use, which may not be reflected in percentage change, but illustrates a long-term commitment to efficient water use.

For instance, Eureka, city of Big Bear Lake, Estero Municipal Improvement District, Arcata,Daly City, South Gate, Paramount and McKinleyville Community Service District are examples of communities saving less than 10 percent in September 2016, yet the daily per capita use isalready well below what a city in the Sacramento Region may be using on a daily basis.
 
The current conservation regulation, adopted in May, is part of a wider effort to build on short-term, emergency water restrictions to establish permanent conservation measures that improve long-term drought preparedness and eliminate the worst water-wasting practices. These actions will help achieve a top priority of the state’s Water Action Plan – to “Make Conservation a California Way of Life.”

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A man died on Monday after his pickup went off of Highway 29 near Lakeport and overturned.

The man was identified as 35-year-old Michael Valente Kallay, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Brooks said Kallay was reported to have been living in Richmond but also had a Clearlake address.

The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office said the crash that claimed Kallay's life occurred on Monday when conditions were rainy and overcast, but the time of it was unknown.

The CHP said Kallay was driving a 2001 Ford Ranger northbound on Highway 29 north of Lakeport Boulevard at an undetermined speed when, for unknown reasons, he allowed the pickup to leave the roadway and travel across the highway's paved shoulder.

The pickup continued off the right paved shoulder and went down a steep dirt embankment where it rolled over multiple times, the CHP said.

Kallay was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the wreck and sustained fatal injuries, according to the CHP's Tuesday report.

The pickup came to rest in an area that was not visible from Highway 29, the CHP said.

The CHP said that at approximately 11:44 a.m. Monday, workers at a nearby business establishment observed the pickup and called 911.

The investigation into the cause of the crash is ongoing and is being led by Officer Greg Buchholz.

Anyone with information about the wreck is asked to call the CHP's Clear Lake Area office at 707-279-0103.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Quilt block No. 100 on the Lake County Quilt Trail has been installed at the Mendocino College Lake Center, located at 2565 Parallel Drive in Lakeport.

Sponsored by the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, the original design, “Pathfinder,” was modified to incorporate the blue and yellow-gold colors of the college, as well as the eagle logo specific to the Mendocino College Foundation. 

The 8-foot by 8-foot block is mounted on a steel frame at the entrance to the campus quad.

The Lake County Friends of Mendocino College design committee selected the “Pathfinder” theme as being well-suited for the principal mission of Mendocino College: helping students of all ages and backgrounds find their path to personal, educational and career success.

The sponsoring Friends, an affiliate of the Mendocino College Foundation Inc., expect the quilt to be an inspiration to all who see it to achieve their goals, and to the public who may be inquisitive about it and visit the Lake Center campus.

The project received support from the Mendocino College Board of Trustees, college administration and governing committees and the Foundation board of directors.

The Friends acknowledge Kerrie Hershey of Kerrie’s Quilts, Quilt Trail artists Gerri Groody, Annette Higday and Carol Maxwell, and Darrell Davis and his crew from Davis Fabrication and Ornamental Designs for their invaluable help.

Mendocino College Lake Center has grown from its beginnings on Main Street in Lakeport (with classes also held at Lake County high schools); to a larger classroom building on Parallel Drive; to its present expansive campus which opened in January 2013 with local taxpayers’ support.

The Lake County Quilt Trail, an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride, is a group of dedicated volunteer quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers, carpenters and a videographer. 

For more information about the LCQT, visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or see the group’s Facebook page.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A threat aimed at Middletown High School students that was posted on social media led to an investigation by authorities and caused hundreds of concerned parents to keep their children home from school on Halloween day.

Middletown Unified Superintendent Catherine Stone said a former Middletown High student made the threat against the school over the weekend.

The threat, a copy of which Lake County News obtained, was posted on Instagram on Saturday. In it, the former student threatened that he was coming back “to murder all of you.”

“Another student saw it on social media and notified the school staff,” Stone said.

Stone said Middletown High Principal Bill Roderick was notified of the issue, and he then contacted her. After discussing it, Stone said they immediately contacted the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

The Lake County Sheriff's Office worked with a police department in Sonoma County where the former student now lives to make contact with the teen and evaluate him, said Lt. Steve Brooks.

Police concluded that the teen’s posting was not a credible threat, Brooks said.

Just before 11 a.m. on Sunday, parents received the following message via phone and email from the Middletown High School administration:

“Late Saturday night a threat was posted towards students at Middletown High School on a social media website. Although not specific, law enforcement was immediately notified. At 4 a.m. Sunday morning, law enforcement notified administration that the threat had been addressed. We take all of these situations very seriously, and student safety is and always will be our top priority. With this, please be advised that students are not to wear any masks to school on Halloween.”

A followup message sent to parents Sunday afternoon stated, “At the request of the Lake County Sheriff's Office, please do not contact dispatch with questions regarding student safety in regards to the social media threat, they are aware of the situation. School is in regular session on Monday morning and the safety of our students is the highest priority.”

After families were notified of the situation on Sunday, discussions that appeared on Facebook amongst parents indicated that they felt they had not been given enough information, and many didn't believe that school was a safe place for their children to be on Monday.

To help ease fears about the situation, Brooks said Undersheriff Chris Macedo, along with a lieutenant and a deputy, were on campus on Monday.

On his Facebook page, Sheriff Brian Martin also answered questions from community members about the threat, reassuring them that law enforcement would be on hand for Monday’s school session and adding that his office was not recommending keeping students out of school.

However, because of the concerns the threat raised, a large number of students stayed away from school on Halloween day, said Stone.

She said 170 of Middletown High's 450 students were not at school on Monday. Other school sites did not see large absences because they had not been targeted by the threat.

A parent who spoke to Lake County News but did not want to be named publicly said she chose to keep her child home because the message from the high school was so vague that it raised more questions. She questioned why school wasn't simply canceled altogether for the day, as the district has emergency days banked.

Additionally, she said she and other parents were concerned because of reports circulating that the former student who had made the threat had been seen in Middletown on Sunday.

She said she would have had a different view of the situation had the school communicated on Sunday that there would be a law enforcement presence on campus, and if the school had offered more details about the steps taken to protect students.

Stone said some parents had called “but not that many.”

She added, “We've been very assertively communicating with parents about what we knew and what concerns we had,” with the goal of giving parents every opportunity to make the best decisions for their families.

For the students who were at the high school on Monday and in costume, they had to observe a “no masks” policy that has been in effect for some time and is common in other districts, said Stone.

“Especially in the recent era of threats toward high schools, you always want to be able to see people's face,” she said.

The only new thing added this year, said Stone, was a “no clowns” policy due to stories circulating around the country over the last several months regarding a spike in creepy clown sightings.

As for what steps are being taken going forward with regard to this recent incident, “The former student was advised to stay away from the high school campus,” said Stone.

Brooks added that it was his understanding that Middletown High School was seeking a restraining order against the former student who had made the threat.

Stone said that there is no school on Tuesday, which already had been planned as a school holiday for students and an in-service day for teachers.

In responding to criticism of how the situation was handled, officials indicated they were trying to strike the difficult balance between informing concerned parents and observing privacy rules that protect juveniles.

Both Stone and Brooks acknowledged that many details about the threat and investigation couldn't be detailed publicly because they involve a juvenile, who has confidentiality protections under the law.

“We'll share what we can but there's a limit on it,” said Stone, adding that the district is both diligent and careful in handling such delicate situations while addressing parents’ concerns.

She expects students to be back in school as usual on Wednesday.

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.