CAFWA 12/2016 FINAL from RCRC on Vimeo.

An unprecedented, urban-rural coalition representing water interests, local government, the conservation community, agriculture, and the forestry sector has formed to advance proactive, science-based, and ecologically sound forest management practices.

The California Forest Watershed Alliance (CAFWA) supports policies and practices that promote healthy forests that are more resilient to drought, wildfire and climate change.
 
Knowing that 60 percent of California’s water supply originates in the Sierra Nevada, the alliance has coalesced around a set of proactive priorities to help protect California’s forested watersheds, and outlined them in the educational video above.

Five years of record drought have led to a year-round wildfire season in California, with wildfires increasing in both size and severity.

Megafires, like the Rim fire and King fire, degrade wildlife habitat, release tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, threaten water supply, and put lives and communities at serious risk.
 
The more than 100 million dead trees from insects and disease in the Sierra Nevada have further degraded forest health, wildlife habitat, and carbon storage – a function of the drought and unhealthy, overcrowded forest conditions.
 
“California’s water supply depends upon healthy forests and healthy watersheds,” said Tim Quinn, Executive Director of the Association of California Water Agencies. “By proactively managing our forests, we can safeguard our water supply by reducing the risk of damaging megafires.”
 
“California’s wildfires are getting larger, hotter, and more destructive, posing a serious threat to wildlife habitat and natural values,” said David Edelson, Sierra Nevada project director for The Nature Conservancy. “That is why we are partnering with water utilities, rural counties, and the forestry sector to promote ecologically-based management of our forests and watersheds.”
 
“Our forests provide us with a multitude of benefits, including clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat, recreation and economic opportunities,” David Bischel, President of the California Forestry Association. “If we can proactively manage our forests, it will protect all of those environmental and economic values we rely on.”
 
Without a major change in forest management, vast swaths of forests will continue to be lost, impacting the natural resources that residents throughout the state rely upon,” said Paul Wenger, president of the California Farm Bureau Federation. “It’s time that we come together to solve the crisis in our forests, and having a diverse group of interests working to restore our forests to healthier conditions for the long term is an idea everyone should support.”
 
“Static management practices, coupled with drier, hotter conditions, have created unhealthy, highly flammable forests, resulting in large, destructive, and difficult to control megafires,” said Justin Caporusso, vice president of external affairs for the Rural County Representatives of California. “Fortunately, there are better ways to manage our forests to reverse this trend and restore them to health. CAFWA’s collaborative effort seeks to bring attention to forest management practices that will protect our water, energy, environment, and economy. ”
 
CAFWA’s policy platform includes increasing the pace and scale of ecologically-based forest management, increasing the funding for forest thinning and wildfire prevention efforts, increasing the geographic scope of forest management to address problems at a landscape scale, and making economic use of the byproducts of ecologically-based forest thinning through the use of biomass.
 
For more information visit www.caforestsandwatersheds.org .

WASHINGTON, DC – The Department of Veterans Affairs announced exemptions to the federal hiring freeze in the president’s memo dated Jan. 23.

The authorities outlined in the president’s memo provide VA the ability to continue filling essential positions that provide public safety services to veterans.

“We strongly believe that these exemptions are in line with the President’s intent,” the VA said in its statement.

“The Department of Veterans Affairs intends to exempt anyone it deems necessary for public health and safety, including frontline caregivers,” Acting Veterans Affairs Secretary Robert Snyder said. “The President and VA remain committed to seeing that our Veterans receive the quality care and benefits they’ve earned. This is the right thing to do for our Veterans.”

The memorandum is available for viewing here.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – To some readers this question may come across as silly: When is the best time to put in your garden?

They may think it's May; isn’t that the universal put-in-your-garden month?

Well, it depends. If you are somebody whose idea of a vegetable garden is a few tomato plants, some zucchini, a patch of sweet corn and maybe a couple of peppers, then yes, you can purchase those plants in May, “put them in” and you’ll probably get some decent return on your investment, provided you keep the critters away from them and provide regular irrigation.

The same is true for an ornamental garden consisting mostly of blooming annuals.

Anyone who wants to grow a broader spectrum of plants or is not happy with just the standard varieties of tomatoes, squash or bedding plants offered at local nurseries, will soon find out, however, that there is hardly a month when it isn’t time to start from seed, transplant or otherwise propagate something.

Trees, for instance, especially bare root ones, are best planted anytime from late fall until at the latest January or February. 

The same is true for all native perennials, which are crucial in providing habitat to beneficial insects.

Planting during the dormant season gives them time to establish a good root system, enhanced by mycorrhizae, so they can survive our often brutally hot and dry summers without requiring constant “emergency hand watering” in summer.

If you like to eat home-grown broccoli, cauliflower or cabbage, May or June are definitely the wrong time to put those in. They need to be started from seed either in mid to late January and transplanted out in late February to early March.

They also can be grown as a fall or winter crop here. In that case you would start them in the beginning of August for a harvest at around Thanksgiving and beyond.

Mid-February is the best time to seed your peppers and eggplants indoors for transplanting out in May, because they grow much slower than tomatoes and take longer to fruit.

Tomatoes can be seeded in March and be ready for transplanting outside in May.

This is also a good time to direct seed carrots and beets in loose, deeply cultivated growing medium.

The rocky clay soils typical for most areas of Lake County are ill-suited for growing those crops.

If you like the idea of eating homegrown veggies other than tomatoes and want to ensure optimal pollination, but think that this is all too complicated for you, let UC Master Gardeners help you get a head start on your garden this year.

Join them on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 10 a.m. for “Planting for Beneficial Insects” and at 12:30 p.m. for “Starting Seeds of Vegetables and Flowers.”

Both classes will be held at the Agricultural Center on 883 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport.

Everyone attending the seed starting class will get to take home their seeded growing container.

The Master Gardeners will have their “Lake County Vegetable Garden Guide” hot off the press, as well as the just-published “Lake County Ornamental Garden Guide” for sale as well.

The class fee is $ 5 but will be waived, if you purchase a garden guide.

Please call 707-2636838 if you have questions and to RSVP.

A series of major winter storms in the beginning of 2017 have caused flooding, evacuations, road closures and mudslides throughout Northern and Central California and Nevada. This flooding has affected hundreds of homes.
 
More rain may be coming, but after the waters recede, residents will be looking to repair. BBB offers the following six tips when recovering from a flood:
 
· Find a business you can trust. In 2015, BBB received hundreds of complaints about remodel and repair contractors nationwide. The top reason for complaints? Issues with contracts, followed closely by problems with repairs. Start your search for a trustworthy business at bbb.org. BBB Business Profiles include company information, customer reviews and complaint history. Or, visit the BBB Accredited Business Directory for a list of accredited contractors in your area. It’s also a good idea to ask for recommendations from family and friends.

· Get at least three estimates. Make sure to get three written estimates before signing any contracts. Make sure the estimates are for identical plans and scope of work. It’s not always best to accept the lowest bid, and be wary if one estimate is significantly lower than the others.

· Get a written contract and don’t pay in advance. Make sure the contract specifies the price, the work to be done and who will do it, a breakdown of material and labor costs, the amount of liability insurance coverage maintained by the contractor, a time frame and a copy of their current certificate of insurance. Any promises made orally should be written into the contract, including warranties on materials or labor. Be sure their name, address, license number and phone number is included in contract. Read and understand the contract in its entirety. Don’t sign a blank contract, and make sure to receive a copy of the signed contract at time of signature. Be sure the contract specifies the schedule for releasing payments to the contractor. Don’t feel pressured to pay with cash or pay in advance.

· Resist high-pressure sales and be careful of door-to-door contractors. Some storm chasers use tactics such as the “good deal” you’ll get only if you hire the contractor on the spot. Be proactive in selecting a contractor and not reactive to sales calls on the phone or door-to-door pitches. Disaster victims should never feel forced to make a hasty repair decision. If someone does show up at your door, ask for identification. Many municipalities require a solicitation permit if sales people go door-to-door. Check their vehicle for a business name, phone number, and license plates from your state.

· Make sure they’re licensed and insured. In California, any contractor working on a project that is valued at $500 or more for labor and materials must hold a license from the California State License Board (CSLB). CSLB licenses contractors in 43 different classifications, so verify that the contractor holds a license for the work you are having done. This is especially important if the company claims they are able to remove mold and mildew. You can check the status of a license on CSLB’s website (cslb.ca.gov). The CSLB also recommends that “when the contractor comes to your house… ask to see his/her pocket license, along with a picture I.D. Make sure the person you're dealing with is the same person on the license”. It’s also important to verify that they’re insured – ask to see a copy of their Certificate of Insurance, or ask for the name of the insurance carrier and agency to verify independently.

· Know how to deal with your insurance. Flood insurance is not necessarily part of your home insurance. If you do have flood insurance, call your insurance agent immediately to file a claim. Ask for specific procedures or paperwork needed. If possible, take photos of the damage.

If you do have an issue with a contractor, you can file a complaint with your BBB at www.bbb.org . If you encounter a storm chaser scam, report it to BBB Scam Tracker at www.bbb.org/scamtracker .

Rebecca Harpster works for the Better Business Bureau serving the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern Coastal California.

SACRAMENTO – This week Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. declared a state of emergency in most counties throughout California in response to a series of severe storms that swept through the state.

The Contractors State License Board, or CSLB, reminds homeowners to take the proper steps before hiring a contractor to work on their home, and warns unlicensed contractors that with the declaration come stronger potential penalties.

Flood victims should do their research and be aware of construction laws so they don’t become victims a second time.

The first step is hiring a licensed contractor. It is against California law to contract for home improvement or construction jobs, from debris removal to rebuilding, valued at $500 or more in combined labor and material costs without a state-issued contractor license.

CSLB is also reminding contractors that they must hold a valid license with CSLB, in the appropriate classification, in order to perform most work on homes and other structures damaged by the recent California flooding and mudslides.

It is illegal and punishable as a felony to perform contracting work in a declared disaster area without a California contractor license. Punishment may include up to 16 months in state prison or a fine of up to $10,000.

“While many homeowners are eager to get storm damages repaired, we’d encourage them to be sure to do their homework,” said CSLB Registrar Cindi Christenson. “Taking a few minutes to check the CSLB website for a license, required insurance, and other information, could save you from becoming a victim of someone trying to take advantage of the situation.”

To become licensed, a contractor must pass a licensing examination, verify at least four years of journey-level experience, carry a license bond, and pass a criminal background check.

A contractor’s license can be verified on CSLB's Web site to see if it is active and in the correct classification for the work to be done.

You can also check for legal complaints, the correct business name and address, and workers' compensation insurance coverage for employees.

CSLB urges consumers to follow these tips when dealing with a building contractor:

• Hire only California state-licensed contractors and ask to see the license.
• Verify the contractor's license with CSLB online or by calling toll-free at 1-800-321-CSLB (2752).
• Don't rush into decisions and don't hire the first contractor who comes along.
• Get three bids, check references, and get a written contract.
• Don't pay more than 10 percent down or $1,000 – whichever is less.
• Don't pay cash, and don't let the payments get ahead of the work.
• Contact CSLB if you have a complaint against a contractor.

CSLB, operating under the umbrella of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, licenses and regulates almost 290,000 contractors in California, and is regarded as one of the leading consumer protection agencies in the United States. In fiscal year 2015-16, CSLB helped recover almost $41 million in ordered restitution for consumers.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Jacqueline Monique Rich Smith passed peacefully on Jan. 19, 2017.

Jacqueline was born in France on Aug. 20, 1945, and brought to America by her adopted parents Gisele and Carl Chapa, who preceded her in death.

She has two sisters, Patricia Sparks (Ray) and Betty Chapa (who passed away in 2010), and her brother, Chuck Chapa (Carol). Her nieces and nephews include Tina Sparks, Tom Sparks, Jim Newell, Heather Chapa and Adam Chapa. Her closest friends included Rosa Martinez, Suzanna Onellion and Barbara Birardi among others too many to mention, and her former husband Dennis Smith.

Jackie, as everyone called her, was devoted to the animal world. There was never an animal she didn't like. From admonishing a young boy fishing to cover his worms, to rescuing abused horses, she cared for them all.

She was a certified Animal Health Technician from Hartnell Junior College in Salinas and had exceeded that training on her own. She was an expert in breeding exotic birds and reptiles. The animals closest to Jackie were her Arab Mare “GinGin,” her pit bull “Carl” and her Jack Russell Terrier “Frisbee.”

Jackie was a member of the sober community in Lake County and had many years of sobriety. Her careers included in Monterey County: waitress, escrow officer, RV sales. In Lake County: Rays Food Place, Walmart, Herbie's Restaurant.

Jackie was also an excellent seamstress which included designing and sewing wedding dresses and bridesmaid dresses. At one point, she was raising llamas and weaving their fur into knitting yarn. As per Jackie’s request her remains were donated to University of California – Davis for research.

A memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary, 1625 N High St., Lakeport, on Feb. 4 at 2:30 pm.

There will be a potluck directly following the services at the Lakeport Fellowship, 2630 S. Main St. Donations in her memory should go to ASPCA, Safer Horse (Sonoma County), Animal Collation of Lake County or Hospice.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – On Wednesday, Feb. 8, the Lake County Democratic Club will host Tom Hoskins, the director of the Local Control Accountability Plan at Konocti Unified School District.

He will explain the new Local Control Funding Formula for Lake County schools.

Lake County Democratic Club meetings are held on the second Wednesday of every month at 6:30 p.m. in the social hall of the Lower Lake United Methodist Church, 16255 Second St.

All meetings are open to the public. Membership is open to registered Democrats.

Lake County Democratic Club is an officially chartered club of the Democratic Party of Lake County.

Visit the Web page at www.lakecountydemocraticclub.org or contact the club at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Jan. 24, 2017, after a courageous battle with cancer, Paul Whitaker passed away peacefully in his home, surrounded by his family.

Paul enjoyed most of all his great-grandchildren, gardening, canning, and his work at Riviera Foods and Bruno's.

Paul was preceded in death by his son, Kenneth Whitaker, and his parents, Fred and Ruth Whitaker.

He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Carol; daughters, Kim (Jim) Bradley and Kari (Bob) Holt; grandchildren, Justin (Jamie) Holt, Derek (Chelsey) Holt, Brandon (Trina) Holt, Mike Bradley, Amanda Bradley and Bryan Holt; the loves of his life, his great-grandchildren, Walker, Addison, Knox, Gaige and one more on the way. Also his sister, Carolyn, and brothers, Sheldon, Ralph, Lindsey and Evan, and all of their loving families.

Funeral service will be held on Monday, Jan. 30, at noon, at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on 16th Street in Lakeport for anyone who would like to attend.

For further information, please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

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