California Secretary of State Alex Padilla announced that an initiative to legalize marijuana for recreational use has qualified for the Nov. 8 general election ballot.

In order to become eligible for the ballot, the initiative needed 365,880 valid petition signatures, which is equal to 5 percent of the total votes cast for governor in the November 2014 General Election, Padilla's office reported.

An initiative can qualify via random sampling of petition signatures if the sampling projects a number of valid signatures greater than 110 percent of the required number, officials said.

The initiative needed at least 402,468 projected valid signatures to qualify by random sampling, and it exceeded that threshold on Tuesday.

The initiative was cleared for circulation in January and had 180 days – or until July 5 – to gather the necessary signatures.

On June 30 Padilla will certify the initiative as qualified for the Nov. 8 General Election ballot, unless the proponent withdraws the initiative prior to that date pursuant to Elections Code section 9604(b).

The proponents of this initiative are Donald Lyman and Michael Sutton.

The California Attorney General's Office official title and summary of the initiative is as follows:

MARIJUANA LEGALIZATION. INITIATIVE STATUTE. Legalizes marijuana and hemp under state law. Designates state agencies to license and regulate marijuana industry. Imposes state excise tax on retail sales of marijuana equal to 15% of sales price, and state cultivation taxes on marijuana of $9.25 per ounce of flowers and $2.75 per ounce of leaves. Exempts medical marijuana from some taxation. Establishes packaging, labeling, advertising, and marketing standards and restrictions for marijuana products. Allows local regulation and taxation of marijuana. Prohibits marketing and advertising marijuana to minors. Authorizes resentencing and destruction of records for prior marijuana convictions. Summary of estimate by Legislative Analyst and Director of Finance of fiscal impact on state and local government: Net reduced costs ranging from tens of millions of dollars to potentially exceeding $100 million annually to state and local governments related to enforcing certain marijuana-related offenses, handling the related criminal cases in the court system, and incarcerating and supervising certain marijuana offenders. Net additional state and local tax revenues potentially ranging from the high hundreds of millions of dollars to over $1 billion annually related to the production and sale of marijuana. Most of these funds would be required to be spent for specific purposes such as substance use disorder education, prevention, and treatment. (15-0103.)

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Gov. Jerry Brown has reappointed six of the Lake County Fair Board's current seven members, but the fair's chief executive officer said two more spots still need to be filled.

The Governor's Office said that Brown reappointed to the 49th District Agricultural Association Board of Directors Janeane Bogner of Clearlake Oaks, Marcia Chauvin of Clearlake, James “Sham” Cochrane of Kelseyville, Annette Hopkins of Lakeport, Meyokeeskow “Meyo” Marrufo of Upper Lake and Jerry McQueen of Lakeport.

The positions do not have compensation, and do not require state Senate confirmation, the Governor's Office reported.

The announcement came about a month and a half after Brown appointed new fair board member Katherine “Kat” McDowell, as Lake County News has reported.

Lake County Fair Chief Executive Officer Debbie Strickler said the six reappointees had been waiting, in some cases, for several years for the reappointments to come through.

Prior to McDowell, Marrufo had been the most recent appointee in January 2015, Strickler said.

Bogner, 61, owns Weed Tech with husband Ronnie and has served on the fair board since 1992. She's a member of organizations including the Lake County Farm Bureau, Chapter 23 North of the Pearl Harbor Survivors Association and the Clearlake Oaks-Glenhaven Business Association.

Chauvin, 77, has worked with Clearlake Church of the Nazarene, owned a local business and has experience in agriculture including being assistant controller and office manager at Maggio Farms from 1979 to 1982. She's been on the fair board since 2007.

Cochrane, 65, has been on the board since 2002. He's a retired local administrator and teacher, having worked for the Kelseyville and Konocti school districts. Cochrane is a member of the American Counseling Association, California Teachers Association and the National Educators Association.

Hopkins, 69, also has served on the fair board since 2002. She is Lake County's former regional manager at the United Way of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties from 2000 to 2004, and is a member of the Lake County California Women for Agriculture, Soper Reese Community Theater Fundraising Committee and Friends of Marymount California University Lakeside.

Marrufo, 44, has served on the fair board since 2007. She has been director at Guidiville Indian Rancheria since 2014, and formerly held environmental director positions with the Hopland and Robinson tribes. She formerly was director of National Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act Program from 2000 to 2004, and is the central California representative for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Regional Tribal Operations Committee.

McDowell, 49, of Cobb is an independent real estate broker and communications director at the Middletown Sports Boosters Club. She came on board in May.

McQueen, 70, has served on the fair board since 1998. He and wife Mary Ann own Northport Trailer Resort and he formerly was a technician for General Electric from 1973 to 1988. McQueen is a member of groups including the Lakeport Elks Lodge, Rotary Club of Lakeport and the Western Manufactured Housing Communities Association.

The seven sitting board members' terms are good through Jan. 15 of the following years, Strickler said: Bogner, 2020; Chauvin, 2017; Cochrane, 2018; Hopkins, 2019; Marrufo, 2019; McDowell, 2010; and McQueen, 2018.

Meantime, Strickler said the nine-member board still needs two more appointees.

She said she's not received any indication that additional applications are still awaiting consideration.

Anyone who loves the fair and has time and energy to devote to its activities is encouraged to apply, said Strickler.

The Lake County Fair takes place on Labor Day weekend, with the grounds at 401 Martin St. in Lakeport hosting events year-round.

The fair board typically meets once a month on a Monday afternoon in the administration office at the fairgrounds, 401 Martin St., Lakeport. Strickler said meeting times are flexible to allow for members' scheduled.

She encouraged anyone interested in serving on the fair board to go to the governor's appointment page at https://www.gov.ca.gov/m_appointments.php and submit an application, and to call her for more information at the fair office, 707-263-6181.

Visit the Lake County Fair online at www.lakecountyfair.com .

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. – Firefighters are closing in on full containment on a wildland fire burning since Sunday northeast of Clearlake Oaks.

The Reservoir fire was reported to be at 75-percent containment early Tuesday evening.

Cal Fire said firefighters have continued to hold the blaze at 215 acres.

It has burned in oak grass woodland and heavy brush between the water's edge at the Indian Valley Reservoir and Hough Springs, along Bartlett Springs Road.

Cal Fire said fire crews continued to work steadily through the day on Tuesday, establishing containment lines around the south part of the fire.

The agency said no structures have been threatened, damaged or destroyed.

Cal Fire continues to keep a large amount of resources on scene, including 25 engine companies, 14 fire crews, seven bulldozers, two water tenders, two helicopters, 25 overhead or chief personnel, and more than 350 firefighters.

There has been no update on a possible cause, which Cal Fire said 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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – This week “Mildred,” “Nala” and “Spike” are waiting at Clearlake Animal Control to meet their new families.

This week's featured dogs include mixes of American Staffordshire Terrier, Labrador Retriever and pit bull.

To meet the animals, contact Marcia Taylor, the animal control outreach technician, at 707-994-8201, Extension 103, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or contact Animal Control Officer Jenna Tuller at Extension 115 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those same days or leave a message on Fridays or weekends.

Also follow Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook for the latest updates.

Below are this week's available dogs.

'Mildred'

“Mildred” is a young female Labrador Retriever mix.

She has a short black coat with white markings on her chest and toes.

Shelter staff said Mildred is a “simply wonderful” and cute girl who likes to have fun.

'Nala'

“Nala” is a young American Staffordshire Terrier mix with a short white coat and brown markings.

“Nala is just a sweet little girl that her owner didn't want anymore. She doesn't understand why. What she needs is someone to just love her,” shelter staff reported.

Her new family will find that she's already spayed and microchipped, and ready for her new life.

'Spike'

“Spike” is a handsome young American Pit Bull looking for a loving home.

He's got a short gray coat with white markings on his face, chest and feet.

He is friendly with people, other dogs and cats, shelter staff reported.

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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Divers have recovered the body of a Palo Alto man who became the fourth person to die in a water-related incident in Lake County in the past month after he fell into the lake at Clear Lake State Park over the weekend.

The body of Caldwell Joseph Pitre, 59, of Palo Alto was found on Monday morning, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Brooks said deputies responded to the Clear Lake State Park Marina in Kelseyville at approximately 8:12 p.m. Sunday on the report of a male subject who had reportedly fallen into the water and not surfaced.  

Brooks said Central Dispatch advised that people had witnessed Pitre fall from his boat – which was next to the docks – into the water, and that several people who saw the fall were in the water trying to locate Pitre.

Witnesses said they saw Pitre pull into the dock area of the marina just as it was starting to get dark.  They noticed Pitre leaning over the side of his boat; he appeared to be tying the boat to the dock when he slipped and fell into the water, Brooks said.

Pitre was reported to have surfaced a couple of times and yelled for help. As several people attempted to help Pitre, he disappeared below the surface and they could not locate him, Brooks said.

Deputies from both patrol and the marine unit responded to the area and started searching for Pitre. Brooks said Clear Lake State Park rangers also responded and assisted with the search.  

The Northshore Dive Team responded to the scene and searched the area around the dock where Pitre was last seen. Brooks said the divers also searched areas where the marine deputies had obtained images of unknown objects with their side scan sonar.

Deputies and park rangers searched the area of the marina using side scan sonar until approximately 1:45 Monday, when they were forced to scale back the search due to exhausting all of the current resources, in addition to the poor visibility and lack of light, Brooks said.

Brooks said the search resumed at approximately 7:45 a.m. Monday, with deputies using their side scan sonar.  

At approximately 11 a.m. Monday deputies were able to locate and mark an unknown object and requested the Northshore Dive Team, he said.

Brooks said that approximately 15 minutes later divers located Pitre and recovered his body from the water.

Pitre’s cause of death is pending autopsy results, Brooks said.

Pitre's death is the fourth in less than a month involving Clear Lake, as Lake County News has reported.

On May 28, 74-year-old James Michael Leale of San Jose and Clearlake Park disappeared into the lake near Anderson Island and Vacation Island following a boating accident, with divers later recovering his body.

Walter Patrick Hoertkorn, 69, of Kelseyville, died while swimming in the lake near Kelseyville on June 2.

Michael Eugene Haberski, 59, of Sebastopol fell from his sailboat into Konocti Bay on the evening of June 7.

Brooks confirmed to Lake County News on Tuesday that autopsies have confirmed that drowning was the primary cause of death for Leale, Hoertkorn and Haberski.

Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr., Assemblymember Mike Gatto (D-Glendale) and Senators Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo) and Mark Leno (D-San Francisco) have announced a sweeping package of reforms to bolster governance, accountability, transparency and oversight of the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).

“These reforms will change how this commission does business,” said Gov. Brown. “Public access to meetings and records will be expanded, new safety and oversight positions will be created and ex parte communication rules will be strengthened.”

“These reforms mark a new beginning for the CPUC. The commission will become transparent and accountable to Californians and focused on the safety of our communities,” said Gatto, chair of the Assembly Utilities and Commerce Committee. “I want to thank my colleagues in the Legislature and Governor Brown for their support of these key reforms.”

“It's been a long road, and we still have much work to do if we are to build the CPUC that the state deserves,” said Sen. Hill, whose district includes the City of San Bruno. “Today we take a strong step forward with principles that underscore our shared commitment to an organization that will better serve Californians, ensure their safety and merit their trust.”

“The principles are a blueprint for a CPUC that is focused, efficient, working in the public interest, and most notably, transparent and accountable,” said Sen. Leno. “The changes agreed to by the commission and the governor in SB 215 apply enhanced ex parte communication rules targeting the abuses of the past and ensure independent prosecution and stiff penalties for those who would violate the public trust. I offer my thanks to Gov. Brown, the commission, my joint author Sen. Hueso, all my legislative colleagues and The Utility Reform Network for their commitment to reforming our Public Utilities Commission.”

The Governor's Office will work closely with the Legislature and impacted entities in the administration to move forward with these reforms in the months ahead. Complete details of the reform package are below.

Principles for Reform: Governance, Accountability, Transparency and Oversight

of the California Public Utilities Commission

Governance

Increasing the CPUC’s focus and expertise by relocating responsibilities and making logistical changes that improve the commission's ability to function.

Transfer the implementation and enforcement of the following CPUC transportation responsibilities to departments within the California State Transportation Agency (e.g., California Department of Motor Vehicles primarily for licensing, registration, evidence of insurance and select investigations and the California Highway Patrol primarily for enforcement and select investigations) through the Governor’s Reorganization Plan process:
– Passenger stage corporations.
– Charter-party carriers (including transportation network companies).
– Household goods carriers.
– Other carriers subject to CPUC registration requirements (for-hire vessel carriers, commercial air operators, private carriers of passengers and interstate carriers)

Assess state telecommunications governance by Jan. 1, 2018.

Establish cross-agency secondments (for example, with the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources, California Air Resources Board, etc.) to foster coordinated actions and exchange of information and facilitate cultural change.

Work with state colleges and universities to develop and offer curricula specific to the regulation and oversight of utilities.

Authorize the CPUC to hire and locate employees in San Francisco, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

Require CPUC voting meetings to be held in various regions of the state.

Provide statutory authority to consider outside reports from state, federal and academic sources.

Allow a commissioner to issue an Alternate Proposed Decision (APD) at any time before the Commission votes (current law requires issuance of the APD simultaneous to the issuance of the Presiding Administrative Law Judges issuance of their Proposed Decision.).

Accountability

Enacting reforms to make it easier for the public and watchdog groups to participate in CPUC proceedings.

Prohibit former regulated utility executives from serving on the Commission for 2 years.

Allow any California agency to participate in CPUC proceedings without official party status.

Authorize the California Attorney General to bring an enforcement action in superior court against a decisionmaker or employee of the commission who violates the ex parte communication requirements.

Transparency

Reforming the ex parte rules to establish a more ethical environment that is fair to all parties, while providing flexibility for entities to contact their appointed officials.

Ex Parte:
– Adjudicatory proceedings: maintain the current prohibition on ex parte communications.
– Quasi-legislative proceedings: allow commissioners to meet freely, particularly with members of the public, to gain perspective and become more educated on the subject area.
– Ratesetting proceedings: require commissioners and interested persons to disclose and promptly log and post the content of ex parte communications online. Failure to timely report shall result in penalties enforced by either the CPUC or the California Attorney General.
– The CPUC may apply additional limits on ex parte communication in ratesetting or quasi-legislative proceedings as circumstances may warrant.

Allow intervenor compensation for substantial contribution including when a party does not participate in a settlement.

Subject the CPUC to the judicial review provisions of the California Public Records Act and revisions to improve the CPUC public records and confidentiality statute (§ 583) to retain confidentiality with a more timely release of public information.

Require documents distributed to service lists be docketed.

Require transcripts to be made publicly available promptly.

Require representatives of organizations that lobby the CPUC to register, much like the rules followed in the Legislature.

Allow commissioners to deliberate on ratesetting proceedings if no hearing has been held. Current law allows commissioners to meet and deliberate only when a hearing is required for resolution of the proceeding.

Make administrative record more open in quasi-legislative proceeding by not applying the formal rules of evidence.

Allow commissioners to discuss administrative and managerial issues in closed meetings.

Enter public comments into the record and develop an e-comment system to make commenting more accessible.

Establish thresholds for the reasonable and timely resolution of proceedings with enhanced CPUC authority to conclude proceedings in cases exceeding those thresholds.

Ensure the CPUC appoints all senior executive staff who report directly to the CPUC, including the executive director, the general counsel, the internal auditor and the chief administrative law judge.

Oversight and Safety

Enacting sweeping ethics reforms, which have been elusive or are completely unprecedented.

Create an Ethics Ombudsperson who any CPUC employee or member of the public can contact at any time with any concern and who is responsible for enhanced ethics training for all CPUC staff and commissioners, on everything from gift and travel ethics to ex parte compliance.

Codify the creation of the Deputy Director for Safety with plenipotentiary power to “red tag” any unsafe facility, process or activity.

Require the CPUC to work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to expedite relocation of spent fuel currently stored at the San Onofre Nuclear Generation Station to an independent spent fuel storage installation.

Increase oversight of excavation and improve enforcement of dig-in safety laws.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Containment continues to increase on the Reservoir fire burning near the Indian Valley Reservoir.

The Reservoir fire, which began Sunday afternoon seven miles southwest of Leesville, remains at 215 acres, with containment up to 60 percent, according to Cal Fire.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation, officials said.

Cal Fire said fire crews worked steadily through the night, establishing containment lines around the south part of the fire.

More than 350 personnel remained committed to the fire as of Tuesday morning, along with 25 engines, 14 hand crews, seven bulldozers, two water tenders and two helicopters, Cal Fire reported.

There have been no reports of injuries or property destroyed, based on Cal Fire's report.

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. – Firefighters continued to make progress on Monday in the effort to contain a wildland fire burning since Sunday afternoon in a remote area near the Indian Valley Reservoir.

Cal Fire reported Monday evening that the Reservoir fire has held steady at 215 acres, with containment up to 35 percent, a 10-percent increase over the course of the day.

The fire is located seven miles southwest of Leesville, and is burning in oak grass woodland and heavy brush near the Indian Valley Reservoir, Cal Fire said.

No structures have been damaged or destroyed, according to the report.

Cal Fire said it currently has multiple fire suppression resources at scene from the Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit as well as from other agency units across the Northern Region.

Resources committed as of Monday evening included more than 350 personnel, 25 engines, 14 hand crews, eight bulldozers, four water tenders, two helicopters and four airtankers.

Radio traffic from earlier in the day indicated that the air resources had made good headway on the fire, with no serious flare-ups reported.

Cal Fire said fire crews will continue to work through the night, extinguishing hot spots within the interior of the fire as well as establishing and improving containment lines.

The cause remains under investigation, Cal Fire said.

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.