Friday, 29 March 2024

News

On Tuesday California Controller John Chiang sent a letter to budget leaders in the state Legislature urging them to take action before the state runs out of cash in March.

In the letter to Sen. Mark Leno Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, the controller said the liquidity shortfall is projected to last between Feb. 29 and about April 13.

Cash flows based on the governor’s proposed budget show that $3.3 billion worth of cash solutions are needed to address liquidity needs during this period.

If left unaddressed, the State's General Fund balance at this time will fall below the $2.5 billion minimum safety cushion on Feb. 29, Chiang’s office reported.

On March 1, cash will be exhausted and will continue to decline until hitting a low of negative $730 million on March 8, according to Chiang.

Working with the state treasurer and the Department of Finance, the controller has crafted a cash management plan that would avoid delays in paying tax refunds or issuing IOUs, as was required in 2009.

Additional measures may be needed should the state’s fiscal condition worsen, Chiang said.

“Although this cash management plan relies on still more borrowing, payment delays and deferrals, we believe this is the most prudent and responsible course of action considering we have about four weeks before the advent of the cash shortfall,” Chiang wrote. “It is not an ideal solution, but it is the best way to manage the challenge without relying on IOUs or delaying tax refunds – actions that can disrupt the delivery of essential public services and slow California’s economic recovery.”

Chiang also reported that as of Dec. 31, total state receipts are coming in $2.6 billion less than forecasted, with expenditure $2.6 billion more than assumed, totaling a $5.2 billion shortfall in cash resources.

See the full letter below.

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013112 Chiang Letter to Legislature

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. – The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently released adult coho salmon in Salmon Creek, Sonoma County to reestablish a coho salmon population.

This is the fourth consecutive year adult salmon were released, the agency reported.

The Department of Fish and Game said 200 adults were released on two separate occasions in late December 2011 and early January 2012.

The released coho included 120 males and 80 females, predominantly hybrids derived from mating between coho salmon of Russian River and Olema Creek origin, with a small number of pure Russian River coho and Olema Creek coho, Fish and Game said.

“We are at a critical moment in the survival of the coho salmon on the California coast,” said Manfred Kittel, the Department of Fish and Game Coho Salmon Recovery coordinator. “DFG and our federal and environmental partners must take aggressive actions to save the species from becoming extinct in central California.”

As in previous years, this year’s fish were released near the mouth of Salmon Creek with the hope that the fish will migrate upstream to find suitable spawning habitat in one of Salmon Creek’s tributaries, according to the Monday report.

Despite the general lack of rain this season, biologists are optimistic that the recently released coho should be able to find spawning habitat in some upstream portions of Salmon Creek and its tributaries.

The release of adult coho in Salmon Creek is a joint effort between DFG, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other entities, including private landowners. The Salmon Creek access site is located a few miles north of Bodega Bay on the Chanslor Ranch owned by George Gross.

“The entire coho recovery team appreciates Mr. Gross allowing us to access the creek on his property for the past four years,” said Kittel. “There are few optimal places where adult coho can be released and we appreciate the help we get from Chanslor Ranch.”

In 2008, 2009 and 2010 field biologists collected tissue samples and confirmed that the released coho spawned successfully in several tributaries and in all possible mating combinations.

Fish surveys planned for the coming summer in the Salmon Creek watershed will tell DFG biologists whether the latest released group of adult coho salmon has reproduced successfully and whether any of the progeny from the first release in winter 2008 have returned this season from the ocean to spawn in the watershed where their life’s journey began three years ago.

Releasing hatchery-reared adult coho salmon is a relatively new technique that has the advantages of not requiring spawning in a hatchery, allowing the released fish to establish natural mating patterns and subjecting their offspring to natural selective pressures from birth on.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This month a group composed of Lake and several other Northern California counties will begin a series of public meetings that are part of the process to create a regional water management plan.


The Westside Sacramento Integrated Regional Water Management (IRWM) Plan will detail water supply, flood management, stormwater runoff, and environmental concerns and opportunities for the Cache Creek and Putah Creek Watersheds.


A meeting will be held from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 6, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.


County residents are encouraged to attend the meeting to learn more about the planning process and how to help shape the plan.


The Westside Integrated Regional Water Management Plan is being developed through a partnership between the Solano County Water Agency, the Napa County Flood Control and Water Conservation District, the Water Resources Association of Yolo County, the Lake County Watershed Protection District and the Colusa County Resource Conservation District.


The project is being funded in large part by a $1 million grant from the California Department of Water Resources, with Proposition 84 funds being used.


Collectively, the planning area includes all or portions of Lake, Solano, Napa, Yolo and Colusa counties. In that area there are nine cities, more than 70 special service districts and key water sources such as Clear Lake, Lake Berryessa, Indian Valley Reservoir, Putah Creek and Cache Creek.


The planning area is subdivided into three areas for planning purposes: Upper Cache Creek, Lower Putah Creek and Lower Valley Floor.


The IRWM Plan will be used to secure grant funding for regional projects that promote effective and sustainable water resources management in the following areas: water supply reliability, water conservation, water quality improvement, stormwater management, flood management, invasive species abatement, mercury contamination cleanup, wetlands enhancement protections, and environmental and habitat improvements and protections.


The plan is expected to be completed by the end of this year.


For more information visit www.westsideirwm.com or call the hotline at 530-661-8115.


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SACRAMENTO – A federal court judge has issued a tentative decision to block California officials from moving forward with a 10 percent Medi-Cal reimbursement rate cut, which was approved by the federal government.

The California Medical Association (CMA), the California Dental Association (CDA), California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), California Association of Medical Product Suppliers (CAMPS), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AIDS) and American Medical Response (AMR) applauded the federal court and Judge Christina Snyder for the tentative decision.

“The court’s tentative ruling is encouraging to those of us practicing medicine,” said James T. Hay, M.D., CMA President. “The state’s repeated attempt to slash Medi-Cal reimbursement rates is a short-sighted solution that balances the budget on the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable Californians. Rather, we need to be addressing long-term solutions relative to the cost of health care. Access to care is crucial for prevention and treatment; the court’s tentative decision today to block the Medi-Cal cuts means that those patients will still have access to health care.”

Last spring, the California Legislature passed and Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 97, which included a 10 percent reimbursement rate cut for physicians, dentists, pharmacists and other Medi-Cal providers. Federal approval was required before the state could implement its proposed cuts.

“CDA is pleased that the judge considered the facts in this case, that the state’s attempt to cut reimbursement rates would harm patients and their ability to access care,” said CDA President Dan Davidson, DMD. “The state already eliminated most adult Denti-Cal services and making further cuts to children’s services would have been devastating to their oral health.”

The groups said the information that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relied on to approve the state's cuts do not measure whether and how patients' access to care would be impacted or otherwise take into consideration, as required by law, the costs to provide the care.

"We commend the court's tentative ruling in favor of preserving and protecting patient care," said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. "Drastic cuts are not in the best interest of patient care or the state's finances. Community pharmacies help to reduce health care spending and improve patient health through pharmacy services including medication counseling, vaccinations, education and screenings as well as the utilization of generic medications. Jeopardizing patient access to community pharmacy would diminish health and increase the reliance on more costly forms of care."

Because California Medi-Cal rates are already extremely low and many prescription medications are reimbursed at breakeven rates, many providers cannot afford to participate. Kaiser State Health Facts lists California as the lowest reimbursed state in the nation.

“We are fighting for an injunction against these cuts on behalf of patients and the pharmacists who serve them,” said Jon R. Roth, CPhA chief executive officer. “The Legislature needs to realize that using the Medi-Cal program to close the budget is bad medicine for California. When the Legislature asked, we provided them with cost-effective solutions that would have helped close the budget gap. However, they effectively slammed the door on our proposed solutions when they voted to reduce reimbursement to providers by 10 percent and in turn have ensured that access to care for California’s most vulnerable citizens is put in jeopardy.”

The lawsuit was filed against the California Department of Health Care Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 21, 2011.

Judge Snyder has issued a 25-page tentative order, wherein she favored the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction. A final order, if consistent with her tentative ruling, will enjoin the cuts and is expected in the near future.

“We applaud the ruling of the court today to help preserve the ability of Medi-Cal providers to continue to provide services to the most needy of our population,” said Bob Achermann, CAMPS executive director. “Providers of durable medical equipment and medical supplies allow Medi-Cal patients to remain in their homes and avoid more costly care in hospitals or other types of facilities. The continued cuts in reimbursement threaten the ability of these patients to access these important services. We hope that this tentative ruling is confirmed by the court.”

"The ruling today is another in a long line of decisions, now going back years, from courts telling the state that it has not followed the law when attempting to implement these crushing rate reductions. At this point, it seems pretty obvious that the state is doing this deliberately, and that it cannot justify these cuts within the bounds of the law," said Tom Myers, general counsel for AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

“As California’s largest emergency ambulance provider, American Medical Response provides a critical healthcare safety net to California’s most vulnerable citizens.  We are pleased with the Court’s tentative decision today granting a preliminary injunction to stop these shortsighted cuts,” Tom Wagner, CEO of AMR’s West Region said.

CMA, CPhA, and CDA successfully sued in the past to enjoin prior Medi-Cal cuts and expect to once again demonstrate that federal law, which ensures that Medi-Cal patients have equal access to health care, was not followed.

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SACRAMENTO – The Department of Water Resources (DWR) will conduct this winter’s second snow survey on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

One focus of attention will be the manual survey scheduled for 11 a.m. off Highway 50 near Echo Summit.

This and other manual surveys up and down the state as well as electronic readings from remote sensors will determine the water content in the snowpack.

Electronic readings on Monday indicated that water content in the statewide snowpack is just 38 percent of normal. That is 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack is normally at its peak before the spring melt.

While those numbers are low, DWR said they’re an improvement over results of this winter’s Jan. 3 survey, which recorded snowpack water content at 19 percent of normal for that date, and only 7 percent of the average April 1 reading.

”Conditions so far this winter continue to be much drier than we would like,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We are fortunate that most of the state continues to benefit from good reservoir storage carried over from last winter, and we remain optimistic for a return to a normal weather pattern between now and spring to sustain adequate water deliveries.”

Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir, is at 107 percent of average for the date (72 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity), Lake Shasta north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet, is at 100 percent of its normal storage level for the date (68 percent of capacity).

San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, an important storage reservoir south of the Delta, is at 121 percent of average for the date (96 percent of its capacity of 2,027,840 acre-feet). San Luis is a critically important source of water for both the State Water Project and Central Valley Project when pumping from the Delta is restricted or interrupted.

For context, an acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, enough to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.

In addition to better-than-average storage, it is expected that storms later this winter will deepen the snowpack and increase runoff into the state’s streams, reservoirs and aquifers.

Conditions between now and early spring will determine the amount of State Water Project (SWP) water DWR will be able to deliver this calendar year.

The initial estimate is that DWR will be able to deliver 60 percent of the slightly more than 4 million acre-feet of water requested by the 29 public agencies that distribute SWP water to more than 25 million Californians and nearly a million acres of irrigated farmland.

The initial delivery estimate for calendar year 2011 was only 25 percent of requested SWP water.

As winter took hold, a near-record snowpack and heavy rains resulted in deliveries of 80 percent of requests in 2011. The final allocation was 50 percent in 2010, 40 percent in 2009, 35 percent in 2008, and 60 percent in 2007.

The last 100 percent allocation – difficult to achieve even in wet years because of pumping restrictions to protect Delta fish species – was in 2006.

DWR and cooperating agencies conduct manual snow surveys around the first of the month from January to May. The closely-monitored snowpack normally provides approximately one-third of the water for California’s households, industries and farms as it melts in spring and summer.

Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ.

Electronic reservoir level readings may be found at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action.

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Two male cats are hoping that loving new owners will welcome them into new homes.


A classic black cat and a tuxedo cat all been cleared for happier times.

 

Cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed and microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake .


If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.


The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

 

 

 

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This male tuxedo cat is in cat room kennel No. 95, ID No. 31538. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

 


Tuxedo kitty deluxe


With his black and white tuxedo-type markings, this male domestic short hair mix looks like he’s always dressed for dinner.


He has gold eyes and is not yet altered.


Animal shelter staff reports that he has received his rabies shot and is microchipped.


He’s waiting for you in cat room kennel No. 95, ID No. 31538.

 

 

 

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This male domestic short hair mix is waiting for a new home. He is in kennel No. 12 in the cat room, reference No. 31307. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

 


Tall, dark and handsome


This all-black male domestic short hair mix is about 5 months old.


He has gold eyes. So far he has not been neutered, but has been tested for feline leukemia.


Look for him in kennel No. 12 in the cat room, reference No. 31307.


Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com.


Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.


To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm.


Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.


Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.


Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.


For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.


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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Continued reductions in educational funding are forcing the Konocti Unified School District’s board to begin the process of deciding how to cut millions of dollars in order to balance its coming year’s budget, a task that will involve considering the possible elimination of dozens of jobs.

The initial discussion on fiscal year 2012-13 budget cuts by the Konocti Unified School District Board of Trustees will take place during its regular meeting, which begins at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in the Carol McClung Conference Center, 9430-B Lake St. in Lower Lake.

The item on “The KUSD Zero Based Model” will be discussed under budget and facilities items.

Marty Aarreberg, executive administrative assistant to district Superintendent Bill MacDougall, said no decision will be made at the Wednesday meeting, and that further discussion and a decision are expected at a special daylong budget session beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. Aarreberg said all community members are welcome – and encouraged – to attend.

MacDougall, who was in meetings throughout Monday afternoon, did not return a message seeking comment on the Wednesday meeting and the proposal to cut services and jobs.

However, MacDougall and district Business Manager Laurie Desimone submitted an in-depth memorandum to the board of trustees, outlining the challenges the district is facing.

In a memo explaining the zero based model, the memo begins by stating, “The financial challenge with which we are faced is not one of the district’s choosing, nor have we created this problem. The current financial distress has been created as a result of the state and national economic circumstances and governmental decisions and given to us to resolve for our district.”

MacDougall’s and Desimone’s memo said that the four main budget issues the district must face are the complete elimination of state transportation funding; a mid-year trigger cut of $370 per student for average daily attendance, which exceeds $1 million for Konocti Unified; the exhaustion of federal jobs funds, a loss of $571,000; and an estimated $400,000 in step and column advancement and other bargaining agreement-associated costs for staffers.

Those four items total almost $2.8 million, which MacDougall and Desimone reported is more than 10 percent of the district general fund budget.

“Along with these unprecedented cuts, the Governor proposes the greatest budget flexibility seen in decades,” the memorandum said. “These changes if adopted by the legislature would pool nearly all state categorical funds into a single revenue stream for districts to utilize in the manner decided by the local district, without the ‘strings’ of the past program guidelines.”

The memo said the board directed district staff to develop a zero based budget model, which starts at zero and builds upward by prioritizing essential programs and personnel.

The message from MacDougall and Desimone to the board acknowledges that the decisions before trustees will have far reaching impacts on programs and staff.

“We want to be sure that we can give earliest notice possible to staff who may be laid off or will have their hours reduced,” they wrote. “We anticipate that action by the board on lay off notices will be made no later than the March 7th regular board meeting.”

The zero based model’s proposed staffing cuts are deep, according to an early version of the report released as part of the agenda packet.

Up for possible elimination are the Carlé Continuation High School principal’s job; eight to 10 kindergarten through third grade teaching positions; all K-8 librarians and the K-8 music teacher; three six-hour licensed vocational nurses; director of technology and student services; one truancy investigator or partial position at the Lake County Office of Education; all site bilingual paraprofessionals and bilingual family liaisons; a 1.5-hour clerk position and one eight-hour mechanic in the transportation department; a half-time education specialist at Lower Lake Elementary; a two-hour California High School Exit Examination paraprofessional at Carlé High; and a half-time contracted alternative education teacher.

Further, the plan proposes to cut one eight-hour librarian, three six-hour student management assistants, one seven-hour student management assistant and one two-hour site secretary at Highlands Academy, adding back one seven-hour site secretary.

At the high school, possible cuts include one ROP teacher, one 11-month high school secretary, one-eight hour librarian, one eight-hour career center clerk/site testing coordinator, one eight-hour high school campus supervisor, four periods of an in school school suspension teacher, two sections for the athletic director, 12 hours for a bilingual paraprofessional, one five-hour bilingual family liaison, junior varsity coaching stipends and two sections of the academy director.

The food services director’s salary would be cut by one month, and bus drivers, paraprofessionals and some other support positions would see their work year cut by five to six days.

Also on the list of possible eliminations are drama and band for K-8; seven to eight bus routes would be cut, with reduced hours for five to six other routes; the teacher in charge for Lewis School would no longer receive a stipend; and class size reductions for K-3 and the Community-Based English Tutoring program would end.

Blue Heron School, for grades nine through 11, is proposed to be reduced to a single session and moved to Burns Valley.

MacDougall and Desimone concluded their memo by writing, “Together we can make the tough decisions necessary and do what we must under these difficult circumstances to provide the highest quality education possible for our students.”

Management staff are set to meet on Tuesday to finalize their recommendations for the board's Wednesday meeting.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

The California Department of Fish and Game will co-host the first of five public information sessions to address the national threat of climate change.

The discussion will be held Tuesday, Jan. 31, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at California State University, Sacramento in the Willow Room Suites of Modoc Hall.

The session also is sponsored by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies, and will center on the draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy.

The draft national strategy came out of a partnership of federal, state and tribal fish and wildlife conservation agencies and is describe as an integrated, coordinated and comprehensive response to the pressures of climate change.

It is available for public review and comment through March 5 at www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov.

The site also provides instructions for submitting comments and the dates and locations of all five public sessions and two Webinars.

Department of Fish and Game Chief Deputy Director Kevin Hunting, a member of the steering committee, will present opening remarks at Tuesday’s session. He said the strategy offers a platform for enhanced coordination and cooperation in tackling the challenges associated with climate change.

“The draft outlines a sound set of goals, strategies and actions that address resource management challenges that a warming climate presents,” said Hunting. “Many of these actions have been called out in existing statewide climate adaptation planning strategies, such as the 2009 California Climate Adaptation Strategy, and further solidify the importance of these key goals and actions we’re taking at the state level.”

The adaptation strategy represents a draft framework for unified action to safeguard fish, wildlife and plants, as well as the important benefits and services the natural world provides the nation every day, including jobs, food, clean water, clean air, building materials, storm
protection and recreation.

In 2010, Congress called for a national, government-wide strategy to be developed by the President’s Council on Environmental Quality and Interior.

The council assembled an unprecedented partnership of federal, state and tribal fish and wildlife conservation agencies to draft the strategy.

This partnership includes the Department of the Interior’s U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, representing state fish and wildlife
agencies.

Teams composed of more than 100 diverse researchers and managers from across the country participated in the drafting for the partnership.

Each team focused on an ecosystem-based section of the strategy: freshwater/inland water systems, coastal systems, marine systems, forested systems, and grassland and scrub-land systems (including deserts and tundra).

The teams ensured that the strategy was developed with a thorough understanding of the ecological implications of climate change on major natural systems.

Other public sessions are planned for Madison, Wis., Charleston, S.C., Anchorage, Alaska and Albany, N.Y.

To register for these meetings and for more information on the public comment process, visit www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov/public-comments.php.

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THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED DUE TO ADJUSTED MAGNITUDE ON THE SECOND QUAKE, WHICH WAS CHANGED FROM 3.2 TO 3.0 BY THE U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY.

COBB, Calif. – Two quakes measuring 3.0 and above were reported near The Geysers Geothermal steamfield Sunday evening.

The U.S. Geological Survey said the first quake, a 3.1 on the Richter Scale, occurred at 7:56 p.m., to be followed at 7:57 p.m. by a 3.0-magnitude quake.

The reports on the quakes were computer-generated, so their magnitudes could be adjusted by a seismologist on Monday.

The 3.1-magnitude quake was centered two miles north northeast of The Geysers, four miles west of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, at a depth of 2.4 miles, the U.S. Geological Survey reported.

The second, slightly smaller quake occurred at a depth of 2.1 miles and was centered two miles north northeast of The Geysers, four miles west southwest of Cobb and six miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, according to the agency.

Several local residents posted messages on Lake County News’ Facebook page, reporting that they felt the two temblors.

Only one shake report, from Middletown, was reported by 1 a.m. Monday on the 3.1-magnitude quake, and 17 shake reports had been made by the same time on the 3.0-magnitude quake.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

 


CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake home sustained major damage in a Saturday afternoon fire.

The fire, reported over the radio shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, was located in a residence at 14415 Alvita Ave., according to Lake County Fire Protection District Capt. Brice Trask.

Initial reports from the scene said there was heavy smoke coming from the home’s eaves.

Trask said firefighters arrived at the scene of the single-story, single-family home, and were quickly able to contain the fire to the room of origin, which he said was the living room.

He estimated that it took only about 10 minutes to suppress the fire and mop up the scene.

The residence has been undergoing remodeling, and had the utilities turned on, he said.

He said the home appeared to have been illegally entered by an unknown person or persons.

“Activities inside the house resulted in a fire to the couch,” he said.

However, Trask said the exact cause wasn’t not known on Monday, with the incident still under investigation.

He estimated that the structure suffered $30,000 in damage from fire and smoke.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

 


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Biologists are working in the Mendocino National Forest to understand the decline of deer in the West. Photo by Derek Pell.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – It’s one of the perks of rural life; seeing animals. In the Hidden Valley Lake subdivision, deer are as much a part of the landscape as golf carts.

They glide through the oaks, doze in yards alongside cats and browse next to the security gate. Their biggest threat may be cars, and the deer seem to know it as they wait like pedestrians at crosswalks before stepping out. Last spring the fawns arrived and the suburban herd grew that much larger.

“That's how it used to be all over the county,” said California Department of Fish and Game Warden Lynette Shimek. Then comes the surprise for those who think the area is overrun by deer: “Now I get excited if I see one on a remote hillside,” she said.

According to Shimek, deer are definitely not overpopulated anywhere except subdivisions like Hidden Valley Lake. “They are there because they were born there and have lost the ability to live in the wild … generation after generation,” she said. The phenomenon of suburban wildlife occurs everywhere from urban to remote areas. As development displaces their turf, some animals adapt to these niches. Biologists say that deer are one species that can thrive in “edge” ecosystems.

The overlapping of natural and less-natural habitat is especially noticeable in Lake County, where forests abut residential developments – and some might say the deer prefer the subdivisions. But there’s a larger pattern at work, one that has sent wildlife experts into the Mendocino National Forest to hunt for answers: deer are declining.

Another ‘deer problem’

In the 1990s biologists worried about a very different "deer problem" that existed from the Rockies to New England and the Deep South.

Both rural and suburban areas were accosted by whitetail deer devouring shrubbery and crops, spreading disease and causing hundreds of thousands of auto wrecks, newspapers reported.

Back then, fast-multiplying herds were altering the ecology of forests by stripping native vegetation and eliminating niches for other wildlife.

The problem was spotty in the West. It was mainly caused by whitetails in densely suburbanized areas in the East and Midwest.

Now, if hunter harvest is the yardstick, Eastern deer are also facing challenges. The 2009-10 whitetail deer harvest was down by 11 percent in Virginia and 8 percent in Pennsylvania.

That trend has been noticed in Western deer on a dramatic scale for decades.

In California’s eastern Sierra Nevada, mule deer have reportedly declined 84 percent from 1985 to 1991.

Arizona’s mule deer herd is about half what it was in 1986, according to the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Estimates by the Colorado Division of Wildlife show the mule deer population on the Uncompahgre Plateau also dropped by half between the early 1980s and the late 1990s, a decline biologists consider “indicative of a much larger problem related to overall ecosystem health.”

In Wyoming, where heavy energy development is under way, mule deer reached a threshold of decline last year that triggers a mitigation response, according to Game and Fish biologists, who fear that intervention like winter feeding may not halt declines.

In Oregon, Fish and Wildlife has launched a Mule Deer Initiative, and in Utah, where mule deer have been in decline for 35 years, the Utah Wildlife Board decided to issue fewer hunting permits for the 2012 season.

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Deer are common in some suburban areas, like Hidden Valley Lake, Calif. But they are declining in parts of the wild. Photo by Derek Pell.

Studying the decline’s factors

Deer are definitely declining, especially in the West, “but it’s not the end of the species,” said Tavis Forrester, a University of California, Davis doctoral candidate in ecology who leads the Mendocino Black-tailed Deer Project.

Now in its third year, the study – which encompasses Mendocino, Glenn and Lake counties – is funded mainly by the California Deer Association; a hunting group that contributed more than $60,000 over the past two years, UC Davis and the California Department of Fish and Game.

The goal is to determine if the region’s population is truly declining – or just the harvest – and if so, why? The 57 percent decline of harvested bucks has occurred over the last 20 years in prime deer habitat.

Deer have cycles in their population, Forrester says – so that may play a role. Illegal poaching is a problem, he admits. But many hunters blame four-legged predators.

Hence, the multi-species study also focuses on mountain lions, which depend on deer and elk as a main food source.

Overall, the study explores habitat use and selection, predation of fawns and adult does, habitat change over time, and mountain lion kill rates.

The blacktails under study are most likely the same species that lounge in Hidden Valley yards and drive gardeners to cage tasty plants.

Forrester said the blacktail is a subspecies of mule deer and “by far the most different” of many subspecies, with unique behavioral traits.

Others, like the wedgetail, are common around Berryessa in large areas called the “interzone,” he said, where mule deer interbreed with blacktail.

Lake County had a high population of blacktail deer in the 1960s and 1970s, Forrester said.

A 1946 report on the county’s resources that used data from California’s Department of Conservation described the forest as “the best stocked deer region in California” and “a favorite with sportsmen. The Columbian black-tail dear abound in the brush as well as in the timber belt.”

Last summer, the researchers collected data and sent a proposal to the state Department of Fish and Game to extend the study.

One challenge has been the lack of good deer population estimates, Forrester said. Fish and Game has done some spotlight counts, but the main tool has been the annual harvest.

There also is a dearth of information on the mountain lion population.

The lion factor

Forrester said one concern that prompted the study is a possible increase in their numbers.

No statewide survey has been done and it’s difficult to do research due to the cat’s status as a protected species in California. Mountain lion research may be halted altogether, he said.

Even if the population is growing and causing deer numbers to plummet, the Department of Fish and Game can’t manage them, and they can’t be hunted.

According to a progress report on the study, lions are captured “through various methods, including the use of hounds and live traps.”

Once captured and tranquilized, the lion’s health and age is assessed. Then they are equipped with a satellite GPS collar so their movements can be tracked. It takes hours in the field to even detect signs of the elusive animals.

Aside from hunters bagging fewer bucks, is there any evidence that the area’s mountain lion population is growing?

The Department of Fish and Game has arrived at what it calls a “guesstimate” of the state population of 4,000 to 6,000 mountain lions.

According to the agency’s Web site, the population “peaked in 1996, then decreased somewhat, and has remained stable for the past several years.”

So far, the study can’t determine if mountain lions are impacting the Mendocino-area blacktail population, Forrester said.

According to Marilyn Jasper of the Sierra Club’s Mother Lode chapter, predators may impact the deer population, “but the decline may mean the herd is approaching sustainable size for its habitat.”

Jasper points out that “mountain lions are beneficial to all their prey, since they normally kill the weakest or the sickest.”

Hunters, on the other hand, “kill the best – trophy – of a species, thereby upsetting the natural balance” by allowing weaker animals to survive, Jasper said.

One predator that is “definitely not affecting the deer population,” Forrester said, is the coyote, which sometimes preys on deer.

Hidden Valley Lake residents occasionally report seeing predators, such as bobcats, which Forrester said do not typically prey on deer.

While mountain lions, which have a “huge home range,” might make forays into the subdivision, Forrester doubts they have a steady presence, despite the many deer – because of the human presence.

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A small herd of deer graze in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif. Photo by Derek Pell.

The role of habitat loss

In Nevada, another state where mule deer are vanishing, state biologists say the problem isn’t predators: It’s the continuing loss of habitat from development, wildfire and invading non-native grasses.

Since settlement 150 years ago, many things, including livestock grazing, habitat fragmentation from gas, oil and mineral exploration and climate change, have altered the landscape, according to the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies’ Mule Deer Working Group.

Forrester cited two big changes here that have affected deer and other animals.

In the 1980s and 1990s, there was a lot of logging. Aside from destroying habitat, logging also encouraged fire suppression. American Indians intentionally set grass fires to clear old growth, Forrester said, and the oak woodlands flourished, creating fresh food sources like acorns.

When logging took over, intentional burning stopped. A thick, soil-killing, intermediate growth sprung from the clearcut void. It failed to meet the deer’s specific nutritional needs, according to Forrester.

One of the worst impacts on deer habitat has been the takeover by non-native vegetation, Forrester said.

Native perennial grasses have “totally switched over to annual grass,” Forrester said. Now in the fall, where there was once a blanket of green, everything is dead.

Subdivision-deer, however, find plenty to eat as they move through their home range, which is about one kilometer wide, seeking the most nutritious foods.

Feeding wild deer can harm them, Forrester said, as they can’t digest foods like alfalfa or bread.

Deer are highly selective feeders. They don’t graze, but pluck small flowering plants in the grass. And as gardeners know, they choose the best leaves.

In spring and summer, they prefer forbs and shrubs. Fall is the season for munching acorns. In winter, they dine on the leaves of shrubs.

Blacktails form family groups, rather than herds, Forrester said.

At this time of year, the deer cluster together in what are mostly mother-daughter groups.

In their first year, fawns stay with the mother. When the next baby is born, the mother kicks them off. The yearlings then return to the area where they were born.

As residents of Lake County subdivisions know, that might be their own backyard.

Sheila Pell is a freelance correspondent for Lake County News. She lives in Hidden Valley Lake, Calif.

 

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The 2011 Redbud Audubon Christmas Bird Count, held last month, identified a reported 143 species, according to the Redbud Audubon Society.


The event was a great success, with more than 50 people participating in the count, according to Darlene Hecomovich, the Christmas Bird Count coordinator for Lake County.


The count was held on Dec. 17, and was part of a nationwide effort to tally birds, an event that is held every year from December to early January by Audubon societies all over the country.


Hecomovich thanked everyone who participated in the count.


“It was your work and dedication that made it all possible,” she said.


A total of 143 species were seen, she reported, down somewhat from the 153 species seen in 2007.


“Fifty-five matches our all-time highest number of participants of two years ago and this year included four birders from St. Helena, one from Santa Rosa, and three Lower Lake High School students plus all the good dedicated birders of Lake County,” Hecomovich said.


Some species of particular interest include several Barrows’ Goldeneye, both bald and golden eagles, Canyon Wren, Townsend’s Solitaire, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Black-throated Gray Warbler and Lawrence’s Goldfinch, which made its sixth appearance on the Christmas Bird Count with an all-time high of 47 birds.


The Ruddy Duck garnered the highest number of individuals with an all-time high count of 14,823.


“One of the species we were sorry to miss was the Yellow-billed Magpie. The numbers of magpies on the count have been declining for the past half-dozen years, and this year’s miss is the second year in a row that we’ve had no magpie,” Hecomovich reported.


The Redbud Audubon Society is a local conservation organization affiliated with the National Audubon Society. The group holds monthly educational programs and hosts field trips. It also sponsors the annual Heron Festival which will be held this year at Redbud Park in Clearlake on May 5. Visitors will have a chance to go into Anderson Marsh by pontoon boat to view the Heron Rookery there on Slater Island.


For more information, go to www.redbudaudubon.org.


Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

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