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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – County officials said this week that they are planning to begin winding down the donation management that the county took on last year in the wake of the Valley fire.
The closure of the Federal Emergency Management Agency Area Field Office in Lakeport at the end of January and the near-completion of the CalRecycle debris cleanup for residential lots has signaled a change in the direction of recovery as the Valley fire focus shifts towards rebuilding, the county of Lake reported.
“Many county staff have been working in the Emergency Operations Center and on fire recovery projects and programs since July 29, when the Rocky Fire broke out. Given the progress that has been achieved at this point, it’s the right time for many County staff to transition back into fulfilling their regular job duties,” said Lake County Administrative Officer Matt Perry. “Fulfilling these regular job duties will also contribute towards the rebuilding process.”
Donation management is one area that the county will be transitioning out of, officials said.
Managing donations is not a typical core service of any local government, but a county donation management team was established when it became apparent that Lake County was going to be inundated with physical contributions.
District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown estimated there were close to 500 tons of donations that were received, sorted, organized and taken to distribution centers since the start of the Valley fire.
The donation center at the Work Right building in Lakeport is slated to be closed by the end of March, the county reported.
“The owner of the building has a lease to another business starting in April,” said Brown.
The Seventh-day Adventist Donation Center hopes to remain open at their Lakeport site, located in the Willow Tree Shopping Center on 11th Street, for as long as the need remains.
The Cobb Mountain Lion’s Club plans to keep their donation center open at the Little Red Schoolhouse until the one-year anniversary of the start of the Valley Fire, Sept. 12, 2016.
One of the larger donation items offered was the mobile laundry unit built by Brett Gayner of Sonoma County.
However, at the Feb. 2 Valley Fire Long-Term Recovery Task Force meeting the county's recovery coordinator, Carol Huchingson, announced that the county is going to halt its efforts to place the unit.
“It has taken a significant amount of staff time looking for a workable location with the correct electrical and water hook ups and none of the possible arrangements pursued worked out,” Huchingson explained. “Staff can now devote that time to other areas of the recovery.”
Huchingson also pointed out that the owner of the existing Middletown Laundromat has reported that his facility is operating at only about 50- to 60-percent of capacity, thus indicating a readily available resource for Valley fire survivors who lost in-home laundry facilities when their homes burned.
“There are volunteer organizations in Lake County doing a tremendous job helping Valley fire survivors. County staff needs to focus on other areas of recovery to help Lake County rebuild. We are willing to support and encourage volunteer or community organizations to step in where there is a need,” said Brown.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – This weekend months of study and preparation by three high school Academic Decathlon teams will culminate in the county competition.
The final stage of the Lake County Academic Decathlon will take place Saturday, Feb. 6, in the cafeteria at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St.
The public is invited to attend the Super Quiz and awards ceremony, beginning at 2 p.m., according to Tammy Serpa, education specialist with Career and College Readiness Department of the Lake County Office of Education. The event is free.
Serpa and Academic Decathlon coordinator Norma Cromwell are overseeing the event's organization.
This year's topic is India, Serpa said.
She said the master of ceremonies for the Super Quiz will be Dr. Ketmani Kouanchao, Mendocino College's dean of student services.
One team each from Clear Lake High School, Kelseyville High School and Upper Lake High School will take part in the Saturday competition, according to Serpa.
“We have 52 students combined participating this year in the decathlon,” Serpa said.
Clear Lake High School comes to the event as the defending champion.
The Academic Decathlon's 10 disciplines include arts, economics, essay, interview, language and literature, mathematics, music, science, social science and speech. In addition, the teams are scored on their Super Quiz performance.
Serpa said there also are poetry and poster production competitions judged by the Lake County Arts Council. Those contests are not scored in the overall competition.
The poems and posters will be on display at the event, and Serpa said they are tangible examples of what the students are learning through the competition.
Serpa said the Academic Decathlon's essay portion, which the students completed on computer, was proctored in January and judged by college professors and retired high school teachers throughout California.
The speech and interview portions of the competition took place last Saturday, also at Kelseyville High School, she said.
All of that is in preparation for the remaining portions of the competition, with the academic decathletes taking those subject exams on Saturday morning, ahead of the Super Quiz, Serpa said.
A number of local organizations are offering sponsorship of the Academic Decathlon once again this year, Serpa said.
She said Mendo Lake Credit Union will offer scholarships of $125, $75 and $50 for the top three interview finishers, with the Lodge at Blue Lakes giving a $100 scholarship to the top scoring student at each school. The Lakeport Lions also offers awards for the top speeches.
The winning team will advance to represent Lake County at the California Academic Decathlon in Sacramento March 17 through 20, Serpa said.
Serpa said the Friends of Mendocino College group will make a donation to the team heading to the state competition.
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Californians have reduced water use by 25.5 percent since June, continuing to meet Gov. Jerry Brown's 25-percent mandate despite a decline in the statewide water-savings rate during the last three months of 2015.
In December, the statewide conservation rate was 18.3 percent, down from 20.4 percent in November, compared to the same months in 2013.
A drop in the water conservation rate was expected during the cooler fall and winter months, when Californians use less water and there is less opportunity to save on outdoor water use compared with the hot summer months.
Indeed, average statewide water use declined from 76 gallons per person per day in November to 67 gallons in December, the second lowest per-person rate since water-use reporting began in June 2014.
Nonetheless, Californians are urged to keep up their efforts to conserve through the winter months. This includes complying with urban water supplier directives to switch to once-a-week watering schedules, and not using outdoor irrigation during and within 48 hours following a rain event.
“While the recent rains and growing snowpack are wonderful to behold, we won’t know until spring what effect it will have on the bottom line for California’s unprecedented drought,” said Felicia Marcus, chair of the State Water Resources Control Board. “Until we can tally that ledger, we have to keep conserving water every way we can. Every drop saved today is one that we may be very glad we have tomorrow.”
In November 2015, the governor issued an executive order directing the State Water Board to extend and revise the drought emergency water conservation regulation based on conditions through January.
Staff released a draft updated emergency regulation for public comment on Jan. 15. The State Water Board was set to discuss this extended emergency regulation on Tuesday.
December conservation data
For June through December, the cumulative statewide reduction was 25.5 percent, compared to the same months in 2013. That equates to almost 1.1 million acre-feet of water saved, putting the state 91 percent of the way to meeting the 1.2 million acre-feet savings goal to be achieved through February 2016.
Statewide water savings for December 2015 was 18.3 percent (75,719 acre‑feet or 24.7 billion gallons), a decrease from November 2015’s 20.4 percent savings.
Contributing to the lower monthly savings, December 2015 saw the lowest level of water provider compliance to date with 60 percent of suppliers meeting their conservation standards.
Statewide average water use for December 2015 was 67 residential gallons per capita per day (R-GPCD), down from 76 gallons per person per day in November. This is the second-lowest per-person rate observed since the State Water Board began requiring reporting due to the drought.
In his April 1, 2015 executive order, Gov. Brown mandated a 25 percent water use reduction for cities and towns across California.
In May 2015, the State Water Board adopted an emergency regulation requiring an immediate 25 percent reduction in overall potable urban water use.
The regulation uses a sliding scale for setting conservation standards, so that communities that have already reduced their R-GPCD through past conservation will have lower mandates than those that have not made such gains since the last major drought.
The State Water Board tracks water conservation for each of the state’s larger urban water suppliers – those with more than 3,000 connections – on a monthly basis, but compliance with individual water supplier conservation requirements and the statewide 25 percent mandate is based on cumulative savings.
Cumulative tracking means that conservation savings will be added together from one month to the next and compared to the amount of water used during the same months in 2013.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – With a new year now under way, classes also are back in session at the Mendocino College Lake Center in Lakeport.
The Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, in partnership with members of the Lakeport Kiwanis Club, will host an open house and barbecue at the Lake Center campus from noon to 1:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 4, at the Lakeport campus.
The public is invited to attend to meet students and college officials, and learn about the Lake Center's programs and classes.
Steve Hixenbaugh, interim dean of the Lake Center and the college's career and technical education program, said the spring semester started last week for Mendocino College at its three campuses – in Ukiah, Willits and at the Lake Center. Hixenbaugh said the last day of the spring semester is May 27.
“We had a very strong fall. Every number was up here,” said Hixenbaugh, adding that fall enrollment grew by 11 percent across the district, including the Lake Center, in fall 2015 over fall 2014.
As the spring semester gets under way, there are 48 fewer students at the Lake Center compared to this time last year. However, Hixenbaugh said that with students still adding classes – and with several late start classes set to begin in the weeks ahead – he expects that final tally to change and show Lake County enrollment to be up.
There are slightly fewer classes being offered at the campus this semester as the college works to build the most efficient schedule. However, it has augmented its late-start and online course offerings, and all of the classes are well-enrolled, he said.
Overall, the district is showing an increase of 244 students for the spring semester, for a districtwide total of 4,154, he said, with all other metrics up.
“We're not seeing the decline other community colleges have seen,” he said.
That decline, according to Hixenbaugh and other local college officials, is a matter of an improving economy.
It also shows in the fact that there are slightly fewer full-time students this semester – 1,150 compared to 1,153 previously – but 247 more part-time students, a shift that Hixenbaugh said results from people having jobs and being unable to take a full-time course load.
“That's the economic indicator,” he said.
Hixenbaugh said there are 163 Lake County high school students taking courses either online, at high school sites or at the Lake Center, up from 100 in spring semester 2015.
He said the college has been working with its three strong Lake County high school partners, Clear Lake High, Kelseyville and Upper Lake, and the result is K-12 enrollments are significantly up.
“We're serving a lot more students here with online classes, and we've got a really significant footprint with our K12 partners,” he said, explaining there is a statewide move to get high school students college experience.
In one example of how the college is particularly serving the high schools, Hixenbaugh said it is offering a Spanish 200 course. For smaller districts that normally wouldn't be able to offer a full-time language instructor, it's a key offering.
Upper Lake High Principal/Superintendent Patrick Iaccino has discussed at board meetings his students taking the courses from Mendocino College, which is helping them meet language requirements.
Mendocino College offers a lot of online courses, and there are more Lake County students taking classes online than their counterparts in Mendocino County, he said.
Approximately 31 percent of online students are from Lake County, which provides 25 percent of the districtwide student population, Hixenbaugh said.
The college is offering a wide variety of courses, including science classes such as chemistry, which Hixenbaugh said always is full.
He said there always has been a demand for science classes, but the challenge has been providing the courses. However, thanks to the new state-of-the-art classrooms that are fully equipped for those science classes, the courses now are available.
Among its late-start classes, the Lake Center will host a new “Construction Fundamentals” course that's meant to assist with the rebuilding effort following last year's wildland fires. That class begins Feb. 27.
Hixenbaugh said the course will be aimed at both owner-builders and those going into the construction field.
The college is now working to finalize its summer class offerings, Hixenbaugh said.
“We're hoping to plan a robust summer schedule,” which he said should be done within the next few weeks.
The college is part of a countywide education coalition that consists of the Lake County Office of Education, Marymount California University, Woodland Community College and others that Hixenbaugh said are making progress in increasing the educational offerings to help Lake County residents advance not just learning opportunities but quality of life.
The 30-acre campus, with a view of Mt. Konocti and the nearby hills traversed by Highway 175, opened to students in January 2013 in Lakeport and won TLCD Architecture awards for its design.
“It's a beautiful campus,” said Hixenbaugh.
He said there is plenty of room to grow as the campus continues to expand.
“This place is such a gem,” said Hixenbaugh.
The Lake Center is located at 2565 Parallel Drive in Lakeport, telephone 707-263-4944. For class information visit http://www.mendocino.edu/ .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Finley man arrested last February for the murder of his cousin has been convicted of the killing but also found to have been legally insane and so is expected to serve his sentence in a mental institution.
On Thursday, Jan. 28, Salvador Flores Guzman, 70, was convicted of murdering his 78-year-old cousin Manuel Guzman in February 2015, according to District Attorney Don Anderson, who personally prosecuted the case.
Anderson said the court also found Salvador Guzman guilty of assault with means – specifically, a knife – likely to produce great bodily injury, and special allegations of inflicting great bodily injury on a person over the age of 70.
Salvador Guzman had entered a plea of not guilty by reason of insanity, not a common occurrence in the local courts, Anderson said.
Because of that plea, a special hearing followed the verdict, with the judge finding that Salvador Guzman was legally insane at the time he committed the crime, Anderson said.
Barry Melton represents Salvador Guzman in the case. “He was found both guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity,” Melton explained.
Judge Arnold Rosenfield presided over Guzman's bench trial. Anderson said local judges had recused themselves because Manuel Guzman's daughter is a court employee.
Anderson said that Salvador Guzman really hated his cousin, who he believed had been the cause of several problems he had been having over the past 30 years.
In particular, Salvador Guzman believed Manuel Guzman had poisoned him, tampered with his vehicle, entered his house late at night, tried to cause problems with his taxes and worked to get him deported.
“It was all just some delusions he had. None of it was real,” said Anderson.
“He finally said he had enough of it and he figured he had to kill him,” Anderson said of Salvador Guzman's motive.
On the night of Feb. 8, 2015, Salvador Guzman stalked his cousin in the parking lot at Konocti Vista Casino in Lakeport, Anderson said.
When Manuel Guzman left the casino in his pickup truck, Salvador Guzman followed him out in his van, according to the investigation.
Anderson said Salvador Guzman forced his cousin off the road and into a pear orchard on Stone Drive in Finley. Salvador Guzman then approached Manuel Guzman and stabbed him several times before he fled the scene, leaving his cousin in the orchard.
After responding to a report of a traffic accident, Lake County Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers found Manuel Guzman lying in the orchard next to his vehicle, as Lake County News has reported.
Anderson said Manuel Guzman was found to have multiple stab wounds to his face and chest. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
With the help of family members, deputies located Salvador Guzman the next morning in his van at Lakeside County Park, according to Anderson.
Salvador Guzman will next be in court on Feb. 26 for sentencing and placement, Anderson said.
Melton said the Feb. 26 court appearance will be for two purposes – one for the conventional sentencing and the second for the recommendation of the community program director as to where he's to be placed.
“He'll go to one of the state's mental hospitals,” Melton said.
Guzman is older and has a series of medical problems, “aside from everything else,” Melton explained. “They're going to need to put him someplace where medical services are available.”
Melton said he would be able to comment more on the case after sentencing is complete.
“Although I can't comment on the verdicts at this point in time, I want to acknowledge that I was greatly honored to be in trial with the elected district attorney of Lake County, Don Anderson. He is a highly ethical lawyer and an extraordinarily gifted prosecutor,” Melton said.
Anderson said Salvador Guzman will end up spending the rest of his life in a mental institution.
After sentencing, Guzman will be transported to a facility, which will depend on finding a place for him.
“Sometimes it's very difficult finding a bed for them some place,” Anderson said.
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California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith today advised that although there is no evidence of mosquitoes carrying Zika virus in California, people should always take steps to avoid mosquito bites, including removing standing water and wearing insect repellant when necessary.
Californians should also be advised of international travel alerts for the countries where Zika virus is circulating.
“Although no one has contracted Zika virus in California, mosquito bites can still be harmful and the public should take steps to protect themselves,” said Dr. Smith. “Help reduce the risk of mosquito bites by removing standing water from around your home and wearing mosquito repellant when appropriate.”
As of Jan. 29, there are six confirmed cases of Zika virus in California, all of which were contracted when traveling in other countries with Zika virus outbreaks in 2013 (1), 2014 (3) and 2015 (2).
CDPH will continue monitoring for any confirmed cases in California and will provide weekly updates every Friday. To protect patient confidentiality, specific locations of infected patients cannot be disclosed.
Zika virus is primarily transmitted to people by Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes, the same mosquitoes that can transmit dengue and chikungunya viruses.
These mosquitoes – which are not native to California – have been identified in 12 California counties, from the central coast south, although there are no known cases where the mosquitoes were carrying the Zika virus in this state. The six confirmed cases of Zika virus in California were acquired in other countries.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a travel alert (Level 2-Practice Enhanced Precautions) for people traveling to regions and certain countries where Zika virus transmission is ongoing: American Samoa, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Curacao, El Salvador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Martinique, Mexico, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Suriname, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.
People traveling to these and other countries with known Zika virus risk should take steps to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes, including:
· Use insect repellents containing DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or para-menthane-diol for long lasting protection. If you use both sunscreen and insect repellent, apply the sunscreen first and then the repellent. Pregnant women and women who are breastfeeding can and should choose an EPA-registered insect repellent and use it according to the product label.
· Wear long-sleeved shirts and long pants.
· Use air conditioning or window/door screens to keep mosquitoes outside. If you are not able to protect yourself from mosquitoes inside your home or hotel, sleep under a mosquito bed net.
· Help reduce the number of mosquitoes outside by emptying standing water from containers such as flowerpots or buckets
The CDC and CDPH have also issued guidance for pregnant women recommending they avoid countries where Zika virus is circulating.
Pregnant women who cannot avoid travel to these countries should talk to their health care provider and take steps to avoid mosquito bites.
The CDC and CDPH have also provided guidance for physicians on the evaluation of pregnant women and infants who may have been exposed to Zika virus.
Most people infected with Zika virus will not develop symptoms. If symptoms do develop, they are usually mild and include fever, rash and eye redness.
If you have returned from an affected country and have fever with joint pain, rash within two weeks, or any other symptoms following your return; please contact your medical provider and tell the doctor where you have traveled.
While there is no specific treatment for Zika virus disease, the best recommendations are supportive care, rest, fluids and fever relief.
There is concern that Zika virus may be transferred from a pregnant woman to her baby during pregnancy or delivery. Preliminary reports suggest that Zika virus may cause microcephaly (abnormal fetal brain development).
This possibility has not been confirmed and is being actively investigated. CDPH has requested that health care providers report suspected Zika virus disease or associated conditions of microcephaly to local health departments.
Local health departments will report cases to CDPH, which is coordinating referral of any specimens to CDC for diagnostic testing.
For more information on Zika virus disease and other mosquito-borne illnesses, please visit the CDPH Zika virus information Web site, http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Zika.aspx .