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California Department of Public Health State Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith announced that CDPH has received the first report of an influenza-associated fatality in a person under age 65 for the 2015-2016 flu season.
The death occurred in Santa Clara County and serves as a somber reminder that influenza can cause serious illness or death, officials said.
“As California’s public health officer, I am troubled when the flu turns into loss of life,” Dr. Smith said. “It doesn’t have to. That’s why I urge you to get your flu shot. By getting vaccinated, you can keep yourself healthy and stop the virus from spreading to others.”
Overall influenza activity in California remains sporadic, but Dr. Smith points out that influenza viruses circulate at their peak levels from December through April.
"Now is a good time to be vaccinated before the flu really spreads widely," said Dr. Smith.
Each year, flu causes millions of illnesses, hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and thousands or sometimes tens of thousands of deaths in the United States.
To reduce this threat, CDPH recommends the annual flu vaccine for everyone 6 months of age and older, including pregnant women.
Two of this season’s vaccine components, the influenza A (H3N2) and influenza B (Yamagata lineage) strains, have been updated to match the viruses Californians are likely to face during the 2015-2016 flu season.
Flu can cause severe disease across all ages. According to the California influenza surveillance report recently published, there were 78 influenza-associated deaths reported in persons under 65 years of age in California during the 2014-15 influenza season.
Only deaths in persons under age 65 are reported to CDPH and many influenza-associated deaths are unrecognized. Therefore, the actual number of deaths due to influenza was much greater.
Common symptoms of the flu include fever or feeling feverish, a cough and/or sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, chills, fatigue and body aches. Children may also have nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.
To stop the spread of flu and other respiratory illnesses, Californians should also:
· Stay home when sick;
· Cover a cough or sneeze with a tissue and properly dispose of the used tissue;
· Wash hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer;
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
Dr. Smith encourages Californians to contact their health care provider, physician office, clinic or pharmacy about obtaining the flu vaccine. Some local health departments may also offer low- or no-cost flu immunizations.
For more information about the flu visit the CDPH influenza web page.
To find a flu vaccine location near you, visit www.flu.gov .
GLENHAVEN, Calif. – The search for a missing woman ended on Wednesday when authorities discovered her body with her wrecked vehicle above Glenhaven.
Noelle Anne Shofner, 26, was found inside her 2001 Jeep Cherokee Wednesday morning, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Shofner – who also went by the last name of Lenz – had been reported missing to the sheriff's office on Saturday, Brooks said.
Her cousin told Lake County News earlier this week that Shofner had last been seen leaving her Glenhaven home in her Jeep on Oct. 28. She had left behind her cell phone, laptop and dog.
At 11:30 a.m. Wednesday the California Highway Patrol and Northshore Fire Protection District firefighters were dispatched to a report of a Jeep through a fence in a remote area in the hills above Glenhaven, Brooks said.
Radio reports indicated that the Jeep was found in an area off of Glenhaven Drive.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos told Lake County News that he and his firefighters responded to the scene, which was located on private property.
Brooks said the white Jeep was located down a steep embankment below a dirt access road. It appeared the Jeep had rolled several times before coming to rest against a tree.
A deceased female was located inside the vehicle. Brooks said she was positively identified as Shofner, and the white Jeep was confirmed to be the vehicle she was last seen driving.
Brooks said Shofner’s cause of death is pending an autopsy that will be performed later this week.
Shofner was a tattoo model who recently had been staying in Glenhaven. She was studying psychology and was interested in pursuing a career helping children.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Eight seats on boards for a school, a water district and a fire district were decided in Tuesday's general district election.
On the ballot were board races for Upper Lake Elementary School District Board, Clearlake Oaks County Water District Board and the Lake County Fire Protection District Board.
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office on Tuesday evening completed the tally of the preliminary results for the election.
Mel O'Meara and Ron Raetz were reelected to the Upper Lake Elementary School District Board; Karl Hosier, Richard Kuehn and Dena Barron won the open seats on the Clearlake Oaks County Water District Board; and the three seats on the Lake County Fire Protection District Board went to Bud Moore, Michael Dean and John Spriet.
The results must be checked and certified before becoming final. That process must be completed in 30 days.
Overall voter turnout for Tuesday's election was low, based on the Registrar of Voters Office's preliminary tally of the results.
Turnout for the Clearlake Oaks County Water District election was 24.8 percent, or 323 ballots cast, followed by 18.1 percent, or 488 ballots for the Upper Lake Elementary School Board election, and for the Lake County Fire Protection District, the turnout was 16.1 percent, or 1,289 ballots.
The full preliminary results for the races are listed below.
Clearlake Oaks County Water District Board (top three win seats):
– Karl Hosier, 197 votes, 24.1 percent.
– Richard Kuehn, 177 votes, 21.7 percent.
– Dena Barron, 154 votes, 18.9 percent.
– Bob Kiser, 148 votes, 18.1 percent.
– Richard Bishop, 140 votes, 17.2 percent.
Lake County Fire Protection District Board (top three win seats):
– Bud Moore, 861 votes, 29.5 percent.
– Michael W. Dean, 692 votes, 23.7 percent.
– John M. Spriet, 686 votes, 23.5 percent.
– Jacqueline Snyder, 668 votes, 22.9 percent.
– Write-in candidates: 8 votes, 0.3 percent.
Upper Lake Elementary School District Board (top two win seats):
– Mel O'Meara, 336 votes, 40.7 percent.
– Ronald L. Raetz, 295 votes, 35.7 percent.
– Melanie Sneathen, 195 votes, 23.6 percent.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Community members are invited to express their respect for fallen veterans and experience the pride of the annual display of veterans' flags at next week's Avenue of the Flags.
On Veterans Day – Wednesday, Nov. 11 – the flags of fallen veterans will fly in display at cemeteries throughout Lake County.
Lake County Veterans Memorial-Avenue of Flags Association – with the help of local volunteers – will install the flagpoles and mount the large flags along the avenues of county cemeteries.
These flags once draped the caskets of fallen veterans. Upon the completion of the interment ceremony, the family is presented the flag. The family has the option of donating the use of the veterans’ burial flag to the Lake County Veterans Memorial-Avenue of Flags Association.
On Memorial Day and Veterans Day the flags are flown to commemorate the memory of veterans who defended our country.
Avenue of Flags will be presented at the following cemeteries: Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport, Upper Lake Cemetery, Kelseyville Cemetery, and Lower Lake Cemetery.
Installation of flagpoles and flags will begin at 7 a.m. Nov. 11, weather permitting. Takedown of flags and flagpoles will occur at 3 p.m. Volunteers would be appreciated at all locations.
Further information is available from the following representatives: Upper Lake, Byron Green, 707-275-9515; Lower Lake, Dave Schober, 707-533-5843; Kelseyville, Paul Harris, 707-279-1115; and Hartley Cemetery, Lakeport, Dean Gotham, 707-350-1159.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The 78th quilt block on the Lake County Quilt Trail is “Dragonfly.”
It has been installed on Pat and Carl Dandy’s garden shed and is visible looking towards the lake at 10980 Terrace Way in the Clear Lake Riviera in Kelseyville.
There is only one garden, quilt block and dovecote visible on Terrace Way, and this is it.
“Dragonfly,” is appropriately placed in the Dandy garden area, which attracts lovely garden wildlife- dragonflies included.
The Dandys' garden includes nine bird houses and one dovecote, built by Carl. It was inspired after a trip to England by Carl and Pat in 1995.
A dovecote is a structure intended to house pigeons or doves. Usually, a dovecote is a free-standing structure in a garden. They generally contain pigeonholes for the birds to nest. Pigeons and doves were an important food source historically in Western Europe.
The Lake County Quilt Trail is an agricultural and tourism project designed to promote community pride.
The 4-foot by 4-foot quilt block was drawn and painted by the Lake County Quilt Trail team, a group of dedicated quilters, graphic artists, painters, writers, carpenters and a videographer.
For more information about the Lake County Quilt Trail visit www.lakecountyquilttrail.com or check out its Facebook page.
The California Highway Patrol is enhancing its efforts to ensure children are safely secured while traveling the state's roadways.
The CHP has partnered with the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) to implement the Children Held in Proper Place Every Ride, or CHIPPER, campaign.
The CHIPPER campaign will run for one year and focus on reducing the number of children killed in traffic collisions throughout California.
To help accomplish this goal, the CHP will host educational seminars, classes, and child safety seat inspections.
These efforts will highlight the importance of child passenger restraint and seat belt usage, and provide education on the proper installation of child passenger safety seats.
In addition to educational efforts, the CHP will be conducting enforcement operations concentrating on occupant restraint violations throughout the year with a special emphasis during the national “Click It or Ticket” campaign and national Child Passenger Safety Week.
California law requires a child to be properly restrained in an appropriate child safety seat in the rear seat of a vehicle until they are at least eight years of age.
Children age 8 and older, who are at least 4 feet 9 inches tall, may ride in the rear seat of a vehicle in a properly fitted seat belt.
Child passenger safety seats reduce the risk of fatal injury by 71 percent for infants and 54 percent for toddlers in passenger cars, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports.
Unfortunately, the CHP’s Statewide Integrated Traffic Records System recorded 198 unrestrained children (age 7 and younger) killed in traffic collisions throughout California in 2014.
“Buckling up is the single most effective way to protect a child in a vehicle crash,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Most collisions occur within a mile of home. By law children must be properly secured for every trip, no matter how short. Everyone at the CHP hopes that this campaign will ensure that all children in California are correctly buckled in for every trip.”
For more information regarding child passenger safety, child safety seats, and seat belt regulations, please contact your local CHP Area office. The Clear Lake Area office in Kelseyville can be reached at 707-279-0103.
Funding for this program was provided by a grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.