News

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office is planning its next free traffic safety training class for the community's young drivers on Wednesday, April 15.

The “Start Smart” traffic safety class for newly licensed and teenage drivers and their parents/guardians will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Lower Lake High School Library, 9430 Lake St.

The leading cause of death for Americans ages 15 to 20 is motor vehicle collisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the CHP's goal is to reduce the death rate among young drivers as the result of these collisions.

The CHP’s “Start Smart” program is aimed at helping newly licensed and future licensed teenage drivers understand the critical responsibilities of driving and to understand that accidents happen, but collisions are 100-percent preventable. 

The program is designed to provide an interactive safe driving awareness class that will illustrate how poor choices behind the wheel of a car can affect the lives of numerous people.

“Start Smart” also focuses on responsibilities of newly licensed drivers, responsibilities of parents/guardians and collision avoidance techniques.

The expansion of the classes on the local level has been an objective of Lt. Hector Paredes, who became commander of the Clear Lake Area office in late 2014.

“The CHP is committed to mitigating traffic collisions involving young, inexperienced drivers, because they are preventable,” Paredes said. “Start Smart is an excellent program that promotes safe driving for young new drivers.”

Space is limited for this class, and reservations are required.

For more information or reservations, call Officer Kory Reynolds at the Kelseyville CHP office, 707-279-0103. 

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A Chico man reported missing after he went into the Glenn County side of the Mendocino National Forest over the weekend has been located.

Alex Canto, 44, was located Thursday afternoon with the assistance of the California Highway Patrol Air Ops, according to Glenn County Undersheriff Todd James.

Canto's girlfriend had reported him and his dog “Brava” missing on Tuesday. He went into the forest for a camping trip on Saturday afternoon and hadn't communicated with her since that day, James reported.

Beginning on Wednesday, search efforts had begun on the Glenn County side of the forest, with the search also continuing into the forest's Mendocino County side on Thursday, according to James.

James said the CHP joined the search on Thursday, flying the forest to look for Canto and ultimately locating him.

“They are currently trying to reach Canto and will fly him out when they do,” James said in an email update just before 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

“I have no information at this time on his condition other than he is alive and talking,” James said of Canto, adding that he will send out an update when he receives more information.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Glenn County Sheriff's Office and allied agencies are searching for a Chico man who went camping in the Mendocino National Forest over the weekend.

Glenn County Undersheriff Todd James said Alex Canto, 44, was reported missing by his girlfriend Monica Smith on Tuesday.

James said Smith called the sheriff’s office and advised that Canto left on Saturday, traveling to the Mendocino National Forest in Glenn County west of Elk Creek for a camping trip.

Smith advised that she received a text message from Canto at 7:15 p.m. Saturday saying that he was going up 5,000 feet on Forest Highway 7. Smith said that she has not heard from Canto since that time and is concerned for his welfare, James said.

Smith said that Canto is an outdoorsman, hikes and camps frequently and took a cold weather jacket, rain jacket and blankets with him when he left, according to James.

Canto also took his dog “Brava” with him; James said Smith described the dog as being a medium-sized brown short-haired male.

Canto is driving a 1992 charcoal-colored Isuzu Rodeo with prominent rust damage around the body of the vehicle with California License 3DFL701, James said.

James described Canto as a white male adult, 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. It is unknown what Canto was wearing when he went missing. Smith advised authorities that Canto is in good health.

On Wednesday members of the Glenn County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue team were called and conducted a search of Forest Highway 7 from C/R 306 to the Mendocino County line, including all campgrounds in the area, James said.

James said Canto has not been located and the area being searched is very large with numerous off road trails.

Mendocino County has been advised and will be searching their side of the Mendocino Forest, and on Thursday the California Highway Patrol will be flying the forest in an attempt to locate Canto, his vehicle or both, James said.

A “ping” on Canto’s cell phone showed that the phone was off and had not been used since Saturday, the day he went into the forest, according to James.

Anyone with information on Canto’s current location is urged to contact the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office at 530-934-6431.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An 11-year-old Clearlake girl who had been missing for several hours was found late Wednesday thanks to a Clearlake Police K9 who led officers to her location.

The girl, CeNedra Vance, was reported missing to police by her mother, Felicia Vance, according to a report from Clearlake Police Sgt. Martin Snyder.

At about 8:44 p.m. Wednesday Felicia Vance went to the lobby of the Clearlake Police Department and reported that her daughter had walked away from a friend’s residence in the 15000 block of 32nd Avenue in Clearlake. The girl was last seen at about 4:15 p.m., Snyder said.

Snyder said Vance reported family and friends had been looking for the juvenile for several hours and were unable to locate her.

Vance reported her daughter was possibly seen in the area of Oleander Street. However, the last sighting of the juvenile was more than an hour and a half old at that point, Snyder said.

At that time there had been no confirmed sightings and the distance between 32nd Avenue and Oleander Street was several miles on opposite sides of the city, he said.

Snyder said Officer Trevor Franklin contacted several friends of the juvenile's in the area in an attempt to get a possible destination or location of the juvenile.

Additionally, Lake County Search and Rescue, Lake County Fire Protection District and the Lake County Sheriff's Office were contacted and asked to assist with searching for the girl, Snyder said.

Pomo School Principal Heather Koehler also was contacted for assistance. Snyder said Koehler sent out an automated message to all the parents of the Konocti Unified School District. The message advised parents to be on the lookout for the missing juvenile, and included clothing descriptions and contact information.

As the search and rescue teams were being deployed, the mother received a tip from a resident on Second Street that the juvenile was last seen walking into a wooded area east of Second Street, Snyder said.

Officer Franklin, along with Officer Mike Ray and his K9 partner, Harley, began an article search from the last known location of the juvenile, Snyder said.

Snyder said Harley led officers to the girl's location. Just after 10:40 p.m. officers advised that they had located her in an abandoned boat hull which had been discarded in the brush approximately 150 yards from the roadway. 

Officers requested medical aid for the juvenile as she was unresponsive but breathing. Snyder said the officers believed the juvenile was possibly suffering from the early stages of hypothermia.

Franklin carried the girl about 150 yards out of the wooded area, where she was released to the paramedics who had just arrived on scene, Snyder said.

Paramedics with Lake County Fire Protection District rendered aid to the girl, who Snyder said was later transported to the St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for further treatment.

Snyder said the girl was treated and later released from the hospital.

Felicia Vance posted on Lake County News' Facebook page, offering her thanks to the community for the assistance in bringing her daughter home.

“She ran away from home cause we are moving out of state after her dad was killed here,” Vance wrote, referring to her late husband, David Ferrell, who died as the result of a random shooting in Clearlake in September 2013.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked the Clearlake residents who assisted with passing information across social networks and sharing information, which helped in narrowing the search area for the the child.

Additionally, the agency recognized the fast response and assistance from the Lake County Fire Protection District, Lake County Sheriff's Office, Lake County Search and Rescue and staff with the Konocti Unified School District.

“With partnership with the community and allied agencies, we were fortunate to bring this to a positive ending with the juvenile reunited with family,” Snyder said.

The year 2014 broke records for West Nile virus activity in California, according to state officials.

California Department of Public Health Director and State Health Officer Dr. Karen Smith said California had the second-highest number of human cases of West Nile virus in 2014 since the virus first invaded California in 2003.

In 2014, California recorded 801 cases of the potentially fatal disease. In 2005, CDPH detected 880 cases of WNV.

The highest number of cases was in Orange County (263 cases) and the highest incidence occurred in Glenn County (35.3 cases per 100,000 population).

In Lake County, West Nile virus activity included on human case, 18 dead birds, 71 mosquito samples and five sentinel chickens.

An analysis of Lake County's West Nile numbers illustrated in the chart above shows that, like the rest of California, incidences of the virus appeared to peak in 2014.

The level of WNV activity last year broke several records including:

– 561 cases of West Nile neuroinvasive disease, the more serious neurological form of the disease often resulting in encephalitis or meningitis, were detected.

– The number of fatal WNV cases, 31, exceeded all previous years.

– The proportion of mosquitoes infected with WNV was the highest level ever detected in California (mosquito infection rate = 6.0; epidemic conditions equate with 5.0).

– The prevalence of WNV infection in tested dead birds, 60 percent, was the highest ever detected in California.

It is possible that the ongoing drought contributed to West Nile virus activity by creating more limited sources of water for birds and mosquitoes, according to Dr. Smith.

“As birds and mosquitoes sought water, they came into closer contact and amplified the virus, particularly in urban areas. The lack of water could have caused some sources of water to stagnate, making the water sources more attractive for mosquitoes to lay eggs,” said Dr. Smith.

It is not possible to predict the level of WNV activity in 2015 because activity is influenced by many factors including climate, the number and types of birds and mosquitoes in an area, and the level of immunity in birds to WNV.

As the weather warms up, mosquitoes become more abundant. Unseasonably warm weather this year could lead to increased mosquito abundance and promote an early start to the WNV disease season.

The WNV season typically begins in the summer and tapers off in the fall months, with the highest risk for disease occurring in mid-July through September.

West Nile virus is transmitted to humans and animals by the bite of an infected mosquito. For most people, the risk of serious illness is low.

However, some individuals – less than 1 percent – can develop a serious neurologic illness, such as encephalitis or meningitis.

People 50 years of age or older and people with diabetes and/or high blood pressure have the greatest risk of developing serious complications.

CDPH recommends that individuals prevent exposure to mosquito bites and West Nile virus by practicing the “Three Ds:”

– DEET: Apply insect repellent containing DEET, picaradin, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or IR3535 according to label instructions. Repellents keep the mosquitoes from biting you. DEET can be used safely on infants and children 2 months of age and older.

– Dawn and dusk: Mosquitoes bite in the early morning and evening so it is important to wear protective clothing and repellent if you are outside during these times. Make sure that your doors and windows have tight-fitting screens to keep out mosquitoes. Repair or replace screens with tears or holes.

– Drain: Mosquitoes lay their eggs on standing water. Eliminate all sources of standing water on your property, including in flower pots, old car tires and buckets. If you know of a swimming pool that is not being properly maintained, please contact your local mosquito and vector control agency.

California's West Nile virus Web site, http://westnile.ca.gov/ , includes the latest information on West Nile virus activity in the state. Californians are encouraged to report all dead birds through the Web site.

Starting April 15, dead birds can be reported by calling toll-free 1-877-WNV-BIRD (968-2473).

LUCERNE, Calif. – The District 3 town hall planned to take place on Friday evening in Lucerne has been canceled.

Supervisor Jim Steele, the event's host, said the town hall will be rescheduled.

“Due to a longer-than-anticipated recovery for a routine surgical procedure, I must cancel the Friday meeting,” Steele said. “I will be back to my normal routine in short order and will reschedule the town hall meeting as soon as possible.”

Steele said that for those who need his assistance, he can be reached at 707-295-6198 effective Thursday.

“Thanks for your understanding,” Steele said.