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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The growth of the Lodge Fire slowed on Wednesday, with officials reporting that another injury occurred.
The fire, burning for more than two weeks in steep terrain in Mendocino County's Wilderness Lodge/Eel River Canyon area, had burned a total of 11,300 acres by Wednesday night, with containment at 50 percent, according to Cal Fire.
Cal Fire said suppression costs on the lightning-caused complex of fires has cost an estimated $27 million to date.
Another injury was reported on Wednesday, bringing the total injuries to 12, according to Cal Fire.
Firefighters on Wednesday continued to enhance line in the area of Tenmile drainage and along Highway 101, Cal Fire reported.
The agency said aircraft were able to work the complex once the inversion layer cleared Wednesday afternoon.
Approximately 2,249 personnel were assigned to the complex on Wednesday. Other resources included 170 fire engines, 57 fire crews, 29 bulldozers, 13 helicopters and 29 water tenders, according to Cal Fire.
While the evacuation order still remains in effect for areas south of Highway 101, west of Cummings Road to Leggett, on Wednesday the American Red Cross closed its evacuation shelter in Leggett but said it was remaining on standby in case its services were needed again, with Red Cross personnel to continue to attend daily briefings.
An evacuation order remains in effect for Camp Seabow, Bowman Ranch, Hunt Ranch, Tan Oak Park, Elk Creek and Mad Creek, Cal Fire said.
A total of 16 structures remain threatened, Cal Fire said.
Drift smoke from the fire continues to be an issue around the North Coast, including Lake County, officials reported.
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Gov. Jerry Brown on Wednesday night signed legislation to put a comprehensive water bond before voters this November.
“Water is the lifeblood of any civilization and for California it’s the precondition of healthy rivers, valleys, farms and a strong economy,” said Brown. “With this water bond, legislators from both parties have affirmed their faith in California’s future.”
The legislation signed by Brown, AB 1471 by Assemblymember Anthony Rendon (D-Lakewood), replaces the current $11.1 billion water bond on the November ballot.
The bipartisan legislation passed the Senate 37-0 and the Assembly 77-2.
The new bond includes $7.12 billion in new debt, plus the repurposing of existing unspent bond funds of $425 million for a total of $7.545 billion. None of the repurposed bond funds will be taken from existing projects.
The measure will be Proposition 1 on the November ballot.
The bond provides for water use efficiency and recycling, groundwater cleanup and management and $2.7 billion for additional water storage.
It invests in safe drinking water, particularly in disadvantaged communities, and provides for watershed restoration and increased flows in some of California's most important rivers and streams.
Gov. Brown also announced that he vetoed identical legislation, SB 866 by Senator Lois Wolk (D-Davis).
For full text of the bills, visit http://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov .
Among the groups supporting the bond is the California Farm Bureau.
In a Wednesday night statement, California Farm Bureau President Paul Wenger said the passage of the rewritten water bond – which followed five years of often difficult negotiations – brings California a step closer to improving its water future.
“The severe water shortages we’re currently experiencing result from 30 years of neglecting our water-storage system. That neglect is magnified by the drought, and it’s time to reverse that pattern of neglect. Placing this water bond on the November ballot gives Californians a chance to provide more water for our cities, for food production and for the environment,” Wenger said.
The bond represents the state’s largest investment in water storage in more than 30 years, “and it couldn’t come at a more critical time,” according to Wenger.
“As the drought has shown us all too well, we have lived too long with an outdated water-storage system,” he said. “We need to update that system to match changing weather patterns, in which more precipitation will fall as rain rather than as snow. Additional surface storage can capture those strong storm surges when they come, prevent flooding and bank that water for later dry times.”
Wenger noted that putting this rewritten bond measure on the ballot is only part of the solution.
“That’s why it’s important that the governor and the Legislature were able to agree on this package,” he said. “We needed to have a bond with the best possible chance of passage. We look forward to the governor’s participation in the campaign for new water storage.”
Fourth District Assemblywoman Mariko Yamada (D-Davis), whose district includes Lake County, also supported the bond measure.
“While imperfect, this bond is vastly improved from the 2009 version that I could not support,” she said in a Wednesday night statement. “Now, California voters will have the opportunity to determine whether or not this bond will advance our mutual water futures.”
The water bond is supported by a broad array of agricultural, business, labor, environmental, water and wildlife organizations.
The groups include Agricultural Council of California, Western Agricultural Processors, Clean Water Action, Association of California Water Agencies, American Rivers, Audubon Society, Bay Area Council, California Alliance for Jobs, California Chamber of Commerce, California Conference of Carpenters, California Farm Bureau Federation, California Labor Federation, California League of Conservation Voters, California-Nevada Conference of Operating Engineers, California State Pipe Trades Council, California Trout, California Waterfowl Association, California Coalition of Utility Workers, Community Water Center, Defenders of Wildlife, Ducks Unlimited, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, Natural Resources Defense Council, San Diego County Water Authority, Santa Clara Valley Water District, Silicon Valley Leadership Group, State Association of Electrical Workers, State Building and Construction Trades Council of California, California State Council of Laborers, Sonoma County Water Agency, The Nature Conservancy, Trout Unlimited, Western Growers Association, WateReuse California, Defenders of Wildlife, Northern California Water Association, California Building Industry Association, Westlands Water District, Yuba County Water Agency, California Fresh Fruit Association, Sacramento County, Contra Costa County, Yolo County and Solano County.
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A 3.2-magnitude earthquake was reported in the Upper Lake area on Wednesday afternoon.
The US Geological Survey's preliminary report on the quake said it occurred at 3:32 p.m.
Its epicenter was located 11 miles north of Upper Lake and 21 miles northeast of Ukiah, at a depth of 7.3 miles, the survey reported.
The survey received shake reports from Potter Valley and Redwood Valley.
Shake reports can be submitted at http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/nc72273480#dyfi_form .
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley reported that the deadline to file arguments for and against county measures appearing on the Nov. 4 ballot is later this month.
Fridley said the arguments are due by 5 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 19, for Measure O, the Medical Marijuana Control Act; Measure P, The Freedom to Garden Human Rights Restoration Act of 2014; Measure S, Healthy Lake Sales Tax; and the Lakeport Unified School District's school bond Measure T.
Arguments must be typed and submitted to the Lake County Registrar of Voters, Room 209 of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N Forbes St. in Lakeport.
No argument shall exceed 300 words in length. No more than five signatures shall appear with any argument.
All arguments must be accompanied by the “Statement That Argument Is True And Correct” as required by Section 9600 of the CA Elections Code provided by the Registrar of Voters office by request, stating the printed name and signature or printed names and signatures of the person or persons submitting it or, if submitted on behalf of an organization, the name of the organization and the printed name and signature of at least one of its principal officers.
County Measure “O,” Medical Marijuana Control Act: “Shall ‘The Medical Marijuana Control Act Initiative Measure’ which seeks to repeal any then-existing County regulations contained in Article 72 of the Lake County Zoning Ordinance and to establish new regulations regarding the size, location, and manner in which medical marijuana may be cultivated in unincorporated areas of Lake County be adopted?”
County Measure “P,” The Freedom To Garden Human Rights Restoration Act Of 2014: “Shall ‘The Freedom to Garden Human Rights Restoration Act of 2014 Initiative Measure’ which seeks to restore the natural human right to grow and use plants for the basic necessities of life and to exempt residents residing within the unincorporated areas of Lake County from any County permitting or other County ordinances that would limit an individual’s outside and/or greenhouse home gardening efforts be adopted?”
County Measure “S,” Healthy Lake Sales Tax: “Shall Article VI be added to Chapter 18 of the Lake County Code imposing a one-half of one percent (0.50%) transaction and use tax (sales tax) to implement a Healthy Lake Tax for the County of Lake for a maximum period of ten (10) years with all revenues exclusively under Lake County Watershed Protection District control to combat aquatic weeds, algae, invasive mussels and fund wetland restoration and water quality projects with an expenditure plan with citizen oversight for revenues generated?”
School bond Measure “T,” Lakeport Unified School District’s bond measure: “To improve the quality of education with funding that cannot be taken by the State; increase student access to computers and modern technology; replace outdated heating and air-conditioning systems; modernize classrooms, restrooms and school facilities; and improve/renovate the Westshore pool for school and community use; shall the Lakeport Unified School District issue $17,000,000 of bonds at legal interest rates, have an independent citizens’ oversight committee and have NO money used for administrative salaries?”
Only one argument for and one argument against each measure shall be selected for printing and distribution with the sample ballots.
Author(s) of a selected argument may prepare and submit a rebuttal argument not exceeding 250 words to the Lake County Registrar of Voters no later than 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26.
The Registrar of Voters Office will notify the author(s) of selected arguments in writing of the procedure to submit a rebuttal argument.
Interested persons are advised to contact the Registrar of Voters Office at 707-263-2372 prior to the deadline – Aug. 19 – for filing arguments.
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Lodge complex of lightning fires scorched another 1,000 acres of timberland on Tuesday, officials said.
The total acreage of the fire – burning since July 30 in the Wilderness Lodge and Eel River Canyon area of Mendocino County – has now reached 11,000 acres, with containment at 45 percent, according to Cal Fire's Tuesday evening report.
The fire's southeast portion continues to challenge firefighters, according to Cal Fire, with crews working to take advantage of the change in local weather to support the efforts to contain the complex.
Cal Fire said firefighters are continuing to improve contingency lines in the area of Cahto Peak and Ten Mile Creek.
An evacuation order remains in effect for areas south of Highway 101, west of Cummings Road to Leggett, including The Hermitage, Big Bend and Camp St. Michael, with the American Red Cross maintaining an evacuation shelter at the Leggett School, Cal Fire said.
An evacuation warning is still in effect for the Camp Seabow, Bowman Ranch, Hunt Ranch, Tan Oak Park, Elk Creek and Mad Creek areas, officials reported. A total of 16 structures are threatened.
No new injuries have been reported since earlier this week. Eleven have occurred so far, Cal Fire said.
Resources Cal Fire said were assigned to the complex on Tuesday included 2,324 personnel, 189 fire engines, 62 fire crews, 28 bulldozers, 13 helicopters and 25 water tenders.
Cal Fire's estimate of the complex' total suppression cost is $24 million.
The Lake County Air Quality Management District has reported that the fire is the main source of smoke and haze in Lake County's air basin.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Last Friday morning, a truckload of shining stainless steel brewing equipment arrived at 901 Bevins St., soon to be the home of O'Meara Bros. Brewing Co.
Alex and Tim O'Meara's new brewpub will offer a fusion of microbrewery and restaurant located just off Lakeport Boulevard.
Construction began in June. The O'Mearas intend to soon announce the date of the grand opening.
The brothers said they've been waiting for this moment a long time, and can't wait to share their beer, made on-site, with Lake County.
O'Meara Bros. Brewing Co. also will feature a high-quality “pub grub” menu, specially designed to complement their freshly brewed beer.
Plans include live music several nights a week, craft beer events and, in the near future, an outside beer garden.
More information on the brewpub can be found online at www.omearabros.com or Facebook at www.facebook.com/omearabros .
“Like” them on Facebook for an opportunity to win free entry into their exclusive Mug Club and a limited-edition grand opening t-shirt.