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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will hold two public meetings to discuss the proposed low-flow closure changes to the Russian River and North Central Coast streams.
The first meeting is Wednesday, July 30, from 2 to 5 p.m. at the North Coast Regional Water Quality Control Board, 5550 Skylane Blvd., Suite A, in Santa Rosa.
The second meeting is Thursday, July 31, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Gualala Community Center, 47950 Center St. in Gualala near the intersection of Center Street and South Highway 1.
A CDFW representative will detail the proposed regulation changes.
Following the short presentation, interested parties can make comments and provide input that will help shape CDFW’s final recommendation to the Fish and Game Commission, which CDFW anticipates presenting at the Commission’s meeting in Van Nuys in December.
The Russian River and other North Central Coast streams provide critical life-stage habitat for coastal Chinook salmon, coho salmon and steelhead trout.
All three of these species are listed under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). Coho salmon is also listed under the California ESA.
CDFW is preparing regulatory changes for Title 14, Chapter 3, Article 4, section 8, part (b) to add low-flow fish restrictions to the Russian River and base the closure of North Central Coast streams on one or more stream gauges on rivers that are more representative of these North Central Coast streams than the current regulated flows of the Russian River.
These proposed regulatory actions are based upon fishery impact concerns that have arisen during the past three years of drought conditions.
During the past two winters, salmon entering these streams were forced to congregate into the remaining pools below restricted passage areas, and then were subject to heavy angling pressure.
In both years the Russian River and North Central Coast streams have dropped to mere trickles, yet have remained open to fishing till an emergency closure was enacted by the Fish and Game Commission in February 2014. This emergency action expired on April 30, 2014.
The two public meetings are being led by CDFW to solicit public comments regarding the regulatory changes that are proposed to protect these ESA-listed fish while still providing sport fishing opportunities.
In addition to these public meetings, individuals and organizations may submit comments in writing.
The written comments can be sent by email to
NICE, Calif. – Ceago Vinegarden, one of the pillars in Lake County wine-producing, is closing its winery.
Ceago owner Jim Fetzer announced his retirement and the vinegarden's closure in an announcement released earlier this month.
The termination follows 13 years in business on the shore of Clear Lake in the Nice-Lucerne area, during which time the Ceago wine tasting room played host to 10,000 visitors annually, according to winery records.
Fetzer declined Lake County News’ request for an interview for this article, saying he “would prefer to keep a low profile.”
But in the statement Ceago posted on its Web site, www.ceago.com , and emailed out to its supporters, Fetzer said that his son Barney “will continue to manage the vineyards since our focus now will be on grape growing” while closing the retail side of the business.
What distinguished Ceago from the dozens of other wineries in Lake County was its sustainable, organic and biodynamic farming. The winery produced 8,000 cases a year, according to its Web site.
Fetzer, whose family has been in wine production for more than 55 years, said Ceago’s grapes will continue to be used throughout the wine industry.
Fetzer’s announcement of his departure and the closure to the public of the 163-acre Ceago farm had a reaction in the Lake County wine industry that was far from low profile.
“It’s like Konocti (Harbor) closing.“ said Lake County wine publicist Rick Gunier. “It may be the only winery in America that you could pull up to by boat. Jim has his own boat there and he has a beautiful dock where you could park.
“He also did a bunch for the industry by letting them use his facilities for the (wine) auction and some other things. He and (Jerry) Brassfield are generous enough to offer up their own facilities for the wine industry of Lake County to use . . . not everybody has facilities,” Gunier said.
Debra Sommerfield, president of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, paid tribute to Fetzer in an extensive email, identifying him as a “visionary with a lifelong passion for grape growing and winemaking, an advocate for treading lightly on the earth with his biodynamic farming” and “a true ambassador for Lake County, willing to share his insights into the area’s agriculture, history and ecology.”
At Ceago Vinegarden, over the past 10 years, Sommerfield said, Fetzer “shared and showcased the beauty and bounty of Lake County.”
She added, “What Jim envisioned with Ceago was innovative and he really helped move the wine industry forward in terms of offering an authentic agritourism experience.”
According to the winery, remaining wines and products will be available at Ceago until Sept. 14.
Email John Lindblom at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's unemployment in June had a slight tick upward, but still remained at one of the lowest levels in the last several years.
The Employment Development Department reported that Lake County's June unemployment rate was 9.1 percent, up from the revised May rate of 9 percent but well below the June 2013 rate of 11.9 percent.
Also in June, California's unemployment rate decreased to 7.4 percent from the 7.6 percent reported in May. The state's June 2013 unemployment rate was 9 percent.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the nation's unemployment rate for June was 6.1 percent, down from 6.3 percent in May and 7.5 percent in June 2013.
Statewide, the California Employment Development Department said nonfarm jobs totaled 15,472,800 in June, an increase of 24,200 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 58,000 businesses that measures jobs in the economy. The year-over-year change, June 2013 to June 2014, shows an increase of 356,400 jobs, up 2.4 percent.
A federal survey of 5,500 households, used to determine the unemployment rate, showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating that Californians holding jobs in June was 17,241,000, an increase of 6,000 from May 2014, and up 313,000 from the employment total in June of last year.
The state report said the number of people unemployed in California was 1,378,000 – down by 46,000 over the month, and down by 303,000 compared with June of last year.
Lake County's June unemployment rate earned it a ranking of No. 41 out of the state's 58 counties.
Marin continued its long-running hold on the No. 1 spot, with 4 percent unemployment, while Imperial County came in last with 22 percent.
Lake's neighboring counties ranked as follows in June, according to the Employment Development Department: Colusa, No. 57, 14.9 percent; Glenn, No. 46, 10.2 percent; Mendocino, No. 11, 6 percent; Napa, No. 4, 4.7 percent; Sonoma, No. 6, 5.3 percent; and Yolo, No. 22, 6.9 percent.
In June, industries in Lake County that showed growth included manufacturing, 7.7 percent; leisure and hospitality, 7.1 percent; federal government, 6.7 percent; state government, 5 percent; transportation, warehousing and utilities, 3.4 percent; other services, 2.2 percent; professional and business services, 1.7.
The Employment Development Departments also reported that there were 418,927 people receiving regular Unemployment Insurance benefits during the June 2014 survey week, compared with 435,763 in May and 445,971 in June 2014.
New claims for Unemployment Insurance in June totaled 62,749, compared with 53,388 in May
and 66,122 in June of last year, the state reported.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control's cat room continues to be filled with felines needing new homes.
This week's group includes 8-week-old kittens up to 2-year-old cats, in a variety of coat types and colors.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are 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.
In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
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”).
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix is 15 weeks old.
He has gold eyes, a white and gray coat, weighs 4.2 pounds and has been neutered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 6, ID No. 40066.
Male tabby
This male tabby is 2 years old.
He has a short buff-colored coat, weighs 9 pounds and has gold eyes. Shelter staff did not report if he has been altered.
He's in cat room kennel No. 10, ID No. 40277.
'George'
“George” is a 12-week-old brown tabby.
He has blue eyes and a short coat, and has been neutered.
Find George in cat room kennel No. 31, ID No. 39911.
Female domestic long hair mix
This female domestic long hair mix cat is 2 years old.
She has dilute tortie markings, weighs 10 pounds and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 56, ID No. 39764.
'Asia'
“Asia” is a 9-week-old female domestic short hair mix.
She has torbie markings and green eyes, and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 57, ID No. 40304.
'Lucy'
“Lucy” is an 8-week-old female domestic short hair mix kitten.
She has torbie and white markings, and gold eyes, and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 57, ID No. 40341.
Female Siamese mix
This female Siamese mix is of undetermined age.
She has blue eyes and seal point markings. Shelter staff did not report if she has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 63, ID No. 40246.
Male domestic short hair mix kitten
This male domestic short hair mix kitten is 12 weeks old.
He has green eyes, a white and gray coat, and has not been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 99c, ID No. 40146.
Female domestic medium hair mix
This female domestic medium hair mix cat is 2 years old.
She has a black and white coat, and gold eyes. Shelter staff did not report if she has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 101, ID No. 40248.
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.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – When Allison Hanson graduated from Clear Lake High School at the end of May, she achieved a unique distinction.
Since the first day of kindergarten through her last day as a senior in high school, she had never missed a day of school.
Hanson, 18, was honored by the Lakeport Unified School Board at its June 12 meeting, with Board Chair Phil Kirby congratulating her for an “outstanding achievement.”
According to district officials, Hanson had a perfect record of 2,340 days in school, all of them spent in the Lakeport Unified School District.
Illness and even a senior cut day couldn't keep her away.
Hanson, taking a break from a swim with the Channel Cats swim team at the Westshore Pool last week, told Lake County News that she always liked school, and so she set for herself the goal of never missing a day of it.
Initially, it was a competitive endeavor, and as time went on she kept on target by reminding herself that she was so close to making it.
“It gave me a really good work ethic,” she said.
It helped, she said, that her immune system cooperated and only seemed to let her down when summertime came around.
Her younger sister, Nikki, also has a great attendance record – she's only missed five days so far due to illness.
Hanson had a 4.0 grade point average her senior year, and a 3.7 grade point average overall. Besides her classroom commitments, she's kept busy with other activities, including the Academic Decathlon, Channel Cats, the executive student council, California Scholarship Federation and AmeriCorps.
She also began volunteering at the elementary school when she was a freshman in high school.
“I fell in love with it,” she said of her work in the classroom with children.
Her desire to work with children has led her to decide to pursue a career as an elementary school teacher.
She'll begin college at Sonoma State University this fall where she'll work on her teaching degree, which she expects to have in five years.
When the Lakeport Unified School District Board honored Hanson last month, Board Chair Phil Kirby told her that her achievement was “significant” for the district, as student attendance is the key to revenue for schools.
“It’s a wonderful commitment that you made,” Kirby said, congratulating her parents, Jeff and Jennifer Hanson.
“We can’t do our job unless you’re here,” Kirby added.
Hanson wants to return to Lakeport to teach, and Kirby pointed out at the meeting that Lakeport Unified has a student teaching agreement with Sonoma State.
The agreement – the most recent version of which was accepted on the board's consent agenda the night Hanson was honored – calls for the district to provide Sonoma State teaching students with practice teaching opportunities under the supervision of district employees.
Hanson's commitment to her schooling – and not missing days in the classroom – should come in handy in college.
She said her major requires strict attendance; if more than six days are missed, a student will be dropped from the program.
Hanson said she's not worried.
“That sounds pretty easy to me,” she said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NICE, Calif. – A Northshore home sustained some damage in a fire that broke out on a patio late Friday night, but was saved through the efforts of local firefighters.
The fire, first reported just before 11:30 p.m. Friday, occurred at 7185 Liberty St. in Nice.
Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Mike Ciancio said the fire started on a detached patio next to a mobile home.
“The owners came home to find the fire,” he said.
Ciancio said the fire did some damage to the mobile home, taking out a window and part of a wall. He did not have an estimate of total damage.
The fire did not get into nearby vegetation, and firefighters prevented it from reaching other homes on either side of it, Ciancio said.
Additional units from Cal Fire and Lakeport Fire had been dispatched to the fire, but were canceled before arrival. One Cal Fire unit that arrived early took a report, Ciancio said.
Reports from the scene indicated the fire was under control within about a half hour, and fully contained about an hour after dispatch.
“The crews did a very good job of knocking it down quickly before it extended into the mobile home any more than it already had,” said Ciancio.
About an hour of mop up was needed before firefighters cleared the scene, Ciancio said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at