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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new updated state fish advisory for Lake County’s Clear Lake offers safe eating advice on 15 species of fish and shellfish, including several traditional foods and species of interest to a local Indian tribe.
The advisory and eating guidelines were developed by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA).
Safe eating guidelines for each of the 15 species of fish and shellfish covered by the advisory can be found in OEHHA’s Clear Lake fact sheet at http://www.oehha.ca.gov/public_info/facts/fClearLakefacts.html .
“Fish are an important part of a healthy and well-balanced diet,” said OEHHA Director Dr. George Alexeeff. “They are an excellent source of protein and can help reduce the risk of heart disease. These guidelines are designed to help people balance these health benefits against the risks from exposure to mercury in fish from Clear Lake.”
The update was developed in response to requests from members of the Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians. It provides information on fish and shellfish important to tribal members and other fish consumers.
Newly added species of interest to tribal members include threadfin shad, prickly sculpin, mosquitofish, inland silversides, winged floater mussels and Asian clams.
The Clear Lake advisory, originally issued in 1987, was last updated in 2009.
The advisory says that consumers of the lake’s fish and shellfish can safety eat Asian clam or winged floater mussel seven servings per week, or women over 45 years old and men can eat seven servings per week of inland silverside or threadfin shad. But women 18 to 45 years old and children should limit silverside or shad to three servings per week.
Largemouth bass is the only species for which consumption is not recommended for women 18 to 45 years old and children. Women over 45 years and men can eat one serving of bass per week.
The other 10 species of fish and shellfish in the Clear Lake advisory can safely be eaten one serving per week by women 18 to 45 years old and children, or three servings per week by women over 45 years and men.
The recommendations for each fish species are based on levels of methylmercury.
Methylmercury can harm the brain and nervous system of people, especially in fetuses and children as they grow. It gets into fish and shellfish through the food they eat.
The Northern California Coast Range, where Clear Lake is located, is naturally rich in mercury and other ores.
In addition, the former Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine, which used to operate on the shore of Clear Lake, has caused mercury contamination of the lake sediments.
Eating fish in amounts slightly greater than the advisory’s recommendations is not likely to cause a health problem if it is done only occasionally, such as eating fish caught during an annual vacation.
The health advisory and guidelines for Clear Lake – as well as advisories and eating guidelines for other fish species and California bodies of water – are available at http://www.oehha.ca.gov/fish/so_cal/index.html .
OEHHA is the primary state entity for the assessment of risks posed by chemical contaminants in the environment. Its mission is to protect and enhance public health and the environment by scientific evaluation of risks posed by hazardous substances.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents – especially those who will be on south county highways this weekend – are urged to keep their eyes open for bicyclists taking part in a century ride.
The Davis Double Century bike ride will take place throughout the day on Saturday, May 17, according to the Davis Bike Club.
Caltrans asked that motorists on Highway 20, Highway 29 and Highway 53 drive with caution through the area and watch for bicyclists.
The one-day, 200-mile ride travels through Yolo, Napa and Lake counties the third Saturday of each May.
Marking its 45th anniversary this year, it's one of the oldest double centuries in California and the most popular double century in the California Triple Crown.
The ride starts at the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in downtown Davis, moves through flat farmland in the Central Valley before climbing to the Lake Berryessa area.
It then runs north through the hills in east Napa County to Middletown and Lower Lake in Lake County for lunch.
The ride resumes with a long climb up to Resurrection at the Lake/Yolo county border, then descends through Cache Creek Canyon and Capay Valley and back to the Central Valley before returning to the starting point at the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in Davis.
Altogether, there is 8,000 feet of climbing in the ride, the Davis Bike Club reported.
For more information visit http://www.davisbikeclub.org/annual_events/organized_rides/davis_double_century .
UPPER LAKE, Calif. – A vehicle stop on Wednesday led to an Upper Lake man's arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine, metal knuckles and cash totaling $9,900.
Travis Scott Jones, 21, of Upper Lake was arrested following the stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
At approximately 8:30 a.m. Wednesday a deputy was patrolling the Upper Lake area when he noticed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 20, near Government Street, which did not have any license plates, Brooks said.
Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop of the vehicle on Government Street near the intersection of Melody Lane.
The driver was identified as Jones. Brooks said Central Dispatch conducted a records check and advised that Jones’ driver’s license was suspended, and Jones was arrested for driving with a suspended license.
Deputies conducted an inventory search of the vehicle, prior to having it towed. During the search, deputies located a glass methamphetamine pipe containing a white residue, two 5 milligram oxycodone pills and metal knuckles, Brooks said.
Brooks said the deputies also located two plastic bags containing a white crystalline substance believed to be methamphetamine and a black Sig Arms P230 Air Soft pistol which had its orange tip painted black. All of the items were seized as evidence.
Deputies also located $9,900 cash, which Brooks said was seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
Jones told the deputy that he did not have a prescription for the oxycodone pills and admitted to selling methamphetamine, Brooks said.
Jones was also arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, possession of a schedule II narcotic without a prescription, possession of metal knuckles, removing the orange safety tip from a replica firearm and possession of drug paraphernalia, according to Brooks.
Brooks said Jones was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Jones' bail was set at $25,000, according to his booking sheet.
A small amount of the suspected methamphetamine was tested using a narcotic identification kit. The test flashed blue indicating a presumptive positive for methamphetamine, Brooks said. The methamphetamine was weighed and determined to have a gross weight of 26.9 grams.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Community members volunteered on Saturday to spruce up Clearlake and remove tons of garbage from around the city during the 10th annual Clearlake Clean Up Day.
Volunteers of all ages teamed up to clean up multiple areas of the city and beyond.
More than 70 cubic yards of waste were collected along with a dumpster overflowing with electronic waste items.
A portion of an old dock that had washed up on the shore of Austin Beach also was collected for disposal.
Clearlake Public Works Director Doug Herren welcomed and thanked a volunteer force of more than 100 to kick off the event at clean up headquarters in Austin Park early Saturday morning.
Volunteers were provided with safety vests, trash pickers, collection bags and information to help ensure their safety.
“It's wonderful how the community comes together to help itself,” Clearlake Vice Mayor Gina Fortino Dickson said. “It's all inclusive. We've got bikers. We've got religious organizations. We've got business people, school children and boaters, all working for the good of the city.”
Volunteers scrambled in all directions headed to their designated clean up areas.
One team headed out to the Parkwoods area in Clearlake Park. Another took off for Burns Valley Creek and Memory Lane. Others concentrated on City Hall, Austin and Redbud parks, Lakeshore Drive and areas around local schools.
Volunteers joined Cathy Wilson, who started the clean up effort 10 years ago, on Cache Creek to take the effort to the water via kayaks. District 2 Supervisor Jeff Smith and volunteer Chuck Leonard helped them out in an air boat.
A team representing Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association focused on Anderson Marsh Historical State Park in Lower Lake.
Lake County Fire Protection District checked in ensure its availability should an emergency arise and a team from Clearlake Waste Solutions was geared up to ensure proper collection and disposal of all the waste.
“We've got the routine down,” Julie Price, Clearlake Waste Solutions community liaison, said as her team loaded an old coach and wrangled the tattered dock into a truck. “It's like second-nature now in the 10th year.”
Price said in all her years participating in the event, this year's collection numbers look to be highest. She said in addition to waste collection numbers, 200 tires were collected for disposal.
Clearlake Waste Solutions also hosted an educational booth with materials about composting, recycling and other waste diversion options including its tire amnesty program, which allows Lake County residents to dispose of up to nine passenger or light truck tires free of charge at either of two recycle centers located in Clearlake and Lakeport.
Proof of residency is required and auto repair or salvage businesses are not allowed to participate.
Clearlake Waste Solutions customers can also have up to two bulky items collected per year without charge. Bulky items typically consist of furniture such as couches and mattresses.
For more information about Clearlake Waste Solutions services and tips for reducing your environmental impact, visit www.CandSwaste.com .
Email Denise Rockenstein at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Santa Rosa man found dead in his jail cell last week was potentially facing several years in prison for a January burglary and vehicle pursuit, but not for ramming his pickup into a Lakeport Police officer's vehicle, an action which resulted in him being shot by a sheriff's deputy.
James Ellis Smith, 37, was identified by sheriff’s Lt. Steve Brooks as the inmate who died last Saturday, May 10, at the Lake County Jail.
Officials said a correctional officer found Smith just after 9 a.m. that day during a routine cell check.
Jail staff and Lakeport Fire personnel worked for about half an hour to revive Smith before ceasing cardiopulmonary resuscitation at about 9 a.m., according to Brooks’ original report.
Foul play is not suspected. Brooks said an official statement on the cause of death is pending completion of an autopsy.
District Attorney Don Anderson’s office is conducting investigations into both Smith's death and the officer-involved shooting in which he was injured prior to his January arrest.
Smith was shot early on the morning of Jan. 3 following a burglary attempt at Hillside Honda that led to a high speed chase with a Lakeport Police officer and a sheriff's deputy.
It was shortly after 4 a.m. Jan. 3 that a Lakeport Police officer – who Anderson said was Officer Joe Eastham – encountered Smith as he was attempting to break into the business on S. Main Street.
Smith would flee the scene in a pickup, reaching speeds of 100 miles per hour, according to officials.
Eastham – joined by sheriff’s Deputy Jay Vanoven – pursued Smith out of the city and to the area of Riggs Road, where Smith went off the pavement, Anderson said.
Smith put the pickup into reverse and backed up at high speed into Eastham's patrol vehicle. Eastham then got out of the vehicle, at which point Smith was preparing to back up the vehicle again, according to the investigation.
At that point, Vanoven shot six times at Smith, hitting him in the elbow and body, and grazing him in the head, according to Anderson.
Anderson said his investigation into the officer-involved shooting has concluded that Vanoven was justified in his actions. He expects to finalize and issue his report on that investigation in the near future.
Smith was transported to an out-of-county trauma center before being taken into custody and booked into the Lake County Jail on Jan. 10, with bail set at $150,000.
Since then he had made court appearances, and a preliminary hearing was set in his case for June 4, with Deputy District Attorney Jon DeChaine handling the prosecution, Anderson said.
On May 8, the District Attorney's Office delivered an open plea deal to Smith's Santa Rosa attorney, according to Anderson.
Anderson said that the plea would have required Smith – who had no significant criminal history, just minor cases in Sonoma County – to plead to burglary and felony evasion, with a maximum prison sentence expected to be three years, eight months.
Not charged in the case against Smith was assault on Officer Eastham with the pickup. “The assault on the officer was going to be extremely difficult to prove,” said Anderson.
Whether Smith accepted the plea agreement or not was not reported to the District Attorney's Office, Anderson said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Memorial Day – Monday, May 26 – the flags of our 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 casket of a fallen veteran. Upon the completion of the internment 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., weather permitting. Takedown of flags and flagpoles will occur at 4 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 at 707-350-1159.
Express your respect for fallen veterans and experience the pride of the magnificent display of our veterans’ flags. Never forget.