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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Congressman John Garamendi stopped in Lake County during his latest tour through the Third Congressional District this past weekend.
Constituents had an opportunity to share their concerns with the congressman during a town hall meeting held Saturday at the American Legion Hall Post 437 in Clearlake.
Garamendi (D-Fairfield), represents the northern half of Lake County while Congressman Mike Thompson (D-St. Helena) continues to represent the southern portion of the county.
Much of the discussion was directed toward water concerns. Garamendi also fielded questions from the crowd of about 30 and introduced a couple recognition programs currently under way.
“I love town hall meetings,” Garamendi said in welcoming the community members. “I get a chance to hear about what's going on in the communities I represent.”
Garamendi said while the district presents its challenges, it is extraordinarily exciting and diverse area consisting of large agricultural lands, military presence and significant agricultural research.
“It's my job to represent an eclectic, diverse district,” which he said includes Colusa, Glen, Sacramento, Solano, Sutter, Yolo, Yuba and Lake counties.
Garamendi outlined the state's water crisis and the proposed Bay Delta Conservation Plan (BDCP), which he said is an outdated and destructive plumbing plan that does not create any new water nor does it provide for the ecological protection of the state.
The BDCP entails taking water out of the Sacramento River, just south of Sacramento, diverting the water into two tunnels each 40 miles long and 40 feet in diameter, with a potential capacity of moving 15,000 cubic feet per second. Pumping also would continue directly from the Bay Delta at pumps in Tracy.
The system will be able to deliver up to 5.3 million acre feet of water to the pumps in Tracy and then on to San Joaquin Valley farmers and Los Angeles.
Garamendi said while the BDCP was derailed in the Senate after passing through the House of Representatives, it is likely to return.
He said the problem with the plan is it does not create one new gallon of water nor does it solve the long term needs of the state.
“The plan simply takes water from one region and delivers it to another while tearing up acres of prime agricultural farm land,” he said.
Garamendi said a comprehensive approach must be taken to address the water needs of the entire state, beginning, he said, with conservation. “The best way to create new water is conservation,” he said. “It's our quickest, cheapest source.”
A couple strategies for conservation are outlined in Garamendi's March 2014 water plan, including real-time soil monitoring technology that allows for optimum hydration. He said such systems are in use, conserving at least 10-percent with financial payback in less than one year.
The plan calls next for recycling. He said the state currently recycles approximately 650,000 acre feet of water each year, which could be significantly increased with use of existing technologies and serious recycling programs.
He said in the next 10 years, conservation and recycling could create approximately 2.2 million acre feet of new water each year.
“This is new water that is not available today because it is wasted or pumped out to sea. It can be developed at a reasonable cost when compared to all other alternatives out there,” he stated. “Conservation and recycling are step one and two in a comprehensive water program for California.”
Garamendi's plan specifies five additional actions: creation of new water storage systems; fixing the Bay Delta with use of properly-sized conveyance, levee improvements and habitat restoration; engaging in a science-driven process; and protecting existing water rights.
The congressman invited nominations for his annual “Women of the Year” awards, which he said are an effort to publicly honor outstanding women in his district.
“When women succeed, America succeeds,” he said.
Garamendi cited a statistic that nationwide women make 77 cents for every dollar a man makes. He said equal work deserves equal pay, which is why he is proud to be a co-sponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act.
He said he supports policies that will raise wages and ensure women and their families achieve greater economic security. The nomination deadline is Aug. 1.
Garamendi also invited submissions for the 2014 Congressional Art Competition. The nationwide, high school competition is held each spring in effort to encourage artistic talent. Winners have the art displayed at the Capitol for a year.
More information regarding both programs is available at www.garamendi.house.gov .
The congressman said his constituent services team is available for assistance with any federal services.
Garamendi's constituents should direct any questions to the Fairfield District Office at 707-438-0523.
Email Denise Rockenstein at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport woman was arrested Sunday on an outstanding warrant and drug charges.
Nicole Marta Rosales, also known as Nicole Andre, 38, was arrested Sunday morning, according to a report from Lt. Jason Ferguson of the Lakeport Police Department.
Ferguson said Lakeport Police officers, assisted by Lake County Sheriff's deputies, spotted Rosales at 11:35 a.m. Sunday in the parking lot of the Shell Gas Station, located at 975 S. Main St.
He said Rosales was contacted as she was preparing to leave in a white Ford Explorer.
After confirmation of the warrant, Rosales was arrested and secured in the back seat of a Lakeport Police vehicle, Ferguson said.
During a search of the Ford Explorer, a glass pipe with heavy white residue was located in a purse
belonging to Rosales. Officers believed the pipe to be paraphernalia used to ingest controlled substances and the white residue inside the pipe, to be methamphetamine, according to Ferguson.
In addition to the warrant, Ferguson said Rosales was charged with possession of a controlled substance and possession of paraphernalia.
Rosales was transported to the Hill Road Jail, where during a custodial search of her belongings, a white crystalline substance – believed to be crystal methamphetamine – a metal pipe believed to be paraphernalia and a white pill were located in her purse, Ferguson said.
Ferguson said the pill was later identified as Carisoprodol, a schedule IV narcotic and illegal to possess without a prescription.
Rosales was additionally charged with possession of a controlled substance and bringing a controlled substance into a jail, Ferguson said.
Nicole Rosales’ bail was set at $20,000. Jail records indicated she later posted the required percentage of bail and was released.
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – A moderate-sized earthquake hit the Hidden Valley Lake area on Tuesday night.
A preliminary report from the US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 8:39 p.m.
It was centered five miles east of Hidden Valley Lake and 14 miles southeast of Clearlake, at a depth of 5.9 miles, the survey reported.
As of 12:35 a.m. Wednesday, the survey had received shake reports from Berkeley; Calistoga; Carson City, Nev.; Hidden Valley Lake; Lower Lake; Petaluma; Pope Valley; and San Ramon.
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On Tuesday President Barack Obama signed a proclamation to establish the first shoreline addition to the California Coastal National Monument.
Using his authorities under the Antiquities Act, President Obama designated the Point Arena-Stornetta Unit in Mendocino County, protecting approximately 1,665 acres of a significant and spectacular stretch of public lands along the Mendocino coastline in Northern California.
“In my State of the Union address, I said that I would use my authority to protect more of our pristine federal lands for future generations.” said President Obama. “Our country is blessed with some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. It’s up to us to protect them, so our children’s children can experience them, too.
“That’s what today is about,” Obama added. “By designating Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands a national monument, we’ll also support the local economy.”
“On behalf of the state of California, I thank President Obama for designating the Stornetta Public Lands and Point Arena as national monuments,'' said California Natural Resources Secretary John Laird. “They are a valuable part of California’s natural heritage. Not only do these new national monuments add significantly to Manchester State Park, they preserve vital coastal ecological habitat for plants and animals.
“In addition, Congressman Mike Thompson’s determination in gaining this recognition must be acknowledged. Many future generations will benefits from his efforts,” Laird said.
In 2000, President Clinton established the California Coastal National Monument, comprising more than 20,000 rocks, islands, exposed reefs, and pinnacles along the 1,100 miles of California's coast.
Tuesday's action builds upon that vision, protecting the area’s scientifically valuable coastal resources, including coastal bluffs and shelves, tide pools, onshore dunes, coastal prairies, riverbanks, and the mouth and estuary of the Garcia River that provide unique habitat for breeding seabirds, marine mammals, and other native species.
The Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands are a destination for thousands of visitors every year, offering opportunities for wildlife viewing and other outdoor recreation activities, like hiking and fishing. In California, outdoor recreation on public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management contributed nearly $900 million to the economy in 2012.
“The rugged coastline of Point Arena-Stornetta is simply breathtaking and a deserving addition to the California Coastal National Monument,” said Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell, who hosted a public meeting in Point Arena in November. “President Obama is supporting the community's vision to conserve this landscape and, in doing so, strengthening the local economy through increased tourism and outdoor recreation.”
The president’s proclamation honors years of work by the local community and businesses seeking increased protection and recognition for the area. Senators Barbara Boxer and Dianne Feinstein and Representatives Jared Huffman and Mike Thompson have championed legislation to include the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands in the California Coastal National Monument.
The monument will continue to be managed by the Bureau of Land Management as part of the system of National Conservation Lands.
The Bureau of Land Management acquired the Point Arena-Stornetta Public Lands following years of work with private land owners and partners.
The Land and Water Conservation Fund provided funding to support the local effort to make these lands publicly accessible.
In his budget released last week, the president requested that the Congress fully funds the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million in fiscal year 2015 in order to support additional local conservation priorities across the country.
Obama's Tuesday action builds on steps the administration has taken over the past five years as part of the America's Great Outdoors initiative, which fosters a 21st century approach to conservation that responds to the priorities of the American people.
When he signed the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009, President Obama marked the most extensive expansion of land and water conservation in more than a generation, designating more than two million acres of federal wilderness, thousands of miles of trails, and protecting more than 1,000 miles of rivers.
The president also has established nine other national monuments across the country, permanently protecting sites that are significant to the nation's rich history and natural heritage.
First exercised by President Theodore Roosevelt in 1906 to designate Devils Tower National Monument in Wyoming, the authority of the Antiquities Act has been used by 16 presidents since 1906 to protect unique natural and historic features in America, such as the Grand Canyon, the Statue of Liberty, and Colorado's Canyons of the Ancients.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A portion of Highway 20 was closed temporarily on Tuesday after a truck hit a low-hanging utility wire.
The California Highway Patrol's Clear Lake Area office reported that the incident occurred just after noon on Tuesday on Highway 20 west of Irvine Avenue near Upper Lake.
Eduardo Dizon, 53, of Petaluma was driving a 2012 Hino Bobtail truck eastbound on Highway 20 when the truck hit the low-hanging wire, the CHP said.
The wires were pulled down and the utility pole was snapped off at the base, the CHP reported. The pole was pulled into the roadway, where it blocked both lanes of traffic.
Dizon was uninjured, according to the CHP.
The CHP said Highway 20 was closed for approximately one hour as the utility pole and wires were cleared from the roadway.
CHP Officer Randy Forslund is handling the incident investigation.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County's unemployment rose slightly in January, while state and national rates improved, according to a new report from the California Employment Development Department.
Lake County's unemployment rate in January was 11.8 percent, up from a revised rate of 11.1 percent in December but down from the 14.7-percent rate in January 2013, the report said.
Statewide, California's January unemployment rate was 8.1 percent, down from 8.3 percent in December and 9.5 percent in January 2014. The state's unemployment rate is derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that nationwide unemployment in January decreased to 6.6 percent from 6.7 percent in December, and is down from the 7.9-percent rate in January 2013.
The Employment Development Department reported that nonfarm jobs in California totaled 15,292,000 in January, a decrease of 31,600 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 California businesses that measures jobs in the economy.
The year-over-year change, January 2013 to January 2014, showed an increase of 319,500 jobs, an increase of 2.1 percent, the agency reported.
The federal survey of households estimated the number of Californians holding jobs in January was 17,068,000, an increase of 50,000 from December 2013, and up 219,000 from the employment total in January of last year, according to the report.
The Employment Development Department said the number of people unemployed in California was 1,503,000, down by 29,000 over the month, and down by 268,000 compared with January of last year.
In January, Marin had lowest unemployment rate, 4.7 percent, with Colusa's 25.9 percent rate the highest in the state, the report said.
Lake County's 11.8-percent rate earned it a statewide ranking of No. 38.
In January Lake County had a 15.5-percent growth in farm jobs, with educational and health services up 0.2 percent, and wholesale trade and other services showing no growth, based on the report. All other sectors showed losses, with the largest being the -12.5 percent for durable goods.
Lake's neighboring counties ranked as follows in January, according to the Employment Development Department: Colusa, No. 58, 25.9 percent; Glenn, No. 43, 13 percent; Mendocino, No. 17, 7.8 percent; Napa, No. 8, 6.4 percent; Sonoma, No. 6, 6.2 percent; and Yolo, No. 31, 10.6 percent.
In other unemployment-related data, the Employment Development Department reported that there were 495,273 people receiving regular unemployment insurance benefits during the January 2014 survey week, compared with 504,558 last month and 519,632 last year.
At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 73,040 in January 2014, compared with 73,458 in December and 68,907 in January of last year, the Employment Development Department reported.
Email Elizabeth Larson at