News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With the Thanksgiving holiday just a day away, Cal Fire is reminding Californians about the dangers that home fires pose during the holiday season.

Holidays are a time of food, fun and festivities; but they are also a time to be extra cautious as thousands of home fires across the nation are caused from holiday cooking.

Most home fires begin in the kitchen as a result of cooking. During the holidays with friends and family visiting, it’s important to not get distracted and to be aware of your cooking activities.

“Thanksgiving Day is often one of our busier days responding to home cooking fires,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “Practicing a little extra fire safety can prevent a cooking fire and leave your Thanksgiving to enjoy with your family and friends.”

“The leading cause of home fires is cooking fires. That is why it is important to “keep an eye on what you are fry” and not leave cooking food unattended,” said Chief Tonya Hoover, state fire marshal. “You can reduce the chances of a home fire.”

To help reduce the chance of fire and injuries associated with holiday cooking fires, Cal Fire offers the following tips:

• Don’t leave cooking unattended and keep an eye on what you fry. If you leave the kitchen, turn the burner off.
• Turn pot handles toward the back of the stove. Someone walking by is less likely to bump them or pull them over.
• Food preparation and cooking should always be supervised by an adult.
• When using a turkey fryer, be sure to follow instructions closely. Don’t exceed the recommended oil level and only use the device outdoors!
• Make sure a fire extinguisher is handy at all times. Never use water to put out a grease fire.
• Ensure you have working smoke alarms installed throughout your home.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest reported that firefighters are approaching full containment on a wildland fire burning since Saturday on the Upper Lake Ranger District.

As of Tuesday afternoon, the High Glade Fire had burned 305 acres and was 70 percent contained, according to forest spokesperson Tamara Schmidt.

The fire previously had been estimated to have burned 350 acres. Schmidt said the reduction in acres is due to more complete and accurate mapping of the fire perimeter.

Full containment is expected by the end of the week, she said. Smoke will still be visible as interior fuels continue to burn.

Visitors are asked to avoid the area due to increased fire traffic. Several roads are closed in the area; visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino to view Closure Order 08-13-09 for more detailed information.

The High Glade Fire was spotted early Saturday morning. The cause of the fire is under investigation, Schmidt said.

She said the Tuesday afternoon update on the fire was expected to be the final one from the forest headquarters unless significant activity occurs.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The main parking lot at the Middletown High School campus is a construction site as the Middletown Unified School District is increasing its energy efficiency efforts with the installation of solar photovoltaic systems.

District officials said the project entails installing solar photovoltaic systems serving the three schools on the Middletown campus and Coyote Valley Elementary School.

The installations include a ground mount at Coyote Valley and parking lot solar installations at the Middletown campus.

The total installed solar capacity at the Middletown Unified school sites will be 350 kilowatts, according to the district.

The systems are expected to reduce the district's annual energy consumption by 40 percent, and along with lighting upgrades will help the district reduce its utility bill by 50 percent.

In total, the project is expected to generate over $2.1 million in savings over 25 years, the district reported.

Through net energy metering, the energy produced by the solar photovoltaic systems will be used to offset site usage and any excess energy will be exported to the grid, the district said.

Since solar photovoltaic systems produce energy in the middle of the day when it is worth the most, the savings realized for the district are greater than 60 percent.

Middletown Unified School District said it will be compensated by Pacific Gas & Electric for the time-of-use value of the energy.

There are no up-front costs for the district, and the district also will not be providing any general fund dollars for the solar installations or lighting upgrades. Instead, the project will be funded by $2.1 million in 1 percent interest Qualified Zone Academy Bond monies.

After several months of investigation, Middletown Unified staff selected IEC Power LLC and Indoor Environmental Services as the team best suited to provide design and construction of the project.

IEC will be providing the design and installation of the renewable energy systems which include solar photovoltaic systems and IES completed the interior and exterior lighting upgrades.

The district said IEC also will provide an operations and maintenance agreement that will guarantee system output at 95 percent of expected performance.

IEC has experience in all facets of power generation – solar, wind, biomass, fuel cells, large scale power plants – and provides services not only to K-12 entities but also to utilities including SMUD, MID, LADWP, SDGE and TID.

The company has implemented energy conservation measures for more than 70 California K-12 school districts and has extensive experience in maximizing funding options such as Qualified Zone Academy Bond and K-12 specific utility rebate programs. As a team, they have led efforts within the state to tackle conservation first prior to installing renewable generation.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Sutter Health reported that donations were given to two local charities to help feed those in need in Lake County this holiday season.

The Kelseyville Food Pantry and the Lake County Hunger Task Force each received a $5,000 check from Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Sutter Health.

“Over the past year, many of our patients and our neighbors have struggled to afford groceries. Being able to prepare healthy meals is the first building block in creating a healthy lifestyle,” said Siri Nelson, chief administrative officer of Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “We value our relationships with our community partners like the Kelseyville Food Pantry and the Lake County Hunger Task Force. Sutter Lakeside believes that it is vital to work together to address issues that affect the health of our patients and our community.”

This $10,000 gift to local food banks is a portion of a quarter-million-dollar donation by the Sutter Health network to food banks throughout Northern California.

These donations are an extension of Sutter’s not-for-profit mission to go above and beyond typical rural community hospital services by offering support to local charities, organizations, schools and causes.

The gifts are made on behalf of Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s and Sutter Health’s dedicated physicians, staff and volunteers.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – An Elk Grove man was identified as the victim of a fatal crash that took place over the weekend at a race track near Willows.

Kenneth Ray Henry, 50, died following the crash on Sunday afternoon at Thunderhill Raceway Park, according to a report from Glenn County Sheriff Larry Jones.

Jones said that shortly after 2:30 p.m. Sunday the Glenn County Sheriff's Office was contacted by Glenn Medical Center, which informed the agency that a motorcycle rider who had been transported from Thunderhill Raceway via ground ambulance had passed died.

Deputy Jon Owens arrived at the hospital and learned that Henry had been pronounced deceased by the emergency room physician, according to Jones.

Jones said that Henry had arrived in Willows last Friday, Nov. 22, along with two friends, to race at Thunderhill.

One of Henry's friends told Owens he was racing behind Henry, who was on his Yamaha motorcycle traveling at approximately 80 to 100 miles per hour, when he observed Henry abruptly let go of the handle bars, Jones said.

The witness stated Henry then came off the motorcycle backwards, landing on the track’s surface directly on his back. Jones said Henry’s bike continued upright for some distance down the track.

Raceway medics responded. Enloe Hospital ambulance medics were dispatched to the race track at 1:29 p.m. and arrived on scene at 1:37 p.m. to find CPR was in progress, according to Jones' report.

Henry was then transported to Glenn Medical Center where lifesaving efforts were continued; however, Henry did not respond and he was pronounced dead at 2:27 p.m., Jones said.

Jones said the Glenn County Sheriff’s Office has ordered an autopsy in order to determine the exact cause of death.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The local group that sponsors an annual Wreaths Across America event for Lake County reported that it is adding two more cemeteries to this year's commemorations.

The annual event lays wreaths on the graves of veterans interred locally.

Local veterans performed the first Wreaths Across America ceremony ever held at Hartley Cemetery in Lakeport seven years to remember and honor veterans for the sacrifices they and their families made for the nation, according to event coordinator, Toni Funderburg.

The second year that the ceremony took place, then-coordinator Slick Hultquist wanted to get the youth involved to teach them more about the veterans' sacrifices and instill in them respect for veterans.

Hultquist later asked Funderburg to take on being the local coordinator for Wreaths Across America as he was very busy volunteering for other veterans functions. The vision was to expand the Wreaths Across America throughout Lake County. That vision has become a reality.

This year Upper Lake Cemetery was added as the fourth cemetery to have a Wreaths Across America ceremony, joining Hartley, Kelseyville and Lower Lake cemeteries, according to Funderburg.

The Knights of Columbus No. 7611 called on Nov. 19; because of the group's generosity and willingness to participate, there will be a fifth ceremony at the St. Mary’s Cemetery on Highway 175 outside of Lakeport, Funderburg reported.

With the support of veterans, youth groups and local volunteers, Funderburg said there will be five Wreaths Across America ceremonies that will take place simultaneously at 9 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 14.

There are four youth groups that are selling sponsorships for remembrance wreaths for the veterans' graves: Boy Scout Troop 42 for Hartley Cemetery, Boy Scout Troop 45 for Kelseyville Cemetery, the Lake County 4-H Group for Lower Lake and the FFA for Upper Lake.

Individual sponsorships cost $15 for one wreath and the family option costs $60 for four wreaths, small businesses can fund 10 wreaths for $150 and corporations can sponsor 100 or more wreaths for $1,500.

The goal for each cemetery is to place wreaths on as many of the veterans' graves as possible.

Funderburg said that individuals, businesses and organizations have sponsored wreaths but more are needed.

Sponsorship forms can be picked up at Lakeport Tire & Auto Service, 1901 S. Main St. in Lakeport, or you can call 707-263-5422 and they will fax or email you a sponsorship form.

If you use Facebook, go to Wreaths Across America – Lake County, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wreaths-Across-America-Lake-County/103251736433906 , and you can download a sponsorship form after liking the Wreaths Across America page. You will be able to choose a cemetery and a sponsoring group. Checks must be made to Wreaths Across America.

Or go www.wreathsacrossamerica.org and sponsor a wreath and payment can be made with a credit card.

The deadline for submission of the sponsorships is Saturday, Nov. 30.