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Two years after the Tohoko earthquake and tsunami devastated Japan and caused millions of dollars in damage to California coastal communities, the state’s Emergency Management Agency and the California Geological Survey continue to work with their local, state and federal partners to reduce the impacts of future tsunamis in California.
During the week of March 24-30, Cal EMA and CGS will again join with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and their local and state partners to observe Tsunami Preparedness Week.
Recent preparedness efforts have included testing the tsunami warning communications system, participation in table-top exercises and public education forums, and the development of brochures, videos and other materials for children, boaters and the general public.
A new study published by the U.S. Geological Survey, “Community Exposure to Tsunami Hazards in California,” provides first responders, emergency planners and other stakeholders, with valuable new information about the people who live in, work in, and visit tsunami hazard areas in 20 counties and 94 incorporated cities located along the state’s coast.
This information provides local planners with a new tool to help refine their tsunami outreach efforts, as well as emergency preparedness and response efforts during future exercises and emergencies.
The USGS report builds upon tsunami inundation maps that were previously developed by Cal EMA, CGS and the University of Southern California depicting the maximum extent of tsunami inundation for all 20 coastal counties.
“Even though California has the most communities designated by NOAA as ‘TsunamiReady,’ we are not resting on our laurels,” said Cal EMA Secretary Mark Ghilarducci. “This new study by the USGS will help make California’s coastal communities even better prepared by providing emergency planners, first responders and elected officials with data they can use to build on the information already provided by the tsunami inundation maps.”
“Having a better sense of the number and type of people that are in tsunami-prone areas of each coastal community allows emergency managers to develop tsunami outreach and preparedness strategies that are tailored to address local conditions and needs,” said USGS geographer Nathan Wood, lead author of the new report. “Tsunami outreach and preparedness opportunities will vary if the at-risk population is a tight-knit community of retired residents, seasonal workers in a bustling port and harbor complex, or tourists on the beach. Although the tsunami hazards are similar, the vulnerability of each community to these hazards will vary depending on how they use tsunami-prone areas.”
“CGS values this study and its partnership with the USGS,” said Dr. John Parrish, the State Geologist of California and head of CGS. “This product will greatly improve the generation of tsunami hazard products and the ability of state agencies to assist local communities prepare for future tsunamis events.”
“Even though all levels of government continue to enhance our preparedness and response capabilities, individual preparedness remains the biggest weakness we face,” said Ghilarducci.
Ghilarducci noted that a 2008 study conducted by UCLA School of Public Health and Survey Research Center for the State of California indicated that only 40 percent of Californians had developed family disaster plan.
Emergency officials and urged everyone who lives in, works in or visits California’s coastal communities to observe Tsunami Preparedness Week by:
- Learning the natural warning signs that a tsunami is about to occur;
- Learning from the state inundation maps where higher, safe ground is located;
- Learning the proper safety actions to take if an earthquake, tsunami or other emergency occurs while at or near coastal areas, including ‘Drop, Cover and Hold On,’ moving to higher, safer ground and remaining there until it’s safe to return;
- Making plans to reunite with loved ones;
- Assembling an emergency kit; and
- Visiting www.tsunami.ca.gov and www.myhazards.calema.ca.gov as well as contacting their local offices of emergency services for more information.
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – Officials have identified a bicyclist killed last week in Clearlake Oaks after being hit by a vehicle.
Zhuo Qi Li, 73, of San Lorenzo, Calif., died as a result of the crash, according to Capt. Chris Macedo of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
The California Highway Patrol said Li, attired in black clothing and riding a black 10-speed bike, was riding eastbound on Highway 20 east of Keys Boulevard at about 9:30 p.m. Thursday, March 21.
Li was struck from behind by a 2003 GMC Sonoma pickup driven by William Hartman, 68, of Yuba City.
Hartman told the CHP that he didn’t see Li before he hit him.
The CHP said Li, who was not wearing a helmet, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – After weeks of furious activity to prepare the Redbud Park ballfields, opening day arrived for Southshore Little League this past Saturday.
More than 400 children are signed up to take part in league play this year, according to league President Helen Mitcham.
The fields have undergone massive renovations thanks to overwhelming community support and donations of money, equipment and manpower.
After a pancake breakfast, the children and their teams got out onto the field early for a day of play.
As part of the opening ceremonies they threw the switch on a brand new scoreboard, made possible through donations from the Valentine family.
Lake County News videographer John Jensen visited with players and parents as the day got started. See the video above.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Congressman Mike Thompson hosted his annual ravioli feed fundraiser on Saturday, offering community members the chance to hear the latest from the Fifth District’s representative in the House.
Hundreds of people gathered for the 22nd annual dinner – which included local wines and a silent auction – held in the Phil Lewis Hall at the Lake County Fairgrounds.
Thompson was joined by Assemblymember Mariko Yamada, Lakeport Mayor Tom Engstrom and Councilman Martin Scheel, Clearlake Mayor Jeri Spittler, Supervisor Anthony Farrington, Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira and Lake County Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook in serving up the dinner.
After the meal was served, county Supervisor Anthony Farrington introduced Thompson, crediting him for his accessibility to his constituents.
Each year the event also includes electronic recycling. Since they started the e-waste collection, Thompson said they’ve collected 1,172,000 pounds of electronics, keeping them from the waste stream.
Thompson said he fished in a tournament on Clear Lake over the weekend. “We live in a little piece of heaven here,” said Thompson, adding that he’s glad a lot of people still don’t know about it.
He said Lake County is blessed not just with great natural beauty, but great people.
Thompson touched on a number of topics in his brief talk, including the fact that, for some county residents, Thompson’s name wasn’t on their ballot last fall due to redistricting. The northern half of the county is now represented by Third District Congressman John Garamendi.
He said Garamendi is hardworking, has a good heart and soul, and cares about the issues.
Even though part of Lake County is no longer in his district, “You can’t represent half a county,” said Thompson, explaining that he would be working for all of Lake County.
The country was still struggling economically, and he said it would be a long haul. Thompson said the United States needed to be focused and balanced, and that solutions were neither to be found only in cutting services or only in raising taxes.
“It’s got to be a balanced approach” that’s focused on people and the economy, and getting people back to work, he said. Bumper sticker slogans and sound bites won’t solve the country’s issues.
In other comments at the Saturday event, Thompson criticized Congressman Paul Ryan’s budget, which he said gave the wealthy larger tax breaks while raising taxes on the middle class by about $2,000 a year.
He made it clear he was against any targeting of Social Security, Medicare or veterans benefits, which bring in $207 million, $185 million and $37 million, respectively, to Lake County each year.
Investments are needed to grow the economy, and Thompson said the nation needs to get smart about its energy investments. He said the United States spends $200,000 a minute purchasing energy from foreign countries, some of them unfriendly to Americans.
He pledged to continue supporting geothermal royalty payments to Lake County, as those payments bring in about $800,000 annually.
Thompson then moved to the topic of gun violence, an issue he’s been appointed to study as chairman of the House Gun Violence Prevention Task Force. He received the appointment last December, following the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn.
He said 33 people a day die of gun violence. That number does not include suicides.
“It is a national epidemic,” he said.
There has been a focus on banning assault weapons, but Thompson cautioned that there are not the votes in Congress to put such a ban in effect.
He suggested the top priority was background checks as a part of gun sales, which are required in California. “That’s not the case across the country.”
Forty percent of the guns sold in the United States don’t include a background check for the prospective owner, Thompson said.
During one recent year background checks stopped 1.7 million people with criminal and other issues from purchasing guns. “It’s the first line of defense,” said Thompson.
“I’m feeling pretty confident that we’re going to get a background check bill,” said Thompson, who added that he intended to introduce one in the House, with a corresponding bill anticipated in the Senate.
California has the strictest gun laws in the United States, but 600,000 guns were still sold in the state last year, he said. The state also has the lowest percentage of gun ownership.
One challenge includes “straw” buyers who purchase guns for others, Thompson said. That was the case with a felon who shot four firefighters, killing two of them, after setting his New York home on fire in December.
Thompson said there needs to be increased penalties for straw purchasing and for gun trafficking.
Thompson, a hunter and veteran who is being described as a “gun guy,” believes there can be sensible gun laws to make communities safer while, at the same time, not violating the Second Amendment.
He also thanked the many volunteers, including Interact and 4-H, for their continued work at the dinner.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Four cats are available for adoption this week at Lake County Animal Care and Control.
The cats – two males and two females – are all altered, vaccinated and ready to join your home.
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.
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”).
Female brown tabby
This female brown tabby is 3 years old.
She weighs 8 pounds, has a long brown striped coat and green eyes, and has been spayed.
She's in cat room kennel No. 106, ID No. 35417.
Male gray tabby
This male gray tabby is 2 years old.
He has a short coat and green eyes, weighs 8.8 pounds and has been altered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 101, ID No. 35767.
Orange and white tabby
This male orange and white tabby is 5 years old.
He weighs 8 pounds, has a medium-length coat and gold eyes, and has been altered.
He’s in cat room kennel No. 40, ID No. 35781.
‘Monkey’
“Monkey” is a 2 year old female domestic short hair mix.
She has a black and white coat, weighs 7 pounds and has been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 7, ID No. 35538.
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
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The many abuses suffered by America’s troops in the Vietnam War – they were called “baby killers,” spat upon and treated like dogs – have since become common knowledge.
But what about the actual dogs? Some 4,000 of them, who served brilliantly and faithfully alongside America’s fighting men in the Vietnam jungles. How were they treated?
A drive to honor the animals for their heroics in Vietnam and every war that America has been involved in beginning with World War II has been conducted by veteran John Burnam, a dog handler in the Vietnam war.
Burnam’s campaign has led to the creation of a monument that will be dedicated on Sunday, Oct. 13, at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio.
Since 1958 the dogs have undergone basic training at Lackland preparatory to a variety of critical roles for the five U.S. armed services – Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Coast Guard.
The significance of this to Lake County is that sculptor Paula Slater, a Hidden Valley Lake resident, was selected by Burnam to create the bronze edifice comprised of dogs of the four breeds – Doberman, Labrador Retriever, German Shepherd and Belgian Malinois – that serve the U.S. military.
Sharing the 10-foot-high pedestal with the dogs is a 9-and-a-half-foot tall dog handler fully outfitted for combat.
Slater’s creation is currently on tour through the U.S. to generate public interest.
There is a noble effect to the monument, which is, in a way, paradoxical because in its hurried flight from Vietnam after the fall of Saigon in 1973 the U.S. military didn’t treat its dogs nobly.
In fact, the aforementioned 4,000 of them, who saved an estimated 10,000 American servicemen through their scouting and sentry duties, were crated and left behind on a tarmac somewhere in South Vietnam.
The dogs were classified as “surplus equipment.” Appeals by their handlers to bring them home fell on deaf ears.
What happened to the dogs after that? No one really knows.
Over the past six years, Burnam, a resident of Washington, D.C, has written two books and several documents and has worked inexhaustibly to honor the war dogs.
His work has included driving legislation through the U.S. House and Senate and securing Presidents George Bush’s and Barack Obama’s signatures on bills in 2008 and 2009.
Another piece of legislation, driven by North Carolina Congressman Walter Jones and signed into law in October 2009, put the John Burnam Monument Foundation in charge of the effort to build a monument to honor the dogs.
Since 2010 Burnam’s organization has been raising funds for the monument.
To date, Burnam said, the amount of money raised is $1.7 million. Most of the funding has come from Natural Balance pet food, which built a replica of the iconic figures created by Slater for the Rose Bowl parade.
Petco aided by putting products in its stores and raising money. Maddie’s Fund also has made a huge contribution to the monument campaign.
“American people have provided funds, too, and we are ready for construction at Lackland,” Burnam beamed. “It is a shovel-ready job that is set to start in May and be completed by the first of September. Sunday, the 13th of October, is scheduled as the dedication date.”
Burnam conducted a Web search to find Slater. “I went to about four different bronze artists and she was the best of all of them as far as I was concerned in how we interacted,” he recalled. “I told her I want the kind of detail that you put into your work put into these dogs. They have to be anatomically correct, and I said I want a dog handler one and a half times the size of a 6-foot man.”
Said Slater: “John sent me hundreds of photographs of dogs that he had taken at Lackland of dogs, I met with three breeders and shot some photographs of my own. I met the dogs and looked at their paws and their ears and their different kinds of anatomy. They look very different from each other … It was an incredibly complex piece. It took 17 different molds to make the dog handler which had to be cast in bronze and welded together.”
She needed 16 months to sculpt the dog memorial and two and a half years for the overall project when an accompanying creation of a dog handler pouring water into his helmet and his dog was added.
The entire project “right down to the shoe laces,” weighs 1,200 pounds, she said.
Slater will use about half of the $350,000 she is being awarded for her lifelike sculpture to pay for final touches, such as casting and finishing.
That she had sculpted war memorials before worked in her favor.
Her “Ascent of Heroism,” which stands in the Grandview Veterans Circle in Altoona, Pa., is comprised of seven different figures representing heroes of as many American-fought wars. A nurse characterizes World War I.
While developing this piece in 2009 Slater was simultaneously sculpting a 10-foot-tall young Abraham Lincoln that stands in Springfield, Ky., an assignment she was singled out to do from an original list of 70 candidates.
But the dog memorial, she said, is the most defining piece of the 15-year segment of her career of sculpting large monuments.
“There are very few monuments that are elevated to national status,” she explained. “This one has gone through the Congress, the Senate and two presidents and it’s taken over eight years for that to happen.
“If you’d have told me 20 years ago that I would do something like this I would have been dumbstruck,” Slater added. “It’s amazing and it’s a great honor to know there are going to be thousands of people at the dedication.”
Burnam looks back on his perilous experience as a dog-handler in the rubber plantations of Vietnam and recalls his dog companion Clipper, whose extrasensory hearing could detect trip wires attached to detonating devices twanging in the wind, which was inaudible to a human. He could also pick up the scent of an enemy entrenchment.
“These dogs did an incredible job of saving lives when there was firing from both sides. The dog stays down with you,” he said. “They know the difference between life and death … The dogs got so good at doing that that the enemy put a price tag on their heads.
“Most people don’t know what these dogs do,” Burnam added. “Once they’ve heard or read the stories of them they’re just amazed.”
And perhaps stunned that 4,000 of them could have been left behind on a tarmac in South Vietnam.
To view additional sculptures by Lake County artist Paula Slater visit www.paulaslater.com .
Email John Lindblom at
