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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The seasonal flu is gaining steam in California, with state health officials reporting Friday that the annual illness is now widespread across the state, although no increase of cases has been reported locally.
Flu activity in California has reached higher levels than expected for this time of year, Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director for the Center for Infectious Diseases and state epidemiologist, said Friday.
Chavez said the seasonal flu usually peaks around late February and early March.
Despite a greater number of cases occurring earlier thus far in the season, the California Department of Public Health said the state’s seasonal flu outbreak remains within the normal range of cases seen in previous years.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that high flu activity is ongoing nationwide, with the season having started earlier than normal.
In California this past week another flu-related death was reported in a person under age 65, bringing the total to five deaths for that age group for the flu season so far, said Chavez. The deaths were reported in the Sacramento, Southern California and Central Valley areas of the state.
Chavez said mortality in the under 65 age group is monitored to gauge how virulent the flu is. He said the state doesn’t have a means for tracking total cases.
No pediatric flu deaths have been reported so far this flu season in California, and there also have not been reports of any novel flu strains, according to the state flu surveillance report.
The good news, according to Chavez, is that nearly 100 percent of the strains now active in California and nationwide are in this year’s flu vaccine.
The California Department of Public Health said in its weekly flu surveillance report that three flu specimens tested from California residents were all components of the 2012-13 flu vaccine.
Chavez said the strains active this year include influenza Type A strains H1N1 and H3N3, the latter being more predominant.
Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Karen Tait said there has been no significant flu activity reported in Lake County, either anecdotally or reportable cases, the latter referring to deaths of patients under age 65.
However, Tait said she expects to see more flu activity in the coming months, as the state moves toward the traditional peak time.
“Bottom line – get vaccinated,” she said.
Tait said Lake County Public Health has been giving a lot of flu shots, and they are now down to their last couple hundred doses, so they are going to ask the state about ordering more.
State and local health officials continue to emphasize the importance not just of being vaccinated but also following other basic health care precautions, including staying home if one is sick, washing hands frequently, and not touching one’s eyes, nose or mouth.
Health care workers statewide have a flu vaccination rate of about 60 percent, according to the state’s 2010-11 Influenza Vaccination Report, and Chavez said they are encouraged to be vaccinated as a way of ensuring safety for their patients.
For those with underlying health issues, as well as those who are elderly or very young, the flu can be particularly severe, said Chavez.
Chavez said the flu vaccine is still available. There are 15 million doses of flu vaccine remaining with the manufacturers ready for distribution and many doses already in the current pipeline to secondary distributors, retail pharmacies and health care providers.
He said so far this flu season 18 million doses have been distributed to health care providers and pharmacies in California, including 1.8 million doses for the California Department of Public Health’s Vaccine For Children’s program and 629,000 doses to local health departments.
For people with flu risk factors such as pregnancy, diabetes, asthma and heart disease, or if they are a senior or young child, Tait emphasized the importance of seeing a doctor early if symptoms such as fever, sore throat and cough arise.
Lake County Public Health is offering flu shots, as are North Lake Medical Pharmacy and the pharmacies at Kmart, Safeway and CVS in Lakeport, and Lake Pharmacy and Rite Aid in Clearlake, according to www.flu.gov .
For information on getting a flu shot, call Lake County Public Health at 707-263-1090 or call your local health provider, who also may have shots available.
Information about the flu and vaccine availability, including a map of local flu shot providers, can be found at www.flu.gov .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – A Lake County man was arrested by a Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputy on Wednesday after he allegedly was found in possession of a number of prescription drugs for which he allegedly did not have prescriptions.
Michael Dean Calas, 28, of Clearlake, was arrested following a traffic stop, according to a report from Lt. Greg Van Patten of the Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office.
At about 10:30 p.m. Wednesday a deputy observed Calas allegedly engaging in an exhibition of speed violation while driving near the intersection of North State Street and Empire Drive in Ukiah, Van Patten said.
The deputy pulled Calas over in the 900 block of North State Street and obtained permission to search the vehicle, according to Van Patten.
Van Patten said the deputy found a backpack which contained numerous prescription pharmaceuticals. The deputy discovered some of the pharmaceuticals were controlled substances.
Calas allegedly did not have a prescription for any of the pharmaceuticals and was subsequently arrested for the listed violations, Van Patten said.
Calas was transported and incarcerated at the Mendocino County Jail where he was to be held in lieu of $10,000 bail, according to Van Patten.
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – One person was reported to have died in a crash early Saturday morning near Lower Lake.
The solo vehicle wreck occurred on Highway 29 north of Bell Avenue, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP’s Ukiah Dispatch Center said the first report came in at approximately 12:09 a.m. Saturday.
The CHP confirmed that one person had died in the crash, which involved a white Chevrolet Malibu.
Reports from the scene indicated that the car flipped several times and had only one occupant.
The CHP said one-way traffic control was in effect around the crash site.
Additional details will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
THIS STORY HAS BEEN UPDATED.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A man was shot Friday night during a reported armed robbery at a Kelseyville convenience store and gas station.
The incident happened at around 11 p.m. at Mt. Konocti Gas & Mart, known to locals as Store 24, located at 5475 Main St.
Based on reports from the scene a male store clerk was shot in the chest and in the hand by a male suspect wearing a dark hoodie and dark clothing, with a bandanna around his face.
The male suspect asked for money and when the clerk tried to stop him, the suspect pulled out a handgun and shot him.
The suspect allegedly took a small amount of money and ran across a nearby field, according to witnesses.
There was no official confirmation on the identity of the victim, but reports from the scene indicated it was store clerk Forrest Seagrave of Kelseyville.
Kelseyville Fire Protection District ambulances responded to the scene to transport the shooting victim to Lampson Field, where a REACH air ambulance originally was to have taken him to a regional trauma center, radio reports indicated.
Paramedics reported the shooting victim was complaining of shortness of breath, but he was said to be reported to be alert and oriented.
A short time later, the Kelseyville Fire ambulance was reported leaving the airport and heading to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, according to Tyler Elsa and Rodney Gard, who were in the area. They said no air ambulance came to the airport.
Sheriff’s deputies and California Highway Patrol officers were at the gas station, which Elsa said was cordoned off with crime tape. A nearby road also was closed off.
Elsa said it appeared that there had been a struggle in front of the counter and doorway, with items all over the floor.
The gas station was the same location that a man who had been stabbed about a dozen times was found nearly two weeks ago, as Lake County News has reported. The stabbing victim was reportedly transported and left at the station.
Additional details about the shooting will be posted as they become available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
On Jan. 1, 2013, important amendments to California’s law governing “Multiple Party Accounts,” including Joint Tenancy Accounts, took effect.
Let us examine how the amendments protect joint tenants from excessive withdrawals by their other joint tenants.
Generally, while all original parties to a multiple account are alive, each party’s ownership is based on that party’s own net contributions (deposits less withdrawals).
Also, on a party’s death, any life insurance deposited to the account due to that party’s death increases his net contributions.
For example, consider a joint tenancy account opened by an adult college student with his parents to pay college related expenses.
The parents contribute $10,000 of their own community property earnings and the child contributes his $5,000 student loan.
The parents own two-thirds of the account and the student owns one-third. As the student withdraws money, his ownership decreases until he withdraws all of his $5,000 contribution.
Subsequent withdrawals are presumed to involve the parents’ contribution, except where there is clear and convincing evidence to the contrary.
Here the parents gave $10,000 to help son pay his college related expenses. Provided he used the money for such expenses it is consistent with the parents’ intentions, and they would not have any right to reimbursement.
What, however, if the college student used some of the parents’ $10,000 for any of a multitude of unintended reasons?
Then the parents might arguably be entitled to reimbursement of any of their misspent monies. Further examination is required.
If son paid emergency medical expenses for which the parents would otherwise be held responsible then a court at its discretion might reduce or eliminate the parents’ claim.
Next, consider a co-habiting unmarried couple who open a joint tenancy account to pay shared living expenses.
Later, if they separate and one withdraws more than his/her net contributions then the other is entitled to reimbursement. This is new. Previously, one joint tenant could lawfully empty the entire joint account to the detriment of the others.
Next consider what happens when a party to a multiple party account dies. Each surviving party retains his proportionate share in the account and also inherits an equal share of the deceased party’s proportionate share, all as computed at the party’s death. That is longstanding law.
With a joint account with right of survivorship, any money withdrawn while still alive by a now deceased joint tenant is not subject to the surviving joint tenants’ right of survivorship; thus, the deceased tenant while alive can withdraw and transfer his net contributions into a separate account in his name alone and defeat the surviving joint tenant’s expectation of inheritance.
Now, under the amended law, the surviving joint tenant receives some protection. That is, if the deceased tenant’s lifetime withdrawals exceeds his net contributions then the surviving joint tenant has a right for reimbursement of the excess withdrawal (which depleted the surviving joint tenants’ contributions). Previously the survivor would simply be out of luck.
Returning to the unmarried couple example, hypothetically speaking if one party withdrew $6,000 from say his/her $10,000 in net contributions and died, the survivor would receive the remaining $4,000 in the account contributed by the deceased tenant – in addition of course to the surviving party’s own net contributions on deposit – but has no rights to the withdrawn $6,000.
If instead the deceased tenant withdrew more than his $10,000 net contribution, however, then under amended law the survivor has a right to the excess amount against the decedent’s estate.
Lastly, California’s community property laws also come into play here when married joint tenants are concerned. In all cases, persons should consult an attorney before reaching any conclusions regarding their legal rights discussed herein.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A Rohnert Park man was sentenced to two years’ probation and fined $5,000 for the unlawful commercial take of 20 abalone.
A Mendocino County Superior Court judge also imposed a lifetime fishing ban on Jason McMillen, 30.
On June 23, 2012, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers investigated reports of a large unattended bag filled with abalone.
The bag, which held 17 red abalone, was located in shallow waters along the Mendocino coastline south of Hare Creek.
Wildlife officers waited for McMillen, who returned to the area and retrieved the bag of abalone the following day.
The investigation revealed McMillen had unlawfully taken 20 abalone with the intent of selling them.
California regulations prohibit an individual from taking more than three abalone per day or possessing more than three abalone at any one time.
Pursuant to the Fish and Game Code, the possession of more than 12 abalone is prima facie evidence that a person possesses the abalone for commercial purposes.
Reports from concerned members of the public along with prosecution efforts from the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office and penalties placed by the Mendocino County Superior Court have been fundamental in protecting this precious resource.