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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Firefighters finished the work of fully containing a wildland fire south of Lower Lake on Saturday evening.
The 29 Fire, which started Thursday afternoon off of Highway 29 near Murphy Springs Road, was fully contained at 300 acres, according to Cal Fire.
The fire’s cause remains under investigation, officials said.
Within the first day the fire had reached its full size, resulting in evacuation orders and a highway closure, and destroying a residence, seven outbuildings, 10 acres of vineyard, 12 pieces of equipment and 11 vehicles, Cal Fire said.
Firefighters were able to protect dozens more homes in the Murphy Springs and Twin Lakes areas.
A Red Cross shelter had been set up at Lower Lake High School as officials ordered mandatory evacuations for the Murphy Springs area and voluntary evacuations for the Twin Lakes Subdivision.
Twin Lakes residents’ voluntary evacuation order was lifted Thursday night and the Murphy Springs residents had their mandatory order lifted Friday afternoon, as Lake County News has reported.
All of the Pacific Gas and Electric customers who had lost power because of the fire – originally estimated at about 30 – have had their service restored, officials said.
Mop up and fire suppression damage repairs are continuing in the fire area, where smoke may still be visible for several days, Cal Fire reported.
Cal Fire, which had incident command on the 29 Fire, said it was preparing to begin releasing resources from the scene.
Still assigned on Saturday night are 363 personnel, 34 fire engines and 16 fire crews, Cal Fire said.
Drivers are asked to use caution when driving in the fire’s vicinity due to firefighting personnel and equipment continuing to work on mop up.
Cooperating agencies include Cal Fire, Lake County Fire Protection, Kelseyville Fire, Lakeport Fire, Northshore Fire, South Lake County Fire, Williams Fire Department, US Forest Service, Lake County Sheriff’s Office, American Red Cross, Lake Evacuation and Animal Protection, Lake County Animal Care and Control, the California Highway Patrol, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Caltrans, Lake County Public Health Department, Lake County Road Department and PG&E.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Pass your mouse over the blue bubbles over each community to see the number of unemployed for that area in September 2012. The filter and layer boxes partially obscuring the map may be closed by clicking on the small green arrows on the edges.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – State and federal officials said on Friday that unemployment rates across Lake County, California and the nation showed declines in September, with the latest rates coming in among the lowest in several years.
The California Employment Development Department said Lake County’s preliminary September unemployment rate is 13.4 percent, down from 14 percent in August and 15 percent in September 2011.
It’s the county’s lowest unemployment rate since December 2008 – the 13.4 percent rate was, incidentally, the highest rate for 2008 – and earned the county a rank of No. 49 statewide last month, the agency reported.
California’s unemployment rate – derived from a federal survey of 5,500 California households – was 10.2 percent in September, compared to 10.6 percent in August and 11.7 percent in September 2011.
California’s nonfarm jobs in September totaled 14,347,900, an increase of 8,500 jobs over the month, according to a survey of 42,000 businesses that is larger and less variable statistically that the federal household survey.
The state said the year-over-year change – September 2011 to September 2012 – showed an increase of 262,000 jobs, or a 1.9-percent increase.
The Friday report said California has gained 505,600 jobs since the economic recovery began in February 2010.
The 10.2-percent unemployment rate California saw in September was the lowest for the state since February 2009, when the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was at 10.1 percent, according to Employment Development Department records.
Nationally, the Bureau of Labor Statistics said September’s unemployment rate was 7.8 percent, which also is the lowest nationwide unemployment rate since February 2009, the agency reported. The August nationwide unemployment rate was 8.1 percent and the September 2011 rate was 9 percent.
The bureau released a Friday report that said in September 41 states and the District of Columbia recorded lower unemployment, while six states posted increases and three states had no change.
In addition, 41 states and the District of Columbia registered unemployment rate decreases from a year earlier, while six states experienced increases, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported.
Around California, the lowest unemployment rate in September once again was to be found in Marin, which had a 5.8 percent jobless rate, while Imperial came in at No. 58 with 28.5 percent unemployment.
Neighboring Napa County came in No. 3 in the state with 6.9 percent, while Sonoma was ranked No. 8 with 7.6 percent and Mendocino registered 8.8 percent, earning it the No. 17 slot, the state reported.
Other neighboring counties included Colusa, 14 percent, No. 53; Glenn, 12.4 percent, No. 43; and Yolo, 9 percent, No. 21.
Within Lake County, Clearlake Oaks had the highest unemployment in September, at 20.3 percent, followed by Nice, 19.8 percent; Clearlake, 19.5 percent; Lucerne, 14.2 percent; Middletown and Kelseyville, tied at 13.6 percent; Lakeport, 12.9 percent; Cobb, 11.9 percent; Lower Lake, 11.2 percent; Hidden Valley Lake, 11 percent; north Lakeport, 10.6 percent; and Upper Lake, 6.9 percent.
Dennis Mullins of the Employment Development Department’s North Coast Region Labor Market Information Division said Lake County’s wage and salary employment declined 140 jobs between August and September.
Seasonal farm layoffs – totaling 200 jobs – accounted for the bulk of the decline, entirely offsetting month-over local government gains, which Mullins said totaled 150 new jobs, resulting from area schools hiring for the new term.
Mullins said that for the year over, Lake is down 410 jobs with the net government cutbacks of 150 jobs accounting for over a third of the decline.
He said four industry sectors gained or were unchanged over the year and seven declined.
Year-over job growth occurred in private educational and health services, 10, and other services, 10, with manufacturing and leisure and hospitality showing no change, Mullins said.
Industries that Mullins said had declines over the year included farm, -210; mining, logging and construction, -20; trade, transportation and utilities, -30; information, -10; financial activities, -10; professional and business services, -10; and government, -150.
The Employment Development Department report also stated that during the September survey week 470,515 Californians received regular unemployment insurance benefits, compared with 501,158 last month and 494,882 last year.
At the same time, new claims for unemployment insurance were 48,017 in September 2012, compared with 51,467 in August and 53,861 in September of last year.
A closer look at California's job picture
The Employment Development Department’s report on payroll employment – wage and salary jobs – in California’s nonfarm industries totaled 14,347,900 in September, a net gain of 8,500 jobs since the August survey. August had seen a gain of 5,100 jobs.
In a year-over-year comparison – September 2011 to September 2012 – nonfarm payroll employment in California increased by 262,000 jobs, up 1.9 percent, the report showed.
A federal survey of households, done with a smaller sample than the survey of employers, showed an increase in the number of employed people, estimating 16,457,000 Californians were employed in September. That was an increase of 53,000 jobs from August and up 203,000 from the employment total in September of last year.
The number of people unemployed in California in September was 1,876,000, down by 60,000 over the month and down by 277,000 compared with September of last year, the agency reported.
Other report findings from the Employment Development Department showed that six categories – trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – added jobs over the month, gaining 28,300 jobs. Leisure and hospitality posted the largest increase over the month, adding 10,700 jobs.
Five categories – mining and logging; construction; manufacturing; other services; and government – reported job declines over the month, down 19,800 jobs. Government posted the largest decrease over the month, down 6,400 jobs.
Seven categories – construction; trade, transportation and utilities; information; financial activities; professional and business services; educational and health services; and leisure and hospitality – posted job gains over the year, adding 319,600 jobs.
Professional and business services posted the largest gains on a numerical basis, adding 88,000 jobs, up 4.1 percent. Information posted the largest gains on a percentage basis, up 6 percent, adding 25,700 jobs.
Four categories – mining and logging; manufacturing; other services; and government – posted job declines over the year, down 57,600 jobs. Government posted the largest decline on both a numerical and percentage basis, down by 41,100 jobs, a 1.7 percent decrease.
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NICE, Calif. – A popular lakeside restaurant is now under new management and will celebrate its grand reopening this weekend.
The reopening celebration at the Boathouse Restaurant, located at 2685 Lakeshore Blvd. in Nice, will take place from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 20.
Jennifer McKnight and her mother, Cathy Farley, recently took over the restaurant.
McKnight said she and her mother have worked together in the food industry – from professional kitchens to private catering – for years. It has always been their dream to open a restaurant together.
So earlier this summer, when they found out that there was the opportunity to take over the restaurant portion of the business, “We decided to jump on the offer,” said McKnight.
They’ve been working on the project for two months, and opened three weeks ago, McKnight said.
“It’s been great,” she said, explaining that they’ve got a lot of helpful and constructive feedback from regulars, as well as a huge outpouring of support.
Those faithful customers have helped the mother-daughter team dial in their new menu, which has been in place about a week, McKnight said.
Some of the highlights of the dinner menu include beer battered fish and chips using fresh caught rock cod and beer battered prawns and chips – McKnight said the beer batter is a secret recipe – plus three cheese tortellini and a new rib eye steak.
McKnight said the lunch menu includes burgers built to order, a variety of salads and a very popular bunless burger served in a bowl of hot au jus.
They’ve also recently started serving breakfast, and plan to soon offer a champagne brunch, said McKnight.
Saturday evening’s grand reopening celebration will offer guests the chance to get to know the menu by enjoying free appetizers and free dessert samplers, she said.
There also will be dinner specials, promotions and giveaways, McKnight said.
The Boathouse Restaurant is open from 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Wednesday. Hours Thursday through Sunday are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m.; breakfast is available on those days.
For more information call the restaurant at 707-274-1100.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – The closure order for the North Pass Fire, number 08-12-16, was lifted at 6 p.m. Friday, which reopened all forest roads and recreation areas in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness and surrounding areas on the Mendocino National Forest.
Visitors to the forest should be aware that just because the fire is out and the closure is no longer in effect, many hazards still remain. Burnt stump holes, snags and other forest hazards remain a concern in the area.
“We are happy to be able to restore access to the western portion of the Forest,” said Forest Supervisor Sherry Tune. “We are asking the public to exercise caution when entering and recreating in the area- there are still several hazards out there.”
The North Pass Fire started Saturday, August 18 and consumed approximately 41,983 acres north of Forest Highway 7 between Anthony Peak and the community of Covelo.
The Mendocino National Forest lifted fire restrictions Tuesday.
Although visitors can once again have a campfire in the forest, fire season is not over. Please use caution when recreating in the forest, especially if you have a campfire.
As a reminder, for those recreating in open areas of the forest this fall:
- Be aware of current conditions before heading to the forest, including closure orders, alerts, notices and current weather.
- Be prepared for changing conditions, including the appropriate gear and layered clothing. Especially in the mountains, weather conditions can change rapidly from hot and sunny to cold and wet.
- Let someone know when you are leaving, where you are going and when you will be back.
- If camping in the open forest, select a level campsite away from dead trees or possible rolling debris. Remember to look up to identify potential hazards.
- Flash flooding and mud flows may be common in areas without vegetation.
For more information, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino or contact the Forest at 530-934-3316.
At least once in the last 20 years, every county in California has had a federal flood disaster declared in its borders, and with winter storms looming, government agencies are urging Californians to learn their risk and prepare for the worst.
California’s first-ever Flood Preparedness Week, Oct. 15-20, launched with new educational Web site sponsored by state and federal agencies.
The flood preparedness education campaign is a joint effort by the California Department of Water Resources, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the California Emergency Management Agency, the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration’s National Weather Service, and Sacramento County.
The campaign is designed to make more people aware of the many types of flood risk in California. The state is subject not only to river and coastal flooding, but also at risk of tsunami, deep floodplain, alluvial fan and debris flow flooding.
With increased awareness, families and individuals should make an effort to become better prepared for disaster. Nationally, more people die in flooding than any other natural disaster.
Throughout California Flood Preparedness Week, participating agencies will be posting information on their Facebook pages and sending out messages via Twitter about the different types of flooding
Californians should be aware of flood dangers not only where they live, but where they work and visit. Facebook friends and Twitter followers will be encouraged to visit the California Flood Preparedness Web site for more information and for practical instruction on how to prepare, including what to put in a preparedness kit and how to create a family evacuation plan.
For more information on California Flood Preparedness Week, and to learn more about California’s flood risk and preparation efforts, visit www.water.ca.gov/ca-flood-preparedness/ .
Financing the purchase of one’s home and refinancing one’s mortgage can each create estate planning traps for the unwary.
The traps created may be due to the name on the title or the manner in which title is held.
Let us consider two scenarios involving title that can create major problems once someone dies or becomes incapacitated.
The first is when someone lacking good credit purchases or refinances their home.
Often the only way such a person is able to secure financing is by involving another person – usually a parent or other family member – with good credit.
This person is included on title for that reason solely, even though they may not pay anything towards the purchase price or mortgage payments.
Nonetheless, that person is presumed to be legal owner of the property because they are on title.
The problems develop when the family member either dies or becomes incompetent. At death, who succeeds to that person’s ownership share? And during incompetency, how can the property be sold or refinanced?
The answers to these questions are often disturbing. That is, when the family member dies, any share that he or she owned in the home as a tenant in common will pass under his or her will to named beneficiaries or by intestacy to his heirs.
This may result in other persons, besides the original owners who involved the decedent, becoming co-owners; a result not intended at the outset when financing was considered the sole issue.
Moreover, including the real property interest in the deceased person’s estate may trigger a probate, with all the associated expense, aggravation and delay that probate entails.
In addition, if the family member is ever unable to handle his or her financial and property affairs, then it may not be possible to sell or refinance the home. A court supervised conservatorship may then become necessary.
With proper estate planning, these problems can be avoided.
First, the family member’s co-ownership interest should be held as a joint tenancy interest with the other owners of the home, or the interest should be held in the family member’s trust and left to the other co-owners at death. That way, when the family member dies, his or her undivided co-ownership interest passes without either probate or legal dispute to the other original co-owners, presumably as originally intended.
Second, the family member's incapacity planning should provide legal authority for a responsible person to control the ownership interest. That is, in the event of the family member’s incapacity, an agent under a durable power of attorney, or a successor trustee in the case of a trust, can authorize transactions, including a sale or refinancing.
A different scenario where people may unwarily step into a trap occurs when they refinance their own home.
The lender takes title temporarily out of the person’s living trust so that it is held in the person's name individually. The lien is then recorded against the title in the person’s name individually.
If title is not then reconveyed back into the living trust and the person dies holding title individually an unintended probate may then become necessary at the person’s death.
The solution is to insist, and double check, that the title company reconveys title back into one's living trust at the conclusion of the refinancing.
The foregoing illustrates how ignorance regarding the implications of title can result in unforeseen problems at the death or incapacity of a title holder.
Consultation with an attorney at the outset can allow one to avoid these problems with the appropriate means.
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