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In California, it is illegal to buy or sell sport-caught abalone, or any other fish or wildlife, because it leads to the over-harvest of the resource.
There is no commercial abalone harvest from California’s coast.
“The arrests remove another threat to California’s precious abalone resource,” said Captain Bob Farrell of the Department of Fish and Game’s (DFG) Law Enforcement Division. “The illegal harvest and commercialization of our abalone resource can devastate the abalone population if left unchecked.”
In August 2011, wardens observed Nuanrat Musser, 44, of Cotati purchase sport-caught abalone at a Cotati massage parlor. Wardens maintained surveillance on the business and observed Musser make several more abalone purchases.
In September, wardens observed her as she resold the abalone contraband to Helen B. Macariola, 55, and Kritkaew McCulley, 65, both of Sacramento.
All three women were arrested and booked into Sonoma County Jail. The case was filed with the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, where each defendant will face three poaching-related misdemeanor charges.
Honest anglers and members of the public can help wardens stop poaching by reporting poaching crimes to California Department of Fish and Game’s CalTIP line at 1-888-334-2258.
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The months-long process to unionize 219 Calpine employees at The Geysers geothermal power plant culminated in a two-day election on Wednesday and Thursday at Calpine.
The final tally of votes, which were counted Thursday night, showed that 124 employees had voted no to joining the union, while 70 had voted yes.
An additional 21 challenged ballots were not counted in the final tally, the union reported.
IBEW has alleged that Calpine management attempted to prevent a free and fair election, and used anti-union consultants to persuade employees to vote against unionizing.
Calpine said in a statement released to Lake County News this week that it had worked directly with its employees to provide industry-leading compensation, benefits, equity, career progression and safety programs.
However, the company also said that it respected employees’ right to consider unionization as provided under the National Labor Relations Act “in a process which assures employees make an informed decision.”
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The two-secret ballot took place on Wednesday and Thursday at Calpine.
Final tally of votes was 124 “no” votes and 70 “yes” votes, with 21 challenged ballots not counted in the final tally, as Lake County News has reported.
The union said the 21 challenged ballots were set aside based on claims that they were not eligible voters.
IBEW alleges that management’s decision to require employees to attend mandatory meetings with union busters from the firm The Alignment Group and to not allow union representatives on site compromised the workers’ right to a free and fair election.
Calpine Chief Executive Officer Jack Fusco also reportedly made several trips to the plant, as did other Calpine executives, who traveled from Texas during the union campaign.
The effort to unionize began last summer. IBEW said the Calpine workers were seeking union representation after a number of takeaways, including reducing sick leave and medical benefits. Those takeaways, the union alleged, coincided with skyrocketing pay for Calpine’s executives.
Workers sought representation to achieve a place at the bargaining table and to have a meaningful say in decisions that affect everything from compensation to safety and working conditions, according to a union statement.
At the same time, a strong opposition movement arose within the workers' ranks, with power plant operator Tim Janke operating a Web site, www.calpineunionfree.com, to advocate against the union.
Mike Farmer, a leading member of the 25 member organizing committee said that “fear won the day.”
“Even so, we proved that far more than a handful of our co-workers support the union,” he said.
Throughout the campaign, Calpine workers gained support from union members throughout the state. They rallied at the National Labor Relations Board office in San Francisco, the Calpine office in Sacramento and even met with Gov. Jerry Brown.
The effort also had the support of District 4 Supervisor Anthony Farrington, who wrote a letter to that effect to IBEW 1245 organizer Fred Ross on Dec. 20.
“I feel strongly that when both sides, management and membership, have a say in negotiating on policies and procedures that effect the working conditions, safety and benefits of the work force, it is to everyone (sic) advantage,” Farrington wrote. “As a result, the working relationship between the two is stronger and more productive.”
“These workers waged a courageous battle and against all odds and a stacked deck. They have worked too hard and for too long to go down without a fight,” said Ross. “We will continue to stand by them for the duration.”
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The Clearlake Police Department confirmed to Lake County News early Friday morning that a suspicious package had been found at the Clearlake Commons apartment complex, located at 15160 Austin Drive.
Napa County’s bomb squad was called to the scene to handle the device, the department reported.
Part of the apartment complex was evacuated while the bomb squad was en route, and a temporary evacuation center was set up at the Highlands Senior Center on Bowers Avenue, according to the Clearlake Police Department.
Lake County News received information that the device was discovered in a dumpster following a phone threat, which also warned that the device might detonate soon.
Tara Eaton, a resident in the apartment complex, posted on Lake County News’ Facebook page that the whole lower section of apartments was being evacuated. The upper area of the complex where she lives was not required to evacuate.
James Thomas, a Lake Transit driver, said on Facebook that the transit agency sent four buses – including his – to the scene to help evacuate residents.
He said he transported people to the senior center, where more than 30 people were gathered.
Thomas said he was released from the evacuation at 2:30 a.m. At that time it was estimated that residents would not be allowed to return to their homes for several more hours.
However, shortly after 3:30 a.m. the Clearlake Police Department reported that the bomb squad had disposed of the device and the apartment complex residents who had been evacuated were being allowed to return to their homes.
At approximately 3:53 a.m. Lake County Fire Protection Chief Willie Sapeta reported over the radio that all of the evacuees had been returned home and firefighters were clearing the incident.
Further details about the incident were not immediately available early Friday morning.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
After a two-day secret ballot that ended Thursday night, the campaign to join the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 1245 failed.
Once the polls closed at 8 p.m., the ballots were counted at the Calpine Visitor Center in Middletown, a process that took about an hour.
The unofficial vote count was reported to be 124 against joining the union and 70 for joining. An additional 21 ballots were reportedly cast against unionizing but were challenged by the union and not included in the final tally.
Altogether, 215 of the 219 workers eligible to vote took part, according to the preliminary vote count.
“It was decisive,” said a disappointed Mike Farmer, an organizing committee member who had campaigned to join IBEW Local 1245.
The effort to hold the union election began last summer, and since then a campaign had been under way to convince the eligible Calpine employees to vote in favor of joining IBEW Local 1245.
The union even had arranged for workers to meet with Gov. Jerry Brown and former U.S. Labor Secretary Robert Reich.
Campaign organizers accused Calpine – one of Lake County's largest employers – of trying to prevent a free and fair election by bringing in anti-union consultants.
At the same time, significant opposition came from within the ranks of the workers themselves.
Last month Tim Janke, a power plant operator at West Ford Flat, launched his own Web site – www.calpineunionfree.com – to oppose unionization, with a total of 76 employees signing their names on his Web site in support of keeping a union-free workplace.
Janke told Lake County News this week that he was concerned that the union would add another layer of bureaucracy and cost some Calpine workers as much as $40,000 a year in lost benefits and bonuses.
On his Web site Thursday night, Janke posted a video congratulating his fellow workers for the vote.
“This crap is finally over with,” he said.
However, he went on to question if anyone really won, arguing that the union's actions damaged Calpine's reputation. Janke also urged people to focus on getting back to work.
In the wake of the election, “For most people it’s going to go back to normal,” said Farmer.
However, he said the organizing committee plans to meet on Friday.
“We have to decide whether we want to pursue some of the improprieties we feel happened during the election campaign,” he said.
While Farmer said he is leaning toward leaving things as they are and moving on, he said the organizing committee has seven days to file an objection and challenge the results.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – A solo-vehicle collision on Highway 29 Thursday afternoon caused traffic snags for local drivers.
The California Highway Patrol reported that the incident involving a black pickup truck occurred at approximately 3:19 p.m.
The CHP said the crash blocked the northbound lane and that traffic in the area was backed up.
Information on injuries was not available.
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