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The crash was reported shortly after 2:30 p.m. Thursday on Kelsey Creek Drive, according to the California Highway Patrol.
The CHP said the school bus driver was not at fault, said Kyle Reams, Kelseyville Unified's director of maintenance and transportation.
“It was a bad situation but the transportation staff did a fantastic job in dealing with it,” said Reams.
Two students sustained minor injuries in the collision, and were treated by emergency personnel, Reams said.
The bus driver, who was shaken by the experience, was uninjured, he added.
Reams said the bus, which the school bus driver was able to drive back to the bus barn from the crash site, also sustained damage, and would be taken out of service until it could be repaired and a mechanic could perform a service check to ensure it was back in perfect running order.
Late Thursday afternoon CHP officers were still on scene and so hadn't been able to produce a full report. Reams said early Thursday evening that he didn't yet have all the information from the CHP on what led to the crash.
The initial CHP reports from the scene indicated the driver of the vehicle that hit the bus was taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for a blood draw, raising concerns that alcohol may have been involved.
Reams said that all buses would be running on Friday morning, although the numbers would be different since the damaged bus was taken temporarily out of service.
He said the district also would contact parents on Friday to update them on the incident.
Kelseyville Unified Superintendent Dave McQueen also credited the bus driver with doing “an awesome job.”
He said the situation turned out “pretty good for as bad as it could have been,” adding that he was thankful that everyone was OK.
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“In a time of shrinking budgets, this historic settlement affirms that Medi-Cal exists to help the state's most vulnerable families rather than to illicitly stoke corporate profits,” said Harris. “Medi-Cal providers and others who seek to cheat the state through false claims and illegal kickbacks should know that my office is watching and will prosecute.”
The settlement with Quest is the result of a lawsuit filed under court seal in 2005 by a whistleblower and referred to the Attorney General's Office.
In a Thursday statement, Quest Diagnostics maintained that it had done nothing wrong.
“Our laboratory testing services for Medi-Cal were priced appropriately, and we deny all allegations in the complaint,” said Michael E. Prevoznik, senior vice president and general counsel of Quest Diagnostics.
Prevoznik said Quest Diagnostics operates with the highest standards of integrity and fairness. “California's interpretation of the Medi-Cal 'comparable charge' regulations created uncertainty and resulted in an intolerable business environment for us,” he said. “This agreement allows us to put the lawsuit behind us and provides for an orderly process for resolving any remaining interpretation issues. We also intend to pursue other avenues, including legislative action, to ensure clear regulatory standards in California for the clinical laboratory industry.”
The lawsuit alleged that Quest systematically overcharged the state's Medi-Cal program for more than 15 years and gave illegal kickbacks in the form of discounted or free testing to doctors, hospitals and clinics that referred Medi-Cal patients and other business to the labs.
California law states that “no provider shall charge [Medi-Cal] for any service … more than would have been charged for the same service …to other purchasers of comparable services …under comparable circumstance.”
Yet, Quest is alleged to have charged Medi-Cal up to six times as much as it charged some other customers for the same tests. For example, Quest charged Medi-Cal $8.59 to perform a complete blood count test, while it charged some of its other customers $1.43.
California law also prohibits Medi-Cal providers from soliciting and receiving “any kickback, bribe, or rebate, directly or indirectly, overtly or covertly, in cash or in valuable consideration of any kind… [in] return for the referral, or promised referral, of any individual…for the furnishing … of any service” paid for by Medi-Cal.
Harris' office said an investigation revealed that Quest systematically offered doctors, hospitals and clinics low prices for lab tests in return for referrals to Quest of patients, including Medi-Cal patients. Quest then charged Medi-Cal a higher price to make up the difference - resulting in the loss of millions of dollars to the Medi-Cal program.
Under the state's False Claims Act, any person with previously undisclosed information about a fraud, overcharge, or other false claim can file a sealed lawsuit on behalf of California to recover the losses, and is entitled to a share of the recovery in some cases. Such individuals become plaintiffs and are known as “whistleblowers,” “qui tam plaintiffs” or “relators.”
In this case, the whistleblowers were Chris Riedel and his company Hunter Laboratories. Hunter Laboratories found it could not compete in a significant segment of the marketplace where major medical laboratories such as Quest offered doctors, hospitals and clinics far lower rates than they were charging Medi-Cal. Riedel and Hunter were represented by Niall P. McCarthy of Cotchett, Pitre & McCarthy LLP.
The Attorney General's Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse conducted an intensive three-year investigation that uncovered widespread abuse of Medi-Cal by medical testing laboratories in California.
Based on facts disclosed in the complaints, the California Department of Health Care Services, which administers the Medi-Cal program, launched an independent statewide audit of medical laboratories. Through reform of industry pricing practices stemming from this case, Medi-Cal is expected to save hundreds of millions of dollars.
“This agreement sends a strong message that fraud against the state and its Medi-Cal program will not be tolerated,” said Toby Douglas, director of the Department of Health Care Services. “I commend our department's employees and the Department of Justice for working successfully in pursuit of compensation and justice for the state and its important health care programs.”
Besides providing compensation to the whistleblower under statutory guidelines, the settlement is designed to reimburse the state's Medi-Cal program and the Attorney General for expenses in investigating and prosecuting false claims actions. The total that will flow to the state is $171 million.
The settlement also requires the Quest to report information to assist the state in determining Quest's future compliance with Medi-Cal's pricing rules.
Similar cases are still pending against four other defendants, including Laboratory Corporation of America, commonly known as LabCorp, the second largest medical laboratory service provider in California. Trial is scheduled for early next year.
Also assisting in the case was the Office of the Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Among those in the Attorney General's office who were instrumental in this case: Aviva Burmas, Sharon Crotteau, Vincent DiCarlo, Dennis Fenwick, J. Timothy Fives, Brian Frankel, Alissa Gire, Jennifer Gregory, David Guon, Sharon Harris, Brian Keats, Eileen Landon, Larry Menard, Kelli O'Neill, Susan Park, Kim Reed, James Shannon, Annette Silva, Jill Spitz, Claude Vanderwold, Lawrence Wold, Mark Zahner, and Gary Zerbey.
A copy of the original complaint can be found at http://oag.ca.gov/news/press_releaseid=1705&y=2009.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In preparation for Lake County’s 150th anniversary celebration, commemorative banners are being raised in communities around Lake County this week.
Local business associations agreed to hang the banners, and in some communities, local merchants have stepped up to purchase the necessary banner brackets.
The Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation donated $2,500 in grant funds for the creation of the signature 150th celebratory lamppost banners to be raised in communities throughout Lake County.
The striking 150th logo and lamppost banners were designed by local artist Gerri Groody who donated her time and talent to the project. The lamppost banners were created by RAH Outdoor Media of Middletown.
To coincide with the community banners, the county of Lake also raised a celebratory banner on the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport and on both County-operated museums: the Lake County Historic Courthouse Museum in Lakeport and the Lower Lake Historic Schoolhouse Museum in Lower Lake. The courthouse and museum banners were created by Signs of Randy Hare of Clearlake.
The sesquicentennial celebration kickoff event will be held on Friday, May 20, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., in Old Courthouse Square in front of the Historic Courthouse Museum, at 255 N. Main St. in Lakeport.
This event kicks off the 150th celebration, which will continue through the summer and fall with a presence at several major annual events held in each community.
The banners will be in place throughout the summer and fall, for approximately 150 days, to celebrate the 150-year anniversary of the creation of Lake County on May 20, 1861.
In honor of the celebration, Lake County Museum staff developed a sesquicentennial time line that depicts key events and happenings in Lake County over the past 150 years. Seven-foot-long posters of this time line will be on display in each community. Smaller-sized versions of the time line will be available for sale at the kickoff event.
In addition to its generous donation toward the lamppost banners, the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation also has presented the community with a challenge grant – if community donations to the 150th effort reach $2,500, the Keeling-Barnes Family Foundation will match that with an additional $2,500, which, in effect, doubles the impact of those donations.
To donate, please send a check made payable to “Friends of the Lake County Museum – LC 150” and address it to: Friends of the Lake County Museum, c/o Lake County Historic Courthouse Museum, 255 North Main St., Lakeport, CA 95453. The Friends of the Lake County Museum is a local 501(c)(3) organization and the fiscal agent for the LC 150 effort.
For information about donating, call 707-263-4555 or send an e-mail to
To discover more, go online to www.LC150.org for information about Lake County sesquicentennial activities and events and for a fascinating look at historical video vignettes of life in Lake County in the 1860s. This site is updated regularly, so check back often.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The service of a search warrant by the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in Lakeport Tuesday afternoon has resulted in two arrests and seizure of methamphetamine and narcotics paraphernalia.
Arrested were 29-year-old Bradley Steven Holt and his girlfriend, 27-year-old Bonnie Raeshelle Denham, both of Lakeport, according to Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On May 13, narcotics detectives secured a search warrant for the person, home and vehicles belonging to Holt of Lakeport. On Tuesday, May 17, at approximately 2:20 p.m., detectives served the search warrant at Holt’s Brush Street home, Bauman said.
Narcotics detectives located Holt and Denham, outside of the home. Bauman said both were detained without incident as officers with the Lakeport Police Department arrived to assist.
Both Holt and Denham were determined to be under the influence of a controlled substance and arrested, Bauman said.
When detectives searched the home, they located and seized methamphetamine and illicit narcotic medications from a bedroom shared by Holt and Denham. Bauman said detectives also located live ammunition in Holt’s pickup truck, which was unlawful for him to possess as a convicted felon. A search of Denham’s clothing revealed a glass “meth” pipe she had concealed beneath her clothing.
Both Holt and Denham were transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility for booking. During the booking process, correctional officers recovered more methamphetamine that Denham had concealed in her bra, and another “meth” pipe concealed beneath her pants, Bauman said.
Holt was booked for possession of a controlled substance, being under the influence of a controlled substance, and being a felon in possession of live ammunition, Bauman said. Denham was booked for possession of a controlled substance, bringing a controlled substance into a jail, possession of narcotics paraphernalia, and being under the influence of a controlled substance.
Anyone with information that can assist the Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force in its effort to eradicate illicit narcotics is encouraged to call the anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
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Equine herpes myeloencephalopathy, or EHM, is caused by equine herpes virus (EHV-1), officials reported.
The illness has been confirmed in 10 horses in California, in Kern, Placer, Stanislaus, Amador and Napa counties, according to the Tuesday report.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture said one horse in Kern County was euthanized after showing severe neurologic signs often associated with the disease.
This disease outbreak is evolving and CDFA will continue to investigate cases and provide updated information.
All of the infected horses recently attended the National Cutting Horse Association’s Western National Championships in Odgen, Utah, held April 30-May 8, 2011, where officials believe the horses were most likely exposed to the virus.
All California horses that have been in contact with an infected horse and show signs of disease or test positive for EHM will be placed under a California Department of Food and Agriculture quarantine in order to limit spread.
The California Department of Food and Agriculture reported that it has contacted all 54 exhibitors from California who participated in the Utah event and asked them to isolate and monitor their horses for clinical signs of EHV-1.
A rectal temperature in excess of 102 Fahrenheit commonly precedes other clinical signs. Officials urged horse owners with potentially exposed horses are urged to take temperatures on each individual horse twice a day. If a temperature above 102 Fahrenheit is detected, the horse’s private veterinarian should be contacted immediately for evaluation and laboratory testing.
Equine herpes virus is a contagious disease and may spread quickly among horse populations, the state reported.
EHV-1 is not transmissible to humans. Horse-to-horse contact, aerosol transmission, and contaminated hands, equipment, tack and feed all play a role in disease spread, the California Department of Food and Agriculture said.
Horses infected with the neurologic strain of EHV-1 may show any of the following clinical signs: nasal discharge, lack of coordination, hind-end weakness, lethargy, urine dribbling and diminished tail tone.
There is no specific treatment for EHM, the state said. Treatment may include intravenous fluids, anti-inflammatory drugs and other appropriate supportive treatment. Immediate separation and isolation of identified suspect cases and implementation of appropriate biosecurity measures are key elements for disease control.
The agency said that, currently, there is no equine vaccine that has a label claim for protection against the neurologic strain of this virus.
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