How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The fire, which occurred along New Long Valley Road within a mile of Highway 20, was dispatched at 12:26 p.m. Friday, according to Cal Fire, which had joint command of the incident.
A passing United Parcel Service driver reportedly stopped to empty his fire extinguisher on the car as firefighters and California Highway Patrol responded to the fire, which blocked traffic in and out of the valley.
The fire then moved up a nearby hillside. “We took care of the vehicle fire an part of the wildland fire, and Cal Fire took over from there,” said Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Ken Petz.
Northshore sent an engine and a medic unit to the fire, said Petz, while Cal Fire sent five engines, a bulldozer that was used to create a fire break and aircraft.
Cal Fire said the blaze was contained at 12:54 p.m. The blaze was estimated to be about a half-acre in size.
Petz noted that, despite the dry conditions, there hasn't been much fire activity recently.
The only other fire activity of note in the area was reported by the Mendocino National Forest.
Late Thursday, a small fire just over an acre in size was reported in the Rice Valley area of the Mendocino National Forest, according to spokesperson Tamara Schmidt.
Cal Fire reported that it sent engines, dozers and hand crews to assist in fighting the fire, located in the vicinity of Lake Pillsbury.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office advises voters that a consolidated general district election is scheduled to be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3.
At this election, voters who reside within the city of Lakeport will have the opportunity to vote for or against Measure C (use and sale of fireworks within the city).
In addition, voters who reside within the boundaries of the Mendocino-Lake Community College District, Upper Lake High School District, Upper Lake Elementary School District and Lucerne Elementary School District will have the opportunity to elect governing board members for each of the school districts.
Please be aware that new residents of Lake County, and registered voters who have moved to a new address, changed their mailing address within the county, or changed their name, that you need to reregister in order to be eligible to vote in the upcoming consolidated general district election.
Don't delay – the last day to register to vote for the Nov. 3 consolidated general district election is Monday, Oct. 19.
The completed voter registration form must be either personally delivered to the Registrar of Voters Office on or before Oct. 19 or, postmarked on or before Oct. 19 and received by mail by the Registrar of Voters Office.
Please be aware that pursuant to Section 2101 of the California Elections Code: "A person entitled to register to vote shall be a United States citizen, a resident of California, not in prison or on parole for the conviction of a felony, and at least 18 years of age at the time of the next election."
Residents may register to vote at the Lake County Registrar of Voters Office, Room 209, Courthouse, Lakeport or may phone the Registrar's Office at 707-263-2372 for information.
Registration forms are also available at most local post offices, libraries, senior centers, city offices and chamber of commerce offices.
- Details
- Written by: Dennis Fordham
While a person is alive, the person’s estate planning attorney is strictly prohibited from disclosing any information to anyone else without the client’s express consent (authorization). An attorney is not supposed to even disclose that the client came to him for estate planning.
So, as long as the client does not invite other persons to sit-in on the estate planning meeting, or subsequently allow others to read their estate plan documents, then the contents of that person’s will or trust will remain confidential.
That said, if the client later on becomes incapacitated and the named successor trustee steps in during the period of disability, then that other person will naturally read the trust (estate planning document). The trust document can advise the successor trustee, however, to keep the document confidential from other inquiring persons.
At death, the estate plan will have to be disclosed, to one degree or another. If a will is used, it is filed with the county superior court of residence; at which time anyone in the public is allowed to see the entire document. If a trust is used, however, it is not required to be filed with the county court, and so does not become a public record (unless trust litigation ensues). This makes the trust a more confidential document than a will.
Clearly, however, neither a will nor a trust is a “secret” document. That is, after death, one’s beneficiaries and heirs (i.e., those familial persons otherwise entitled to inherit under California Law) are each entitled, upon request, to a copy of the trust and/or will, as relevant. One cannot exclude disinherited heirs (e.g., a disinherited child) from receiving a copy of the estate planning document.
A major distinction between a will and a trust is that you can to a keep matters more confidential with a trust, as it does not become a publicly available document. If a trust is used, then it is best to remove any minor gifts to persons who otherwise are not entitled to receive a copy of the trust; instead, have their gifts pass by way of a will, in order that such minor beneficiaries do not become entitled to receive a copy of the trust. For example, a gift of an antique grandfather clock to a neighbor should not be included in the trust if one does not want the “neighbor” to know the contents of the trust.
Lastly, and importantly, after one dies, all beneficiaries are entitled to receive information about the estate’s assets, liabilities, receipts and disbursements to the extent that such information is pertinent to their inheritance. This usually comes in the form of an inventory and accounting by the trustee or executor to the beneficiaries.
In summary, until one passes on, the estate planning documents can be kept confidential. After death, copies of the estate planning documents are allowed to the heirs and beneficiaries.
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 1st St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News Reports
The National Weather Service in Sacramento stated that this storm has the potential to produce a significant amount of rain across interior Northern California, including Lake County, beginning on Monday through Wednesday, accompanied by strong winds.
Typhoon Melor, which blew across central Japan on Thursday with winds of up to 123 miles per hour, caused transportation disruptions and landslides on Japan's southern, according to Reuters.
Rain is expected to arrive in Lake County Monday afternoon and spread over interior Northern California by Monday evening, the National Weather Service predicted. Periods of heavy precipitation are possible overnight into Tuesday, with some areas receiving between 2 and 7 inches of rain.
High winds also will accompany this storm, with sustained winds expected around 40 miles per hour, and gusts up to 60 miles per hour or more at higher elevations in the mountains and foothills, based on the National Weather Service forecast.
Winds at these speeds can down tree branches and cause property damage, officials cautioned.
Because this is predicted to be the first significant storm of the season and water levels are low, significant impact on most rivers and streams is not expected. However, the National Weather Service said that excessive runoff from heavy rainfall could cause flooding issues on smaller streams, creeks and tributaries that have accumulated plant growth through the summer.
Additionally, areas that have experienced fire events and have burn scars could experience debris flow, the agency warned.
Temperatures Friday through Sunday should reach daytime highs near 80 degrees, with overnight temperatures in the low 40s, but as the storm approaches, highs through Wednesday will only reach the mid 60s with precipitation continuing, the National Weather Service forecasted.
Next Thursday, skies will be partly cloudy and daytime temps rise back in to the 70s, with the National Weather Service predicting sunny skies for the remainder of next week.
Residents are advised to make preparations in advance of the approaching storm and monitor weather reports for updated information.
E-mail Terre Logsdon at