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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Work is scheduled to begin in the coming weeks and will include Middletown and Cobb.
PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras told Lake County News that the work is part of a new program in which the company is working with individual property owners to clear brush around power poles on their property.
“The program is starting along just a few circuits – and then will expand later – with one of the circuits in Lake County,” Contreras said.
This wildfire safety work is in addition to the company’s regular vegetation management programs and is intended to further enhance defensible space by creating an additional layer of protection between vegetation and electric equipment.
In addition to slowing the spread of potential fires, PG&E said this safety work will also improve access for first responders in an emergency.
Prior to work being done, PG&E said it will work closely with customers and landowners to provide additional information on the upcoming work.
PG&E may need to use herbicides to prevent regrowth, in accordance with state and federal regulations. Landowners can request herbicides not be used on their property.
Work in Lake County is expected to begin in the coming weeks and will take place within a 50-foot radius of distribution poles and include:
— Clearing brush and shrubs where possible.
— Trimming grasses to 4 inches in height.
— Clearing surface-level fuels such as fallen leaves, needles, twigs, barks, cones and small branches.
— Pruning tree branches that are within 6 feet from the ground.
Customers may see PG&E crews and contractors in their area in the coming weeks. As part of PG&E’s vegetation work to reduce wildfire risks, customers may also see other PG&E crews working to keep communities safe by performing additional tree work near power lines.
Customers with questions can contact 1-877-295-4949 or email
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
“Effective immediately, people on private water systems whose tap water comes from their own private intake into the lake, in the Oaks Arm and Lower Arm of Clear Lake should not drink the water. Very high levels of cyanotoxin have been identified in these areas of the lake, and we are concerned there may be health impacts if private water systems are not effectively filtering out these toxins,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace in a statement released shortly before 8:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Pace said more detailed information will be released on Thursday.
The brief message referred to the latest monitoring information from the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, which has been conducting testing at 15 sites on Clear Lake with the assistance of the Robinson Rancheria EPA Department.
Big Valley has been conducting a cyanotoxin monitoring program on Clear Lake since 2014.
On Big Valley’s Clear Lake Water Quality Facebook page, a post published shortly before Pace’s message was released noted that, for the second sampling event in a row, they were finding the “highest toxin levels we’ve ever seen on this lake.”
This latest sampling was conducted on Sept. 7. It surpassed levels found on Aug. 25 that also had been noted as record-breaking.
At a site located at Redbud Park in the lake’s Lower Arm, they reported microcystin toxin levels at 160,377.50 micrograms per liter, or µg/L, which they said is extremely high for toxins, “and our lab says it's the highest they've processed.”
Clear Lake Water Quality post continued, “This means it is recommended to stay out of the water in those high toxin areas until further notice, do not touch scum in the water or on shore, do not let pets or other animals drink or go into the water or go near the scum, do not eat fish or shellfish from this water, do not use this water for drinking or cooking.”
The statement and information posted on Big Valley Rancheria’s website explained the highest levels of Anatoxin-a — a neurotoxin cyanotoxin — on Clear Lake, 25.95 µg/L, was found at a site noted as SHADY01, which is located at Shady Acres on Cache Creek.
The latest sampling found nine sites with levels of microcystin, another toxin created by cyanobacteria, at danger levels, which are above 20 µg/L:
— RED01: Redbud Park, Clearlake; 160,377.50 µg/L.
— CLV7: Soda Bay Cove; 5,910.30 µg/L.
— CL-3: Lower Arm, interior of lake; 4,940 µg/L.
— AP01: Austin Park Beach, Clearlake; 4,857 µg/L.
— LC01: Lily Cove, Clearlake; 204 µg/L.
— SBMMEL01: Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund Site; 54.80 µg/L.
— JB: Jago Bay; 34.35 54.80 µg/L.
— CLOAKS01: Clearlake Oaks next to water treatment; 29.39 µg/L.
— SHADY01: Shady Acres (Cache Creek); 22.40 µg/L.
Four sites had levels of microcystin above the warning level of 6 µg/L:
— LA-03: Lower Arm, interior of the lake; 15.09 µg/L.
— LPTNT: First Street boat ramp, Lakeport; 13.56 µg/L.
— OA-04: Oaks Arm, interior of the lake; 8.76 µg/L.
— KP01: Keeling Park, Nice; 7.53 µg/L.
Four sites were identified with levels of microcystin denoting caution, which is above 0.8 µg/L:
— ELEM01: Elem shoreline; 5.67 µg/L.
— LUC01: Lucerne Harbor Park; 2.79 µg/L.
— BVCL6: Big Valley shoreline; 1.84 µg/L.
— BP: Buckingham Park; 1.26 µg/L.
Two sites below the caution levels, with no signage needed, were found:
— KEYS03: Clearlake Keys, west side; 0.44 µg/L.
— CL-1: Upper Arm, interior of the lake; 0.18 µg/L.
With Anatoxin-a detections of the toxin, the state recommends caution signage. Three sites came back with detects of Anatoxin-a:
— SHADY01: Shady Acres (Cache Creek).
— LPTNT: First Street boat ramp, Lakeport.
— KEYS03: Clearlake Keys, west side.
- Details
- Written by: Janine Smith-Citron
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Vet Connect Volunteers will host the annual “Lake and Mendocino Stand Down and Resource Fair” on Wednesday, Sept. 22.
The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Lake County Fairgrounds, 401 Martin St. in Lakeport.
All veterans are welcome.
The event offers immediate intervention support to at-risk and homeless veterans.
Veterans must present an ID card or DD Form 214. Lunch will be provided at no cost to attendees.
Services and resources from over 35 organizations will be provided. Topics will include veterans’ services, housing and homeless assistance, employment, medical insurance counseling, advance care planning, behavioral health, employment assistance, Wounded Warriors and more.
Representatives from regional veterans’ services and many local organizations will be present to meet with veterans attending the Stand Down.
Legal Services of Northern California will be available to assist veterans with the “Clean Slate Project,” a program that focuses on helping people who have had contact with the criminal justice system successfully rejoin their communities. Appointments for consultation at the Veterans Stand Down can be made by calling 707-462-1417.
Today, “Stand Down” refers to a grassroots, community-based intervention program designed to help the nation’s homeless veterans “combat” life on the streets.
Homeless veterans are brought together in a single location and are provided access to the community resources needed to begin addressing their individual problems and start rebuilding their lives.
In the military, Stand Down afforded battle-weary soldiers the opportunity to renew their spirit, enjoy warm meals, receive medical and dental care, mail and receive letters, and enjoy the camaraderie of friends in a safe environment.
The Lake County Vet Connect volunteers ask the public to spread the word regarding the event so that local homeless or near-homeless veterans can be reached and may benefit from the assistance available.
“The Stand Down pulls a diverse group of agencies together to provide at-risk veterans with the resources and items they need to transition from being homeless which is a community benefit,” said committee member and volunteer Dave Waldschmitt.
The Stand Down event will follow protocols recommended by the County of Lake Public Health Department to reduce the spread of COVID. Masks are required and will be provided.
For more information, contact Bob Hopkins at 707-350-1411 or email
For updates, visit the Vet Connect Hookup Hub on Facebook.
Janine Smith-Citron is director of development for Hospice Services of Lake County.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The Hopkins fire remained at 257 acres on Wednesday, with containment up to 95%.
The fire began at 2:15 p.m. Sunday in the area of East Hopkins and North State streets.
While Cal Fire’s Wednesday evening report gave arson as the cause, it did not give further details.
The agency said in a separate report that it had made an arrest, although it did not identify the individual.
Cal Fire said damage assessments found that 30 residences and 16 other structures had been destroyed, while four homes and another structure were damaged.
No injuries have been reported to civilians or firefighters.
On Wednesday, 16 engines, six water tenders, seven hand crews and 223 firefighting personnel remained assigned to the incident, Cal Fire said.
Evacuation orders have been canceled but Cal Fire said warnings remain in effect from State Street to the 5000 block of East Side Calpella Road, Road B to Redwood Valley, Lake Mendocino at Lake Ridge and Lake Mendocino Drive. Evacuation centers have been closed.
Cal Fire said fire personnel saw minimal smoldering on Wednesday, with the fire entering patrol status.
The agency said firefighters will remain at scene throughout the night, patrolling for hot spots, hazards and continuing mop-up.
Cal Fire said the Hopkins fire is expected to be fully contained on Saturday.
Email Elizabeth Larson at