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CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – One person was seriously injured in an early Saturday morning stabbing.

The assault was first reported shortly before 2 a.m. in the Spring Valley subdivision east of Clearlake Oaks, according to radio reports.

Firefighters were dispatched to the 17000 block of Holly Way for a male assault victims who Central Dispatch said was stabbed five times.

The victim was transported away from the scene by a private vehicle, which met up with an ambulance at Old Long Valley Road and Highway 20 a short time later, according to radio reports.

A REACH air ambulance responded to Adventist Health Clear Lake to transport the patient, scanner reports stated.

The helicopter lifted off shortly before 3 a.m. to transport the victim to an out-of-county trauma center, based on radio traffic.

Additional details will be posted as they become available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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Sky watchers in the United States have been waiting for this date for years.

On Aug. 21, 2017, there’s going to be a total eclipse of the Sun. With the path of totality stretching from Oregon to South Carolina, people can see the eclipse from coast to coast.

The timing of the eclipse will provide the opportunity for viewers to see one of the biggest astronomical events of the century just a few weeks after enjoying one of the biggest meteor showers of the year.

Every August, Earth passes through a stream of debris from Comet Swift-Tuttle, source of the annual Perseid meteor shower. This year the shower will peak on the nights of August 11, 12 and 13.

Although the comet is far away, currently located beyond the orbit of Uranus, a trail of debris from the comet stretches all the way around its orbit back to where it nears Earth’s orbit.

As our planet crosses the debris zone, the upper atmosphere will be pelted by specks of comet dust traveling 132,000 miles per hour.

At that speed, even a flimsy speck of dust makes a vivid streak of light when it disintegrates – a meteor. Because, Swift-Tuttle's meteors streak out of the constellation Perseus, they are called "Perseids."

Astronomer Bill Cooke of NASA’s Meteoroid Environment Office offers these observing tips:

“If it’s not cloudy, get away from bright lights, lay on your back, and look up. Remember to let your eyes get adjusted to the dark (it takes about 30 min) – you’ll see more meteors that way.”

“You don’t need to look in any particular direction. Meteors can generally be seen all over the sky.”

“Not all of the meteors you’ll see belong to the Perseid meteor shower. Some are sporadic background meteors. Others are from weaker showers also active in August, including the Alpha Capricornids, the Southern Delta Aquariids, and the Kappa Cygnids.”

But the vast majority will be Perseids.

Cooke says, “If you see a meteor, try to trace it backwards. If you end up in the constellation Perseus, there’s a good chance you’ve seen a Perseid.”

Under ideally dark skies, observers can often see dozens or even more than a hundred Perseids per hour when the shower peaks. This year, the glaring light of a bright waning gibbous Moon will interfere, reducing the number of visible meteors.

Now for the good news: That same Moon is heading toward the Sun, narrowing as it goes, until the thinning crescent disappears into a black disk that will perfectly cover the Sun on August 21st.

A meteor shower followed by a total solar eclipse: August doesn’t get much better than that!

For more news about backyard astronomy stay tuned to http://science.nasa.gov .
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A man suspected of attempting to shoot a California Department of Fish and Wildlife officer in August 2016 has turned himself in.

Shawn Eugene Hof Jr. surrendered to authorities, according to Fish and Wildlife officials.

On Sunday, Aug. 21, 2016, at approximately 12:40 a.m., a CDFW wildlife officer was patrolling in Carlotta in Humboldt County.

The officer saw a pickup truck with several occupants using spotlights on Redwood House Road near Highway 36. When the officer attempted an enforcement stop on the truck, the driver sped away.

A pursuit ensued and a person in the rear of the truck, believed to be Hof, began shooting at the wildlife officer during the attempt to get away.

The subjects crashed their vehicle into a tree before fleeing on foot into the woods, where they escaped.

Fish and Wildlife law enforcement officers, the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office and the Humboldt County District Attorney's Office continued their focused effort to find Hof by visiting areas he was known to frequent.

"We believe it was this focused effort with our partners that prompted him to turn himself in," said David Bess, deputy director and chief of the CDFW Law Enforcement Division. "The department thanks our allied agency partners for their efforts that began a year ago. We're relieved that the situation resolved itself without injuries to our officers or the public."

CDFW also thanks the California Wildlife Officers Foundation, California Waterfowl Association, Defenders of Wildlife, Humane Society of the United States, Nature Conservancy, Sportfishing Alliance and private donors who collaborated on a reward for information leading to Hof's arrest.

The Humboldt County District Attorney's Office will assume the lead for deciding on charges then filing the case in Humboldt County.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – An early Saturday morning crash sent two people to the hospital.

The crash occurred shortly before 1 a.m. in the 4000 block of Lakeshore Boulevard in Lakeport, according to radio reports.

Lakeport Fire units arriving at the scene minutes after dispatch reported finding a vehicle rolled over and on its top.

Initially, firefighters reported finding one patient with major trauma and requested an air ambulance respond to Sutter Lakeside Hospital’s helipad.

A short time later, they found the second crash victim and requested a medic unit from Northshore Fire, radio reports indicated.

The REACH 6 air ambulance responded to the hospital, where it waited while firefighters extricated one of the crash victims from under the vehicle, according to scanner reports.

Based on radio reports, one crash victim was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment by a Northshore Fire ambulance, while the second victim was transported by REACH 6 to a trauma center in Vacaville.

Additional details will be posted as they become available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Thursday night, following a protest hearing, the Clearlake City Council approved an increase in garbage rates for the city’s residents.

City manager Greg Folsom said that on June 8 the council approved the rate increase, which went into effect on July 1.

In a sample of the new rates, 20-gallon carts rise from $13.03 to $16.85 per month; 32-gallon carts, $15.46 to $19.99; and commercial two-yard bins, $185.56 to $239.96.

The council also has since approved the second and final reading of an ordinance to implement universal garbage service in the city, which Folsom said is expected to go into effect April 1.

The city has previously implemented rate increases for its franchise hauler, Clearlake Waste Solutions, Folsom said.

However, because of the approval now of universal garbage service, Proposition 218 is triggered, he said.

Folsom explained the Proposition 218 only applies to fees that are imposed, not those where people can choose to have a service or not.

Proposition 218 requires a 45-day mailed notice to all property owners and existing customers and a majority protest hearing in which silence equals consent, he explained.

Folsom’s report compared Clearlake’s 32-gallon rate to other areas, such as Mendocino County, where he said garbage service cost about $31 a month. “So it’s a very competitive rate,” he said.

The franchise agreement also allows for an annual rate adjustment based on the consumer price index for things like pass-through costs – such as gas price increases – and extraordinary items, such as changes in the law, Folsom said.

At the close of business on Thursday, the city had received 25 written protests, Folsom said.

With Clearlake containing 14,611 parcels, in order for a majority protest to stop the rate increase the city needed to receive at least 7,306 protests, Folsom said.

Approximately 17 people testified to the council, with all but two opposing the rate increase.

Concerns expressed by those opposing the increase ranged from Marie Weathers, manager of Lakeside Mobile Home Park, saying that the park does its own service at $15 a month, to others saying that they couldn’t afford it or they didn’t feel that they should have the service if they didn’t want it.

One person who spoke in favor of the increase was Chuck Leonard, a former city councilman, who said his garbage rate is the lowest he’s ever had.

Following a brief break so staff could tabulate the protests, the council reconvened, with City Clerk Melissa Swanson reporting that a total of 43 protests had been submitted against the rate increase.

Vice Mayor Bruno Sabatier said the city doesn’t want to see people collecting garbage for weeks at a time on their properties. “It needs to be picked up weekly.”

He suggested that by having the service, people could actually save money on self-hauling.

“We have to do what we need to do to clean up our city,” he said.

The council then followed up with a unanimous vote in favor of a resolution setting the maximum rates for solid waste collection services in the city.

The council on Thursday also authorized Folsom to approve additional change orders totaling up to $50,000 for the paving project on Phillips and 18th Avenue, which is being completed by Team Ghilotti.

Folsom said he so far had approved $33,000 in change orders for the project and was seeking the additional funds from Measure V proceeds for any other possible changes.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday heard an update on the process of cleaning up Valley fire debris and clearing wood from the Hoberg’s Resort property in Cobb.

Supervisor Rob Brown placed the matter on the agenda, and asked county Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski and Cobb Area Council member Karl Parker to attend to contribute to the discussion.

Brown said Parker has taken on the role of liaison to Cobb residents about what is happening at Hoberg’s, the historic mountain resort destroyed by the Valley fire.

“He’s done a fantastic job of staying on top of what’s going on there,” Brown said of Parker.

After the resort was destroyed, the property was used for storing and processing logs from trees cut as a result of the fire. That operation, as well as issues with stormwater runoff, have led to concerns from both residents and officials about environmental impacts.

In the spring of 2016 the county ordered an abatement on the property due to stormwater surcharging the resort’s damaged septic system, with the water then running into a nearby creek, as Lake County News has reported.

With it now being August – and nearly two years after the Valley fire – Brown said it was time to start buttoning up the property, and he wanted to bring the matter up for discussion before the seasonal rains started.

“This thing’s not going to go on forever,” he said.

Scott Schellinger, the Hoberg’s representative, was not able to attend, Brown said, but he asked Parker to give an update on the situation.

Parker explained that the Cobb Area Council formed the Cobb Abatement Monitoring Committee a little over a year ago. It’s as part of that committee that Parker has taken part in weekly meetings with the Hoberg’s management in an attempt to build a bridge between them and the community.

“I’m just a concerned citizen and a former Cobb resident,” said Parker, who lost his home in the Valley fire.

He offered the board a report based on a set of questions Ruminski had sent to Schellinger on July 24, with the information current as of Monday.

Parker said Hoberg’s reported that the structural debris cleanup project is complete, with more than 65 loads going to the Lake County Landfill and more than 20 to special out-of-county facilities that handle hazardous waste.

He said Hoberg’s Historical Association, the mortgage holder, has spent close to $1 million cleaning up the site.

Now, the property’s owners are working on the final certification for soil cleanup. That was necessary due, in part, to friable asbestos making up more than 1 percent of the debris, with that hazardous debris having to be taken to the out-of-county handling facilities, Parker said.

Hoberg’s has reached a final agreement – reviewed by county officials – with a Fremont firm for the soil testing and certification. That work began on Friday and is expected to be done by Aug. 24. If more work needs to be done to finalize the certification, Hoberg’s has said it will be done by the end of September, according to Parker.

Parker said there also is a plan for all concrete on the property – such as building foundations – to be removed and crushed on site and recycled for uses including fill and road base on the resort land. However, that can’t be done until the soil certification is complete.

He said more than 900 cords of firewood have been processed and taken off the property, and more than 150 loads of firewood delivered to local residents at no charge as a service and act of goodwill.

Additionally, more than 184,000 board feet of wood have removed from the property, and 80 percent of all wood has been cleared off the land. Parker said 95 percent of the wood is expected to be removed by Oct. 15.

He said the last 5 percent of the wood will be moved to the back of property for future processing and burning. Parker said the abatement committee had emphasized to the Hoberg’s management that the blighted area has an emotional impact on residents, thus the plan to remove the wood from public view

Disposal challenges remain for items like stumps and wood that can’t be turned into firewood, he said.

However, Brown emphasized that when it came to that remaining wood, “They’re not going to burn there.”

Parker said Hoberg’s management had indicated they would be burning stumps according to a permitted process.

“There needs to be another option,” said Brown, suggesting other avenues like moving the wood off of the property, grinding and chipping.

“When somebody starts a barbecue up there right now, it rattles nerves, as you know,” said Brown. As to the idea of having stumps burning and smoldering in the area, “That’s not going to work,” he added.

Parker said Cobb residents have noted the visible progress on the property, and Hoberg’s in turn has used its equipment to help with removal of hazard trees for 20 Cobb residents over the winter.

Regarding stormwater runoff and erosion control, Parker said a Healdsburg firm will be creating an erosion control plan, which should be submitted to county agencies no later than Sept. 15.

He said archaeological work on the site, led by Dr. John Parker, has been completed under the old lodge building, where a “treasure trove” of items was found. Those items are now being processed at the Ely Stage Stop.

Karl Parker said everyone involved knows and understands the importance of getting the work done before the rainy season.

During the discussion, Ruminski raised the issue of what would trigger action by the county if the resort’s management fails to meet its deadlines. That question wasn’t specifically answered.

Brown questioned when trees were no longer going to be brought in to the property. Parker replied that, to his knowledge, no trees have been brought in for processing for a long time.

Supervisor Jim Steele said he was concerned about the stormwater plan in the face of the uncertainty about what the coming winter might hold. He said there should be a “plan B” in case the resort’s intended plan isn’t completed.

Ruminski noted that if it’s raining in Lakeport, it’s it’s two or three times as rainy on Cobb.

Supervisor Moke Simon said the work needed to get done. He said it’s going on two years from the Valley fire, and no other property owners have been allowed to wait so long to abate their properties.

Simon said definite deadlines need to be set. “One more winter, I think, is too many winters, with this stuff out there on the ground,” he said, adding that if the work isn’t done by October, the county should take action.

Parker said the Hoberg’s management has set deadlines of Sept. 30 for soil certification and Oct. 15 as its project completion date.

Board Chair Jeff Smith said he wanted to have the matter come back at around the time of those deadlines.

County Counsel Anita Grant suggested that county representatives might want to check with the property owners on what kind of written commitments they’ve received in making those deadline determinations.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Work is continuing in the effort to contain a wildland fire near Lake Berryessa in Napa County that began on Friday afternoon.

The Canyon fire began shortly before 1 p.m. on Highway 128 at Sage Canyon Road, according to Cal Fire.

It led to evacuation warnings at Turtle Rock to Sommerston Vineyard/Turtle Rock to Capell Valley Crest, officials reported.

On Friday night, Cal Fire said the fire had burned 114 acres and was 25-percent contained.

Resources assigned to the fire on Friday included 270 personnel, 25 engines, eight fire crews, two helicopters, six dozers and seven water tenders, Cal Fire said.

Cal Fire said Highway 128 is closed at Lower Chiles Road and Capell Valley Crossroad while fire suppression efforts continue.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week voted to make permanent a set of rules – created earlier this year in response to the lake’s flooding – that implement speed restrictions on Clear Lake during high water events.

The board approved an ordinance that establishes a “no wake zone” of a quarter-mile from shore where boats must operate at idle speed when the lake passes the elevation level of 8 feet Rumsey.

During this year’s winter flooding, Water Resources Director Phil Moy and Sheriff Brian Martin had taken several versions of an urgency ordinance to the board regarding speeds for motor boats on the lake.

It was also during that time that the board on Feb. 14 approved an urgency ordinance closing Clear Lake to motorized vessels due to safety concerns over flooding, as Lake County News has reported.

Clear Lake’s flood stage is triggered at 9 feet Rumsey; the lake’s elevation was 9.68 feet Rumsey when the board took action to implement the closure, which ultimately lasted for two weeks.

During that time, the lake’s elevation topped out at more than 10.5 feet Rumsey. By the time the lake closure was lifted at the end of February, the lake’s elevation was at around 10 feet Rumsey.

“I’m sure everyone recalls the multiple versions of the urgency ordinance that we went through earlier this year,” Moy told the Board of Supervisors during the Tuesday morning meeting.

The final version of the urgency ordinance was to be used for a permanent ordinance, Moy had said at the time, and that’s what he presented to the board this week.

The ordinance states: “It shall be unlawful for anyone operating a motor boat on the waters of Clear Lake to exceed idle speed when operating said motor boat one-quarter mile or less from the short of Clear Lake if the lake is at a level of 8.0 Rumsey or higher for a 24-hour period.”

Those idle speed requirements remain in effect until Clear Lake reaches the elevation of 7.9 feet Rumsey or lower for a 24-hour period, the ordinance stated. On-duty boats from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife are exempt from the rules.

Violations of the idle speed restrictions constitute a misdemeanor and are punishable by a fine of not more than $500 or six months in the Lake County Jail, the document said.

Moy said Martin concurred with the ordinance as written, and County Counsel Anita Grant helped him with the document.

Lakeside resident and local businessman Paul Racine was the only member of the public to offer comment during the discussion.

Racine, who has lived on the lake for more than 40 years, expressed his concern that the trigger point of 8 feet Rumsey is too low.

While he said he had previously supported that elevation as the trigger point for idle speed, he has since changed his mind. “I hadn’t thought it through,” Racine said.

Racine said the impact on the fishing guides and activities on the lake was “severe” as a result of the 8 feet Rumsey rule.

Instead, he suggested that speed trigger point should be at 9 feet Rumsey elevation – the lake’s flood stage – which he said is the lake level when damage starts to happen. Otherwise, he said the rules are “unnecessarily restrictive.”

Supervisor Rob Brown suggested they could raise the lake elevation level for speed restrictions to 9 feet Rumsey and amend it if necessary at a future point.

Supervisor Jim Steele said that there also had been issues with boats going through bird nesting sites in the Middle Creek area. He said that he wanted to look at the issues associated with protecting bird nesting separately, work on signage and let fishermen know about the impacts.

He also noted during the discussion that one of the concerns about speed arose from the amount of debris in the lake from older docks that the wave action broke apart.

Board Chair Jeff Smith pointed out that the idle speed zone would only extend out a quarter-mile from shore, with boats still able to travel at higher speeds in the middle of the lake.

Supervisor Tina Scott said she didn’t see an issue with keeping the ordinance’s elevation level for the speed restrictions at 8 feet Rumsey in order to get people to slow down.

Racine said the biggest impact from the speed restrictions was on the fisherman, adding that the fishing guide business and bass tournaments are “a big deal” on Clear Lake.

“But again, we’re not stopping the fishermen from coming in and fishing. They just have to slow down,” and to be cautious about what’s in the water, said Scott.

Supervisor Moke Simon, who noted that he doesn’t live on the lake, said he was aware a lot of damage had been done from the flooding. “I think this is a well thought out ordinance.”

He said it’s not a matter of shutting down the lake but making people aware that there is a potential issue.

Simon said he respects the fishing industry and the money that it brings to the county, but felt the emphasis should be placed on protecting homeowners. “I think we should take care of the folks that are affected by the water.”

Smith said the biggest impact this winter had been when the board shut the lake down because of the flooding. He agreed with Simon about the need to look out for people’s personal property and suggested that the ordinance offers a compromise.

As he prepared to offer the ordinance for a vote, Steele said he wanted to see if there was consensus to change the lake elevation that would trigger the speed restrictions from 8 feet Rumsey to 8.5 feet Rumsey.

The rest of the board, however, wanted to keep the elevation at 8 feet Rumsey, as staff had recommended.

Steele moved to approve the ordinance as presented by staff. The supervisors approved the ordinance unanimously and advanced the document to a final reading at the Aug. 15 board meeting.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council held a special Tuesday evening meeting to handle several items of business.

The brief special meeting was necessary due to the council having canceled its Aug. 1 meeting for National Night Out, which Mayor Stacey Mattina said was a great success.

On the agenda were four items, including a resolution to confirm and approve the utility billing delinquency list and its submission to the Lake County Auditor-Controller’s Office for inclusion on the property tax roll.

The staff report for the meeting had indicated that delinquent water and sewer bills totaling $22,654.01 as of June 30 were outstanding.

However, on Tuesday evening Finance Director Nick Walker said staff had collected another $7,000 of that amount, leaving more than $15,000 remaining.

The council approved the resolution 4-0, with Councilman Kenny Parlet absent from the meeting.

The council also approved the award of the Giselman Street Overlay Project to Team Ghilotti Inc. of Sacramento for $279,305.

Public Works Director Doug Grider said his staff had contacted local paving companies about bidding on the project, but they declined due to being too busy.

With school back in session this week, Grider said detour routes are being set up and the city is working with the schools regarding traffic and bussing issues.

He said there will be only three days of construction, with one day of striping.

Mattina said it’s exciting to get the road project moving along.

Also on Tuesday, Community Development Director Kevin Ingram presented a resolution approving the final parcel map for D & R Lake Properties LLC at 1930 S. Main St. and 10 Queen Ann Way, which is the undeveloped portion of the Victorian Village subdivision.

Property owner and developer Ray Somberg sought the map in order to create three residential parcels and one commercial parcel.

Ingram said the item was a formality, that all of the requirements for the map had been met and Somberg was eager to move forward.

“This has been a tough project to get done because of all of the preapprovals on the project,” said Somberg, who told the council that staff had done a great job.

“Ray has been very patient through this whole project,” said Ingram, noting that it had been a learning process for staff.

The council approved the parcel map 4-0.

A fourth item, the authorization for the replacement of the city’s 8-inch well pump, was postponed until the Aug. 15 council meeting at Grider’s request.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife Law Enforcement Academy Class 60 on Friday added 18 new wildlife officers to the ranks of those who have dedicated their lives to the protection of California's incredible natural resources.

The graduation ceremony took place Friday at the Paradise Performing Arts Center in Paradise.

The 18 new wildlife officers will be going directly into CDFW's Field Training Officer program to put their training into practice under the close supervision of experienced field training officers, or FTOs.

An additional 12 cadets paid their way through the Academy as "self-sponsors" in the interest of either applying for a law enforcement position with a different law enforcement agency or with CDFW's Law Enforcement Division.

CDFW is also pleased to announce the recent hiring of four new wildlife officers who left previous full-time peace officer positions to work as wildlife officers.

They will receive additional wildlife law enforcement specific training at the academy prior to beginning their FTO Programs.

"Our cadets and Academy staff have worked tirelessly every day during the duration of the Academy to help develop necessary skills they will need to protect California's natural resources and the California's communities for generations to come," said David Bess, CDFW chief of Law Enforcement.

CDFW's Wildlife Officer Academy is certified through the California Peace Officer Standards and Training, or POST, and offers training consistent with every law enforcement agency in California.

Field training with experienced FTOs is also mandated by POST to be sure new wildlife officers can apply the skills they learned during the academy to real life circumstances.

FTO is the final stage of formal training. Upon successful completion, these officers will begin patrolling California to protect the natural resources of this great state.

Annually, wildlife officers make contact with more than 295,000 people and issue more than 15,000 citations.

These officers primarily work alone, in remote areas, contacting subjects who almost always have some form of weapon, and they do so knowing that backup could be hours away.

Wildlife officers have large patrol districts and great responsibilities, and frequently a sole officer will cover an entire county.

The average California wildlife officer's patrol district exceeds 500 square miles.

In 2008, CDFW teamed with Butte College to provide peace officer academy training for prospective wildlife officers. That partnership provided CDFW a state of the art POST-certified academy facility with 42 years of police training history.

The Law Enforcement Division will be accepting applications through Sept. 30, 2017, for the Academy beginning in January 2019.

For more information about becoming a wildlife officer and the application timeline, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/enforcement/career.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – A fire that began on Tuesday afternoon as the result of a vehicle crash has been fully contained.

Cal Fire said the Bottle fire was 100-percent contained as of 8 p.m. Thursday.

It burned 62 acres along Highway 29 near Bottle Rock Road in the Kelseyville area.

The fire began at about 4:40 p.m. on Tuesday as the result of a two-vehicle crash, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Email Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Water Resources Department has issued an update on Clear Lake’s conditions, which include continuing cyanobacteria blooms and fish die-offs.

The agency reported that Clear Lake is suffering the effects of a second fish kill, this time off the shores of Lakeport.

This latest fish die-off is most likely the consequence of nutrients, cyanobacteria and warm water temperatures adversely affecting water quality, primarily dissolved oxygen, officials said.

Just like people, fish rely on oxygen to breathe and process nutrients in their bodies. Warm water fish such as those living in Clear Lake need to have about 5 parts per million, or ppm, dissolved oxygen to thrive.

Water Resources said that, like many other lakes in California, nationwide and around the world, Clear Lake has this summer been host to a large, dense, persistent cyanobacteria bloom. Cyanobacteria is sometimes called blue-green algae.

The bloom has been lakewide with various intensities due to wind, water depth and nutrient cycling, specifically, phosphorus. Officials said these dense blooms produce ample oxygen during the day, but consume oxygen during the dark hours at night.

The very warm water conditions also contribute to the problem because warm water holds less dissolved gases – including oxygen – than cold water but warm water also increases the fishs’ metabolic rate. So the fish need more oxygen to digest and thrive, but the water cannot hold as much oxygen as it can in the spring, winter and fall months, according to the report.

At the current water temperatures of Clear Lake – which are ranging between 80 and 84 degrees Fahrenheit – the dissolved oxygen saturation point is about 7.9 ppm. Recent monitoring by the California Department of Food and Agriculture has shown the dissolved oxygen concentration off the shores of Lakeport during the day have been as high as 30 ppm or more. This is a situation of oxygen supersaturation, Water Resources said.

At night, when the bacteria begin to respire or use oxygen, the dissolved oxygen concentrations plummet, bottoming out at 1 ppm or less. In the same area off Lakeport, the dissolved oxygen concentration dropped to near zero 17 nights between July 5 and Aug. 1, officials said.

Water Resources officials said these factors have come together in a perfect storm of sorts on Clear Lake – very warm water, dense cyanobacteria blooms, plenty of nutrients for the bacteria in the form of phosphorus from the landscape, wildly vacillating dissolved oxygen concentrations and fish that are already under stress in the warm water.

Officials said that, unfortunately, at this point there is little that can be done quickly to address the cyanobacteria, the phosphorus or the warm water; nature must be allowed to take its course.

Cyanobacteria blooms may at times produce toxins that can adversely affect pets and people. For this reason caution should be exercised when considering contact with the water, Water Resources said.

Avoid heavy algal scums in the water. Pets should not be allowed to swim in the lake as they may ingest the algae or scum. Caution should be exercised when young children interact with the water because they too may ingest the water and be more prone to adverse health effects due to their smaller body size, according to county officials.

Rinse off pets and people thoroughly with clean water after swimming and do not use raw lake water for cooking – boiling does not remove the toxins, Water Resources said. Before eating fish from the lake, throw away the guts and thoroughly rinse the filets with tap or bottled water.

In the long term, officials said everyone can be more careful about fertilizer use, sediment runoff and off-highway vehicle use, and the county and cities will work to better control sediment and its associated nutrient inputs off the landscape.

By working together, Water Resources officials said community members can have a significant impact on improving the water quality of the lake, the reduction of cyanobacteria blooms and the improvement of the health of fish.

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