LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lower Lake man was arrested on Monday after authorities said he stabbed a man during a confrontation near the county's temporary warming shelter for the homeless.

Terry Alan Rucks, 64, of Lower Lake, was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

At 6 p.m. Monday sheriff's deputies responded to a reported stabbing in the 700 block of Park Way in north Lakeport, Brooks said.

Brooks said Central Dispatch advised deputies that the responsible subject was reported to be at the Seventh-day Adventist Church, located in the 3000 block of Hill Road East in Lakeport, which since January has hosted the warming shelter.

Upon their arrival at the church, deputies contacted Rucks, who told the deputies that he was involved in the altercation and had called Central Dispatch to report the incident as well, Brooks said.

Brooks said the stabbing victim was being attended to by emergency medical personnel across the street from the church at that point.

Rucks told the deputies he stabbed the victim while acting in self-defense. He explained that the victim kicked the passenger side of his vehicle and was yelling at him, Brooks said.

Rucks said the victim began punching and kicking him, forcing him into the driver’s seat of his vehicle. Once in the vehicle he reached for a knife, which he kept in the vehicle and stabbed the victim. Brooks said Rucks told the deputies that he thought he stabbed the victim in the arm.

After speaking to Rucks, deputies contacted the victim, who said he has been having issues with the homeless people trespassing onto his property, which he said has been occurring since the church started operating their warming shelter, according to Brooks' report.

Brooks said the victim explained that people will wait on his property for the church to open. On Monday, the man said he noticed three male subjects who were on his property and had parked their vehicles at the end of his driveway, waiting for the church to open.

The man said he started yelling at the subjects and told them to leave. He explained that two of the subjects left the property, but Rucks stayed and they began to argue, Brooks said.

According to the victim's account, he began walking back to his residence when Rucks got into his vehicle and drove towards him. The victim said Rucks stopped his vehicle, got out and started walking towards him, then turned away and attempted to kick him at the same time, Brooks said.

Brooks said the stabbing victim told deputies he grabbed Rucks' shoulder to turn him around and that’s when Rucks stabbed him.

After he stabbed the man, Rucks left the property and went to the church parking lot, Brooks said.

Brooks said the stabbing victim was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital and then flown to an out-of-county hospital for additional medical attention.

Rucks was arrested for assault with a deadly weapon and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility where he was booked.

His bail was set at $75,000 and he remained in custody on Thursday.

Rucks' booking sheet indicated he is to appear in court on April 5.

The warming shelter is still on track to close this Friday, April 1, as originally planned.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – This handsome male German Shepherd has a huge personality to match his huge paws.

He's friendly, playful and well-behaved, and has a lovely black, white, tan and sable coat.

Time out in the play yard revealed that he knows basic commands, shakes paws – he's ambidextrous – and walks nicely on a leash.

Overall, he's a people dog that is affectionate and ready to get to a new home.

He's in kennel No. 7, ID No. 4565.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at [email protected] . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – “Buddy” is a handsome guy who is waiting at Lake County Animal Care and Control for a new family.

Shelter staff said he is a Labrador Retriever-hound mix.

Buddy has a short tricolor coat and a fun attitude, and enjoys time out in the play yard, rolling in the grass and running in the sunshine.

He's well-mannered, affectionate and tolerant, and is relaxed, with a low energy level.

He's been tested with other dogs his size and loved them all. Shelter staff suggested he should be in a home without livestock, small dogs or cats.

He's in kennel No. 22, ID No. 4487.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Gloria Flaherty has been honored as Lake County Woman of the Year for the Fourth Assembly District.

In recognition of Women’s History Month, Assemblyman Bill Dodd honored one woman from each of the counties he represents who have made significant contributions in their respective communities.

“There are so many amazing and inspiring women in our county, and I am humbled to receive this recognition,” said Flaherty. “Serving the residents of Lake County has been so rewarding, and I want to recognize all of those people that made my work a labor of love.”

Flaherty recently retired as executive director of Lake Family Resource Center after 19 years of service.

As the founding director of Lake Family Resource Center, she was influential in growing the organization to serve some 1,400 families and 4,500 individuals annually.

Flaherty also helped secure funding for the Early Head Start Program, as well as the purchase and renovation of Freedom House, Lake County’s only domestic violence shelter.       

“One thing that makes Lake County so special is its people, and Gloria is the ultimate example of that,” said Dodd. “She is a real inspiration, and we are truly lucky to have such compassionate and tireless advocates in our community.”

Over the years, Flaherty has been involved in numerous community activities and organizations, including past president of Kelseyville Sunrise Rotary Club, board president of Kelseyville Unified School District and commissioner of First 5 Lake County.

More recently she has served as the chair of the Lake County Continuum of Care, and a member of the boards of North Coast Opportunities, Friends of Mendocino College and the California Partnership to End Domestic Violence.

She also has been instrumental in numerous efforts associated with long-term fire recovery in Lake County. Among her numerous recognitions, she received the 2015 Lifetime Achievement Award from the Lake County Child Care Planning Council.

Dodd represents the Fourth Assembly District, which includes all or portions of Lake, Sonoma, Napa, Yolo, Colusa and Solano counties. Learn more about the district at www.asm.ca.gov/dodd .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Despite the disasters it faced in 2015, Lake County's overall economic picture is bright and has shown marked improvements over the last several years, according to a recently completed report.

The “2016 Lake County: Economic Profile” was presented to the city councils this month.

The report was produced by the Sonoma County Economic Development Board in association with the Lake County Regional Economic Development Committee.

The report looks at factors including population and demographics, income and employment, real estate, consumer spending and taxable sales, and education through 2020, using the most recent data that is available.

Sources for the data used as the report's foundation came from the Lake County Association of Realtors, California Board of Equalization, California Department of Education, California Employment Development Department, Environmental Systems Research Institute and the US Census Bureau.

According to the report, Lake County's population in 2015 was 66,338, and is expected to rise by about 2.2 percent to 67,797 by 2020, based on projections from the Environmental Systems Research Institute.

The report said that Lake County is following a statewide trend with its increasing number of Hispanic residents. The growth trend in the county for the Hispanic population – the second largest ethnic group behind those classified as white – from 2010 to 2020 is projected at 4.8 percent.

As for age by population group, the number of individuals aged 65 and above is anticipated to grow by the greatest amount between 2015 and 2020, with individuals aged 45 to 64 decreasing.

By 2020, the 45 to 64 age group will be the largest, followed by 65-plus, 25 to 44, and 10 to 24, with ages 0 to 4 and 5 to 9 essentially even.

One of the report's most notable findings is the projected growth in household income.

In 2015, Lake County's median household income was $37,063. That's expected to jump by about 15 percent to $42,491 by 2020.

The report explained that from 2000 to 2015, the percentage of Lake County households earning less than $35,000 dropped by 4.6 percent.

During the same time frame, the fastest growing income group in the county was the range from $100,000 and $149,999, which went from about 5 percent to roughly 10 percent, and is expected to inch up a few more percentage points by 2020.

The largest household income group in 2000 was under $15,000 annually. The $50,000 to $74,999 range was the largest group at just under 18 percent as of 2015, and it's expected to rise above 20 percent by 2020.

Another key area noted in the report was employment, which has shown improvements as the county has emerged from the recession.

The report noted that Lake County's unemployment topped out at 17.8 percent in December 2009. In December 2015, the local unemployment rate was down to 7.3 percent, compared to the statewide rate of 5.8 percent.

More recent data from the California Employment Development Department puts the adjusted December 2015 unemployment rate at 7.8 percent, with January registering the same rate, and unemployment dropping to 7.4 percent in February.

The economic profile report said the industry with the highest projected growth in employment in Lake County is professional and business services, followed by construction; transportation, warehousing and utilities; leisure and hospitality; educational services, health care and social assistance; financial activities; retail trade; mining and logging; wholesale trade; and other.

As for real estate, median home prices in Lake County increased by 22 percent from 2014 to 2015, with the 2015 median price at $205,900.

Real estate sales have recovered but are not at the highest levels seen over the past decade and a half, with the highest selling year in that period being 2005, when 1,460 homes sold. Sales dipped to 169 homes in 2009 but were up to 871 homes sold in 2015.

Lake County's average sales price was $229,477 in 2014, compared to the $571,928 reported in neighboring Sonoma County.

Also improving is Lake County's taxable sales, which decreased from 2008 to 2011 but then rebounded in 2013.

Lake County's high school graduation rates have traditionally been higher than the state average, but in recent years have fluctuated. The rate dropped to 78 percent in the 2009-10 school year, rose to about 87 percent in 2011-12 and dropped to 80.3 percent in the 2013-14 school year, just below the state rate of 80.8 percent.

In the 2013-14 school year, white students had a graduation rate of 84.1 percent; Hispanic students, 79.2 percent; black students and students of two or more races, 68.2 percent; and American Indian students, 53.6 percent, based on the report.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) Director Malcolm Dougherty on Tuesday signed a letter of intent with the Province of Noord-Holland (Netherlands) Vice Governor Elisabeth Post, MMC to look at sustainable options for capturing solar energy in transportation infrastructure.

Caltrans will explore the Dutch technology, known as SolaRoad, which implements the use of solar panels in roadway projects and has been successfully implemented in a project in Krommenie, The Netherlands.

The idea behind SolaRoad is that sunlight falling on the road surface is converted into electricity by concrete panels with solar cells and a translucent top layer of tempered glass.

The generated electricity can be used for street lighting, traffic systems, electric vehicles and households.

“We’re excited to explore the application of solar energy in Caltrans assets – everything from emergency power generation to provide self-sustaining maintenance stations to lighting signs and lamps, among others,” said Dougherty.

California and The Netherlands are leading the way for zero-emission transportation and energy innovation in terms of sales, policies and incentive programs, vehicle research and development and innovation, and education and public awareness.

Both states have committed themselves to stringent climate change action programs to meet 2030 goals in terms of greenhouse gas reductions and sustainable energy generation.

In the Netherlands, The first SolaRoad project is a solar bicycle path in Krommenie in North Holland, which opened November 2014 and is being tested for three years.

Caltrans’ District 7 (Los Angeles and Ventura counties) will explore the Dutch technology at its maintenance rest area in Lebec along Interstate 5 in Kern County.

The Dutch representatives will join Caltrans on Friday, April 1, to discuss capabilities, possibilities and information exchange.

LUCERNE, Calif. – The Lake County Land Trust and the Friends of Marymount California University Lakeside are co-sponsoring a series of programs on the natural environment of Lake County at the Marymount California University (MCU) Lakeside campus in Lucerne.

The third of these programs in the “Distinguished Speakers Series” is being presented on Thursday, April 7, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature local ecologist Catherine Koehler who will talk about the fascinating native grasslands of Lake County.

A $5 donation at the event will benefit a scholarship fund for students attending the Lakeside Campus.

Koehler is an ecologist with a special interest in native grasslands of our region. She is director of the University of California’s McLaughlin Reserve in eastern Lake County and is also the executive director for the Lake County Land Trust.

She has a broad background in the biological sciences, with a Bachelors in Zoology, a Masters in Ecology, and has worked in a range of projects in wildlife biology and plant ecology.

Since moving to Lake County she has delved into grassland restoration and has developed a deep appreciation of how geology, climate, and ecology interact to generate the diverse and often rare and unique ecosystems that comprise the biological hotspot in which Lake County is situated.

In her position as executive director of the Lake County Land Trust, she has rallied enthusiasm amongst the trust’s supporters for the persisting populations of native California bunch grass species at the Land Trust’s Rodman Preserve, which include the California Purple Needle Grass (Stipa pulchra), Squirrel Tail (Elymus elymoides) and California Brome (Bromus carinatus), and is spearheading a small restoration effort to help increase abundance of these grasses at the preserve.

Her presentation will focus on grasslands of the region – their current state, and what they may have been like before the introduction of species from other continents – and will include an overview of the diversity in plant communities of the region, which support the remarkable biological diversity that merits the classification of our region by conservation biologists and ecologists as a “Global Biological Hotspot.”

MCU Lakeside campus is located at 3700 Country Club Drive, Lucerne.

For more information, call 888-991-5253 or 707-262-0707, leave a message and someone will return your call.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Marymount California University’s chairman of the board, Burt Arnold, on behalf of the university's board of trustees, announced the appointment of Lucas Lamadrid, Ph.D., a veteran administrator with 20 years of experience in Catholic higher education, as the seventh president of Marymount California University.

Dr. Lamadrid begins with the university on April 1.

He is due to visit the university's Lakeside Campus in Lucerne in May, officials reported.

“Marymount California University has a tradition of honoring the core values set forth in the institution’s mission,” said Arnold. “Dr. Lamadrid will serve the MCU community ethically, and with a high degree of integrity, in a kind-spirited way.”

Board member Juan Yñiguez chaired the search committee, comprised of faculty, staff, board members, students and alumni, and noted the depth and talent of the field of candidates.

"Dr. Lamadrid was selected as our president from a very committed and talented pool of educators,” said Yñiguez. “I believe that he has the right combination of skills, experience and passion for Catholic higher education to lead MCU for many years to come."

In his most recent role, Lamadrid served as a senior executive managing the higher education division of a private company that specializes in the recruitment of international students.

Prior to his entering the private sector, he served as vice president for enrollment and student affairs at Belmont Abbey College in Belmont, North Carolina, and as vice president and chief student officer at Saint Vincent College, in Latrobe, Penn.

As a senior administrator at both institutions, Lamadrid achieved historically high student enrollment; improved the academic quality of the student body; increased student retention; raised significant funds for the improvement of student life; and recorded high levels of student satisfaction.

Michael James, Ph.D., director of the Institute for Administrators in Catholic Higher Education, has known Lamadrid for three decades.

"Dr. Lamadrid has both breadth and depth in higher education and knows intimately its highly competitive landscape, in particular the challenges and opportunities that face Catholic institutions,” James said. “He is committed to the same mission and values that stand at the core of Marymount California University, and he will articulate a vision for the university that focuses on its significant service to the community."

Lamadrid, in his acceptance of the position, stated that he is deeply honored and humbled to be selected as the seventh president of Marymount California University.

“I have visited, spoken with and consulted for more than 200 colleges and universities in the last two years and never before witnessed the single-minded devotion of faculty and staff to individual student success that I have seen at Marymount,” Lamadrid said. “I believe this devotion and care springs from the Religious of the Sacred Heart of Mary, who founded the university and who continue to be its inspiration. The motto for the RSHM is 'to serve so that all may have life and have it to the full.' MCU honors that commitment by offering a life-changing educational experience for its students, and I will be faithful to that heritage in my role as president."

Lamadrid received his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and English at Marquette University, a master's degree from the University of Notre Dame and a Doctorate from the Graduate Program in Religion at Duke University.

He began his career at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky, where he served as assistant dean of students and taught in the philosophy, theology, and communications departments.

While at Bellarmine, he developed a new course on religion in film that was highly popular, grew the residential population by 44 percent and raised substantial funds for a student leadership program.

He has published articles in Modern Theology and The Heythrop Journal; edited a book for Oxford University Press; and written and presented on collaboration between academic and student affairs, the first-year student experience, the role of parents of college students and the value of Catholic higher education.

Lamadrid is married to Beth Kreitzer, Ph.D., an expert on 16th century history, who grew up in Porterville, Calif., and attended Stanford University for her undergraduate studies.

They have three children – Claire, 18, Grace, 15, and John Carlos, 11 – and are currently active parishioners in Queen of Apostles Catholic Church in Belmont, North Carolina. His family will join him in California in June.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control is starting off the week with two dogs available for adoption.

The dogs go by the names of “Timothy” and “Mona.”

“Timothy” is a male pit bull mix, estimated to be about a year to a year and a half old. Shelter staff described him as a “fantastic” and fun dog that would do best in a home without cats.

“Mona” is a female Rottweiler mix with a low-key personality. She is already spayed. Shelter staff said she walks well on a leash, is good with children, cats and other dogs.

To meet the dogs, contact Marcia Taylor, the animal control outreach technician, at 707-994-8201, Extension 103, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or contact Animal Control Officer Jenna Tuller at Extension 115 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those same days.

Also follow Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook for the latest updates.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – As part of ongoing efforts to train for emergency situations, Mendocino College and local law enforcement agencies partnered on Wednesday for an active shooter training scenario at the Mendocino College Ukiah Campus. 

The collaboration was led by the Mendocino County Sheriff’s office and included participation by the Ukiah Police Department, Ft. Bragg Police Department, Willits Police Department, Cal Fire, the Office of Emergency Services, the Ukiah High School SCRUBS program as well as other key local emergency responders. 

More than 60 members of local law enforcement agencies and paramedic services were actively involved in the drill that took place on Wednesday.  

Mendocino County Sheriff’s deputies, unloaded guns drawn, entered the doors of many buildings on the Mendocino College Ukiah Campus Wednesday morning during an active shooter exercise.  Meanwhile, volunteer community members acted as victims of a campus shooting.

“Faculty and staff at the college are concerned about how to respond to an active shooter on campus,” said Mendocino College Superintendent/President Arturo Reyes. “The college has existing protocols and procedures to address this; however, today provided an excellent opportunity to exercise them in collaboration with law enforcement. This marked a key moment during which we could focus on a very important issue.”

Mendocino College administrative staff and Ukiah High SCRUBS students were active role players in the event. 

As the scenario progressed from building to building, alert systems were deployed, the emergency texting system was used and fictitious 911 calls were made to test communications with law enforcement.

While the scenario was primarily designed for law enforcement, the college used this opportunity to affirm its communication protocols and general response. 

More and more higher learning institutions are relying on training exercises and drills such as this, to prepare students and staff on how to deal with every situation in their institution, Mendocino College wanted to be on the front end of this training.

Mendocino College Vice President Eileen Cichocki said the active shooter training was an important step for the campus and represents a cutting-edge activity for campus safety overall.

“While we hope we never encounter this situation, our efforts today and our collaboration with local law enforcement have moved us forward in fine-tuning our response,” said Cichocki.

“We would like to thank all of the local agencies for coming together and conducting this major training exercise at our facility,” said President Reyes. “This event was truly an example of tremendous collaboration between community members, law enforcement, local emergency agencies, and our college community. The commitment to public safety shown in our community is truly first class.”

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police arrested a Clearlake man on Monday who led officers on a vehicle pursuit and was found to be in possession of a weapon and drugs.

Jose Serapio Murillo, 38, was taken into custody on numerous charges, according to Clearlake Police Sgt. Travis Lenz.

On Monday just after 7:15 p.m. Officer Jared Nixon was on routine patrol in the city of Clearlake. Officer Nixon is currently on the field training program and was being supervised by Sgt. Lenz, who was sitting in the passenger seat of their patrol vehicle.

Lenz said Nixon observed a suspicious vehicle in the area of Old Highway 53. While following the vehicle, a black Dodge truck, Officer Nixon observed a vehicle code violation on the truck.

Nixon attempted to conduct a traffic enforcement stop on the truck by activating his patrol vehicle’s overhead emergency lights and siren on Austin Drive near the west entrance to the Ridge Lake Apartments, said Lenz.

Lenz said the truck entered the west entrance to the parking lot, and then accelerated to an unsafe speed in the parking lot. There were numerous subjects standing in the parking lot near the roadway.

The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Murillo, drove the truck out of the parking lot, then headed eastbound on Austin Drive, failing to yield to the emergency lights and siren, Lenz said.

Murillo made an abrupt right turn onto Dexter Lane and drove into a vacant field prior to coming to a complete stop. Lenz said Murillo was removed from the vehicle and placed under arrest at that time.

During a search of Murillo’s person, Officer Nixon located a small plastic bag which contained 8.5 grams of suspected methamphetamine, Lenz said.

During a search of the vehicle, Lenz said they located numerous live .38-caliber rounds of ammunition, yet did not locate a firearm.

Lenz said they began checking the area and located a .38-caliber revolver lying in the roadway of Dexter Lane at the intersection of Austin Drive.

Based on statements obtained during the investigation, it was determined Murillo threw the pistol from the vehicle during the vehicle pursuit, Lenz said.

Murillo, who is a convicted felon, was placed under arrest and later booked into the Lake County Jail on charges of prohibited person in possession of a firearm, prohibited person in possession of ammunition, evading a police officer while driving in wanton and willful disregard for public safety, possession of narcotics for the purposes of sales, and driving on a suspended driver license, Lenz said.

Murrillo's bail was set at $35,000. Jail records indicated he remained in custody early Wednesday.

Anyone with information in regard to this investigation is asked to contact Officer Jared Nixon at the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 543.

With Tax Day fast approaching on April 18, California Attorney General Kamala Harris has issued a consumer alert, advising taxpayers to be wary of schemes targeting hardworking Californians during this tax season.

Each year, millions of California taxpayers file their taxes and many look forward to receiving tax refunds.

Unfortunately, tax season also draws scam artists who prey on individuals who may need help with filing their taxes.

This alert explains some of the most common tax season scams and provides resources to help Californians find reputable tax help.

In addition to this written alert, Attorney General Harris has also released the second in a “Consumer Spotlight” audio series highlighting consumer issues across the state.

This alert, which can be heard by clicking on the file above, focuses on tax season scams and includes one Californian’s story about a tax impersonation scam, discussion of other common tax season concerns, and resources to find tax help.

COMMON TAX SEASON SCAMS

IRS impersonation scams

One of the most common scams begins with an unsolicited call or email from a person claiming to represent the IRS.

Sometimes the caller will claim to have information about an unexpected tax refund. Other “representatives” may demand immediate payment of a phony tax bill, threatening that the consumer will be sued or even arrested if she does not comply.

Consumers should hang up the phone or delete the email because the IRS does not initiate contact with taxpayers by telephone or email, nor does it demand immediate payment without first offering the taxpayer the opportunity to appeal.

Seniors and immigrants in particular may be targeted by these scams, and should exercise caution.

Tax preparation scams

Consumers should also be on the lookout for dishonest tax preparers. Some deceptive preparers may falsify returns in order to claim an inflated refund, only to keep portions of the inflated refund for themselves. Others may steal the taxpayer’s identity and use it to file a completely fraudulent return.

Finally, as the implementation of the Affordable Care Act continues, consumers should look out for a new scam in which tax preparers incorrectly tell consumers they owe a health coverage penalty that they must pay to the preparer.

Unnecessary high cost products

Consumers should also steer clear of high-cost products that allow them to pay the cost of tax preparation out of their refund.

These refund transfers or refund anticipation checks do not get consumers a faster refund and generally have triple-digit annual interest rates.

TAX SEASON TIPS

While the overwhelming majority of tax professionals are honest, the tips below can help consumers avoid the deceitful ones.

Free tax preparation assistance is also available for seniors, the disabled, individuals whose first language is not English, and people with incomes under $54,000.

Individuals who qualify for free assistance should start by visiting the IRS Web site, www.irs.gov , to find free tax prep help near you. Those who do not qualify for free assistance should follow these tips when searching for a legitimate tax preparer.

– Look for a tax preparer with a longstanding presence and trustworthy reputation in the community.

– Always verify that the tax preparer is either registered with the state or exempt from registration because he or she is an attorney, a certified public accountant, or an IRS-enrolled agent. Visit the California Tax Education Council’s Web site at https://www.ctec.org/ to check a preparer’s status and for more information about registration and exemption requirements.

– Make certain the preparer has a valid IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). Use the IRS Directory of Federal Tax Return Preparers at http://irs.treasury.gov/rpo/rpo.jsf to research tax professionals.

– Beware of suggestions that a tax preparer will exploit hidden loopholes or uncover little-known deductions to obtain a bigger refund than the competition. As a taxpayer you are responsible for the return that you file, so do not allow scammers to coax you into falsifying information. If a promise seems too good to be true, it probably is.

– Always review a tax return before signing it and watch out for suspicious signs like too many dependents claimed or tax credits that do not seem applicable or have not been clearly explained. And never, ever sign a blank return.

– Keep a copy of the return. Honest preparers should provide copies of the return that may be needed for future reference or to answer questions from the IRS.

Review the IRS Tips on “How to Select an Income Tax Return Preparer” at https://www.irs.gov/Tax-Professionals/Choosing-a-Tax-Professional .

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES FOR CALIFORNIA TAXPAYERS

– Free tax assistance is widely available through the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program for taxpayers with disabilities or limited English proficiency, as well as those with incomes under $54,000. Visit the VITA Web site at https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/IRS-VITA-Grant-Program for more information.
 
– The Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) program also offers free services focusing on issues affecting seniors. Visit the TCE program Web site at https://www.irs.gov/Individuals/Tax-Counseling-for-the-Elderly for more information.

– Visit the IRS Web site at http://irs.treasury.gov/freetaxprep/ for more information on finding free tax help.

– Both the IRS and the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at https://www.treasury.gov/tigta/ maintain informative Web sites with detailed information on the latest scams.

Consumers can report suspected tax scams to the Office of the Attorney General. To submit a complaint, please use one of the following forms:

English: https://oag.ca.gov/contact/consumer-complaint-against-business-or-company

En Español: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_sp.pdf?

中文: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_chin.pdf?

Tiếng Việt: http://oag.ca.gov/sites/all/files/agweb/pdfs/contact/business_corpform_viet.pdf?