The California Fish and Game Commission will consider a petition to give threatened or endangered species status to the West Coast great white shark population at its meeting early next month.

The commission meeting will be held Wednesday, Feb. 6, and Thursday, Feb. 7, in the Natural Resources Building, First Floor Auditorium, 1416 Ninth St., Sacramento.

At that time, the commission may take action on whether or not to accept the petition and declare the Northeast Pacific population of great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, as a candidate for future threatened or endangered species status under the California Endangered Species Act.

If the petition is accepted, the commission will start a one-year status review before a decision on listing is made, state officials reported.

In preparation for the meeting, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife released a staff evaluation of the listing petition, which is available at http://dfg.ca.gov/news/pubnotice/ or can be seen below.

In completing the petition evaluation, CDFW determined there is sufficient scientific information to indicate that the petition action may be warranted, and recommended the petition be accepted and considered by the California Fish and Game Commission.

Last August, Oceana, the Center for Biological Diversity and SharkStewards filed a scientific petition with the National Marine Fisheries Service in Washington, D.C., seeking to protect the West Coast population of great white sharks under the Endangered Species Act, filing shortly thereafter to seek protection for the apex predator under California’s Endangered Species Act.

The groups cited as impetus for the petitions findings that showed the unique West Coast white shark populations to be “alarmingly low” and on the brink of extinction.

A chief danger to the sharks that the groups cited was the use of gillnets, which it was estimated account for more than 80 percent of captures of young white sharks in nursery areas, where the juvenile sharks are taken as bycatch during commercial fishing.

Other challenges for young white sharks include mercury levels – the groups said the sharks have been found to have mercury levels that are the second-highest worldwide – and the highest levels observed globally of contaminants PCB and DDT in liver tissue.

The West Coast great white sharks, according to the petition, are genetically distinct and isolated from all other great white sharks around the globe.

The Northeast Pacific great white shark population extends from Mexico north to the Bering Sea and west to Hawaii, with the petition explaining that they are found primarily from Mexico to Oregon, both inshore and offshore areas, and from the continental shelf west to a common foraging area between the West Coast of North America and Hawaii known as the Shared Offshore Foraging Area, or SOFA.

The SOFA is described in the petition as a “vast area of deep open water habitat” shared by great white sharks from both central California and Guadalupe Island, Mexico. During the sharks' offshore migration adults from the Northeast Pacific shark population spend from six to 16 months feeding in the area.

The petition estimated that there are 339 adult and sub-adults in the great white shark's Northeast Pacific population.

Great white sharks’ survival outlook is made more challenging because, as the documents point out, they are low in abundance, late to mature and have few offspring.

The state's analysis found the petition’s great white shark population estimate to be based “on debatable assumptions such as a closed population at one of the aggregation sites,” and goes on to point out that there is no population trend information available for the Northeast Pacific shark group.

California gave great white sharks special protected status in 1994, with new laws instituted at that time that prohibited the sharks from being taken except by special permit granted by the state. Commercial take also was prohibited except for state permitted scientific and educational purposes.

The laws, however, allow for incidental take of the sharks by roundhaul or gill nets, and any sharks landed live may be sold for scientific or live display purposes, although a state permit is required, the petition analysis documents explain.

Check the commission Web site, www.fgc.ca.gov , for more information.

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.

Great White Shark CESA Evaluation Final by LakeCoNews

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As a flu epidemic crosses the nation, state and local health officials said California so far is not seeing an unusual spike in the seasonal illness, but they nonetheless urged people to be vaccinated as a precaution before the season peaks.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that 47 states have reported widespread geographic influenza activity, up from 41 the previous week.  

The CDC estimates that an average of 25,000 people die annually from flu across the United States, with the elderly, children and other special populations proving to be especially vulnerable.

The California Department of Public Health's surveillance indicators are showing a steady increase in influenza activity in California.

Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health and state health officer, said that while California is seeing an increase in flu activity, it's not an unexpected one.

“California is seeing an accelerated increase in flu activity over the past few weeks,” said Dr. Chapman. “You can help prevent further spread of the flu by getting a flu shot.”

Chapman's office reported that while influenza activity varies from year to year and is unpredictable, California generally sees an increase in cases in late December or early January and it often peaks in February or March.

“So far it's been very quiet,” said Dr. Karen Tait, Lake County's public health office.

Tait said she has not heard any reports of case spikes from local hospitals. Lake County News also did not receive responses back from local hospitals on Friday regarding the numbers of cases.

Tait said her office also hasn't gotten any notice of “reportable cases,” which are limited to flu deaths to people under age 65.

“In terms of even just informal reports, we’re not getting a lot of activity so far,” she said. “We don’t know if that means we’re still on an upswing and it hasn’t gotten here yet.”

However, she points out that the annual flu spikes are normal. “People forget what the normal seasonal flu does.”

“The best defense against the flu is getting vaccinated. This year’s vaccine is an excellent match against this year’s influenza strains,” Dr. Chapman said. “There is no shortage of vaccine in California and it is not too late to get vaccinated. Our flu season may not peak for several more weeks, so I encourage everyone to get vaccinated to protect not only themselves, but those with whom they come into contact.”

Tait agreed. While in many places across the country flu vaccine is running out, Tait said her office has plenty.

The CDC reported that 90 percent of all of the flu strains circulating are included in the vaccine. More than 130 million doses that were produced by the vaccine manufacturers this year already have been given.

Since scheduled clinics are past, Tait said people can call the Public Health Department to check on times for when to come in for shots.

She said it's best to call ahead of time. “It’s gotten quite busy all of a sudden,” she said, a fact she attributed to increased media attention about the flu.

“After a few years of fairly flu seasons, people weren’t all that eager to be vaccinated this year,” she said.

It may be more “hit and miss” supply-wise for local doctors and other care providers. Tait urged people to call their providers right away to check on availability.

Not available is the flu mist nasal spray which have expired, and usually expires fairly quickly in the flu season, Tait said.

Regarding why flu is worse some years than others, Tait explained that flu strains “do evolve and change,” and sometimes those changes are minor and sometimes major.

If a strain is similar to one that was widespread 20 years ago, older people might find they are relatively protected, she said.

Tait said Lake County always has been fortunate because in its rural environment there are not a lot of venues for people to crowd together and thus spread the flu more.

Dr. Chapman noted that in addition to getting vaccinated, it’s important to practice good hand washing and other good health habits.

Flu symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue.

People who are ill should take actions to stop the spread of germs such as limiting contact with others; covering one's nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing; washing hands thoroughly with soap and water or using an alcohol-based rub; and avoiding touching one's eyes, nose and mouth, Chapman’s office said.

State health care officials said special care should be shown to high risk groups, including the elderly, pregnant women, infants or those with other health conditions that make them particularly vulnerable. When they show flu symptoms a physician should be contacted immediately.

To find out more about flu vaccines, call Lake County Public Health, 707-263-1090.

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.

The year 2012 marked the warmest year on record for the contiguous United States with the year consisting of a record warm spring, second warmest summer, fourth warmest winter and a warmer-than-average autumn, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The average temperature for 2012 was 55.3°F, 3.2°F above the 20th century average, and 1.0°F above 1998, the previous warmest year, the agency’s National Climatic Center reported.

The average precipitation total for the contiguous U.S. for 2012 was 26.57 inches, 2.57 inches below average, making it the 15th driest year on record for the nation.

At its peak in July, the drought of 2012 engulfed 61 percent of the nation with the Mountain West, Great Plains, and Midwest experiencing the most intense drought conditions. The dry conditions proved ideal for wildfires in the West, charring 9.2 million acres – the third highest on record.

The U.S. Climate Extremes Index indicated that 2012 was the second most extreme year on record for the nation.

The index, which evaluates extremes in temperature and precipitation, as well as landfalling tropical cyclones, was nearly twice the average value and second only to 1998.

To date, 2012 has seen 11 disasters that have reached the $1 billion threshold in losses, to include Sandy, Isaac, and tornado outbreaks experienced in the Great Plains, Texas and Southeast/Ohio Valley.

Every state in the contiguous U.S. had an above-average annual temperature for 2012. Nineteen states had a record warm year and an additional 26 states had one of their 10 warmest.

On the national scale, 2012 started off much warmer than average with the fourth warmest winter (December 2011-February 2012) on record. Winter warmth limited snow with many locations experiencing near-record low snowfall totals.

The winter snow cover for the contiguous U.S. was the third smallest on record and snowpack totals across the Central and Southern Rockies were less than half of normal.

Spring started off exceptionally warm with the warmest March on record, followed by the fourth warmest April and second warmest May. The season’s temperature was 5.2°F above average, making it easily the warmest spring on record, surpassing the previous record by 2.0°F.

The warm spring resulted in an early start to the 2012 growing season in many places, which increased the loss of water from the soil earlier than what is typical.

In combination with the lack of winter snow and residual dryness from 2011, the record warm spring laid the foundation for the widespread drought conditions in large areas of the U.S. during 2012.

The above-average temperatures of spring continued into summer. The national-scale heat peaked in July with an average temperature of 76.9°F, 3.6°F above average, making it the hottest month ever observed for the contiguous United States.

The eighth warmest June, record hottest July, and a warmer-than-average August resulted in a summer average temperature of 73.8°F, the second hottest summer on record by only hundredths of a degree.

An estimated 99.1 million people experienced 10 or more days of summer temperatures greater than 100°F, nearly one-third of the nation’s population.

Autumn and December temperatures were warmer than average, but not of the same magnitude as the three previous seasons.

Autumn warmth in the western U.S. offset cooler temperatures in the eastern half of the country. Although the last four months of 2012 did not bring the same unusual warmth as the first 8 months of the year, the September through December temperatures were warm enough for 2012 to remain the record warmest year by a wide margin.

Winter brought below-average precipitation to both coasts and above-average precipitation to the Southern Plains, slightly lessening drought conditions that plagued the region in 2011. The winter precipitation total was 89 percent of normal.

Spring precipitation was 95 percent of the 20th century average with below-average precipitation in the Rockies and Midwest and above-average precipitation in the Northwest and Upper Midwest.

Summer precipitation was 88 percent of normal with dry conditions in the central United States. The West Coast, Gulf Coast, and Northeast were wetter than average.

Autumn was drier than average for most of the central U.S., with wet conditions in the Northwest, Ohio Valley, and Northeast. The autumn precipitation total was 85 percent of average.

The widespread drought conditions of 2012 peaked in July with approximately 61 percent of the country experiencing drought conditions.

The footprint of drought during 2012 roughly equaled the drought of the 1950s which peaked at approximately 60 percent.

The size of the current drought and the drought of the 1950s are smaller than the drought episodes of the 1930s. The current drought has yet to reach the intensity or duration of the 1950s and 1930s national-scale droughts.

Wildfire activity during 2012 was above-average with 9.2 million acres burned the third most in the 13-year record. Numerous large and destructive wildfires impacted the western U.S. throughout the year.

The Waldo Canyon fire near Colorado Springs, Colorado destroyed nearly 350 homes and was the most destructive fire on record for the state. The Whitewater-Baldy Complex fire charred nearly 300,000 acres and was the largest on record for New Mexico.

Tornado activity during 2012 was below the 1991-2010 average of approximately 1,200. The year got off to a busy start with large tornado outbreaks in March and April causing significant damage in the Ohio Valley and Central Plains. May and June, typically the most active tornado months of the year, both had less than half of average tornado counts. The final 2012 tornado count will likely be less than 1,000 – the least since 2002.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Planning Commission will meet this week to hold a public hearing on a variance request and to discuss a proposed ordinance regarding the regulation of medical marijuana cultivation in the city limits.

The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 15, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

Gurdarshan Singh has requested the variance and notice of exemption for the Shell gas station at 14091 Lakeshore Drive.

Singh is asking for a maximum building area of 3,000 square feet to be increased to allow for an accessory dwelling unit.

The parcel currently has a 2,538 square foot convenience store and a 1,074 square foot gas station canopy. City staff is recommending approval.

The commission on Tuesday also will hold an initial discussion regarding a proposed ordinance that would prohibit or limit commercial medical marijuana cultivation in the city.

The draft ordinance, a copy of which can be seen below, proposes cultivation bans on vacant parcels and within 600 feet of public or private schools, and requires that grows be screened with plants not to exceed 6 feet in height.

The ordinance would require collectives and cooperatives to maintain evidence at grow sites that they are organized according to the California Attorney General’s guidelines.

In addition, it would limit parcels of one acre or less to a total of six plants, with 12 plants allowed on larger parcels. No cultivation would be allowed within mobile home parks unless management has designated a specific garden area. Cultivation would be banned on apartment complex properties.

The amount of marijuana that could be processed on a parcel would be limited to the amount of marijuana that the ordinance allows to be grown there, according to the draft document.

Marijuana grows that violate the rules set out in the draft ordinance would be declared public nuisances. Violations would be punishable as a misdemeanor by a fine of no more than $100 on the first offense, $300 on the second, and $500 or up to six months in county jail – or both – for the third offense, the draft document states.

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.

January 2013 - Clearlake Draft Medical Marijuana Cultivation Ordinance by LakeCoNews

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The fourth-annual Kelseyville Olive Festival will be held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday, April 21, at the Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill located at 5625 Gaddy Lane in Kelseyville.

The event will showcase local products and their importance to the health of our community, while benefiting local nonprofit organizations.

The festival will feature vendors offering olive-related and other local products, samples, food, soaps, and more, as well as providing educational materials about olives and our local industry. Vendor and sponsorship opportunities are available.

There is no cost to attend the festival; wine and beer tasting with a commemorative glass will be available for a $15 fee with proceeds benefiting Lake Family Resource Center.

Several related contests will be held up to and during the festival, including a poster contest, amateur recipe contest, olive pit spitting contest, and people’s choice olive oil contest.

Event proceeds from the silent auction will benefit the California Women for Agriculture’s Lake County Chapter and their AgVenture Program, the raffle benefits the Kelseyville Education Foundation, and the tasting sales benefit the Lake Family Resource Center. The Lake County Arts Council will also benefit from the event for their part in the poster contest.

For more information about the Kelseyville Olive Festival, contact Livia Kurtz, Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, at 707-279-0483 or visit www.kelseyvilleolivefestival.com .

The Kelseyville Olive Festival is presented by Rosa d’Oro Vineyards and Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill. Both companies are located in Kelseyville and produce wine and olive oil.

The Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill is located at 5625 Gaddy Lane in Kelseyville, across from the Kelseyville Post Office.

For more information about Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, visit www.rosadorowine.com or call 707-279-0483. For information about Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill, visit www.chacewaterwine.com or call 707-279-2995.

NASA scientists at the agency’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., effectively have ruled out the possibility the asteroid Apophis will impact Earth during a close flyby in 2036.

The scientists used updated information obtained by NASA-supported telescopes in 2011 and 2012, as well as new data from the time leading up to Apophis’ distant Earth flyby yesterday (Jan. 9).

Discovered in 2004, the asteroid, which is the size of three-and-a-half football fields, gathered the immediate attention of space scientists and the media when initial calculations of its orbit indicated a 2.7 percent possibility of an Earth impact during a close flyby in 2029.

Data discovered during a search of old astronomical images provided the additional information required to rule out the 2029 impact scenario, but a remote possibility of one in 2036 remained – until earlier this week.

“With the new data provided by the Magdalena Ridge [New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology] and the Pan-STARRS [Univ. of Hawaii] optical observatories, along with very recent data provided by the Goldstone Solar System Radar, we have effectively ruled out the possibility of an Earth impact by Apophis in 2036,” said Don Yeomans, manager of NASA’s Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL. “The impact odds as they stand now are less than one in a million, which makes us comfortable saying we can effectively rule out an Earth impact in 2036. Our interest in asteroid Apophis will essentially be for its scientific interest for the foreseeable future.”

The April 13, 2029, flyby of asteroid Apophis will be one for the record books.

On that date, Apophis will become the closest flyby of an asteroid of its size when it comes no closer than 19, 400 miles (31,300 kilometers) above Earth’s surface.

“But much sooner, a closer approach by a lesser-known asteroid is going to occur in the middle of next month when a 40-meter-sized asteroid, 2012 DA14, flies safely past Earth’s surface at about 17,200 miles,” said Yeomans. “With new telescopes coming online, the upgrade of existing telescopes and the continued refinement of our orbital determination process, there’s never a dull moment working on near-Earth objects.”

NASA detects and tracks asteroids and comets passing close to Earth using both ground and space-based telescopes. The Near-Earth Object Observations Program, commonly called “Spaceguard,” discovers these objects, characterizes a subset of them and plots their orbits to determine if any could be potentially hazardous to our planet.

The Near-Earth Object Program Office at JPL manages the technical and scientific activities for NASA’s Near-Earth Object Program of the Science Mission Directorate in Washington. JPL is a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

For more information about asteroids and near-Earth objects, visit http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/asteroidwatch .

Updates about near-Earth objects are also available by following AsteroidWatch on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/asteroidwatch .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake Transit Authority has received a state funding allocation to assist it with purchasing new buses for its fleet.

The California Transportation Commission last week allocated the agency $718,000 to purchase five diesel-powered buses.

The commission distributed a total of $64 million to 43 projects that will reduce traffic congestion and repair highways, local streets, and bridges.

“We are putting transportation dollars to work supporting jobs and making improvements that will benefit Californians now and for decades to come,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty.

The allocations include $42 million from Proposition 1B, a transportation bond approved by voters in 2006, the commission reported.

In total, approximately $14.7 billion in Proposition 1B funds have been distributed statewide, according to the commission. The remaining allocations of $22 million came from assorted transportation accounts funded by state and federal dollars.

Mark Wall, Lake Transit Authority general manager, said they plan to purchase five cleaner burning diesel buses – which he said run more efficiently than gas-powered buses – using the state allocation, which they applied for six years ago.

He said the goal is to combine the $718,000 with $1.3 million in Proposition 1D funds that Lake Transit previously received to purchase heavy duty buses, which he said will hold up better, provide a better ride for passengers and require less maintenance.

The heavy duty buses are what would be seen in larger cities. The buses currently used in the county are considered medium duty, with a seven-year, 200,000 mile lifespan, compared to the 12 years and 400,000 miles possible with heavy duty vehicles, which is important because the buses run a lot of miles in Lake County, he said.

Wall said Lake Transit is part of a consortium being run by the Central Contra Costa Transit Authority, which is working on behalf of about 12 transit agencies to get bids on the buses.

Once the bid has been awarded, Wall said Lake Transit can ask the winning contractor to test some of their buses.

The biggest buses Lake Transit currently has are about 30 feet long. Wall said they would like to go up a size, to 35 feet, in order to have more room for passengers.

That's important, because Wall said Lake Transit's ridership has continued to expand.

“Ridership is looking very good,” he said. “It is continuing to grow.”

Lake Transit also is planning to expand its evening service hours, Wall said.

He said it will take about a year and a half to two years to get the new buses in service. In the meantime, they may buy some new medium duty buses to help meet the immediate ridership needs.

Lake Transit's fleet currently has 23 buses. With the addition of the new, heavy duty vehicles, Wall said they should be stocked up on buses.

He said Lake Transit will be doing a new transit development plan this year, and that will set the direction for how they grow and if they need to add any more vehicles in the future.

Other projects around the North Coast that received funds from the commission last week included $20,000 for the construction of sidewalks and bike lanes on School Road between Fisher Road and Salmon Avenue in McKinleyville in Humboldt County.

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. – The year 2013 is kicking off with a whole bunch of new year’s puppies at the shelter.

Young Chihuahua, Jack Russell terrier, hound and other mixes are now waiting for new homes.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Labrador Retriever-pointer mix

This female Labrador Retriever-pointer mix is 4 months old.

She has a short black and white coat, weighs 13 pounds and has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 3, ID No. 34929.

Female terrier mix

This female terrier mix is 1 year old.

She has a short black coat and weighs 10 pounds, and has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 5, ID No. 35195.

Male pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix is 4 months old.

He has a short brown brindle coat. Shelter staff did not report his weight of if he was altered.

Find him in kennel No. 6, ID No. 35248.

Female wirehaired terrier mix

This female wirehaired terrier mix is 6 months old.

She has a long gray coat, weighs 6 pounds and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 18, ID No. 35128.

Jack Russell terrier mix pup

This male Jack Russell terrier mix puppy is 9 weeks old.

He and his littermates were born at the shelter on Nov. 6.

He has blue eyes, floppy ears and a short black coat, and weighs 3.6 pounds. He has been neutered.

Find him in kennel 20a, ID No. 34887.

Jack Russell terrier mix pup

This male Jack Russell terrier mix puppy is 9 weeks old.

He has blue eyes, a short black and white coat, and weighs 3.4 pounds. He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 20b, ID No. 34888.

Jack Russell terrier mix pup

This male Jack Russell terrier mix puppy is 9 weeks old.

He has blue eyes, a short black and white coat, and weighs 4.4 pounds. He has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 20e, ID No. 34891.

Jack Russell terrier mix pup

This male Jack Russell terrier mix puppy is 9 weeks old.

He has blue eyes, a short black and white coat, and weighs 5.8 pounds. He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 20f, ID No. 34892.

American Bulldog mix puppy

This female American Bulldog mix puppy is 10 weeks old.

She weighs 11 pounds, has a short brown and white coat, and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 21a, ID No. 35232.

American Bulldog mix puppy

This female American Bulldog mix puppy is 10 weeks old.

She weighs 12.4 pounds, has a short brown and white coat, and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 21b, ID No. 35233.

American Bulldog mix puppy

This female American Bulldog mix puppy is 10 weeks old.

She weighs 9.6 pounds, has a short brown and white coat, and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 21c, ID No. 35234.

Chihuahua mix pup

This male Chihuahua mix is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black and brown coat, weighs 11 pounds, and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 23a, ID No. 35251.

Chihuahua mix pup

This male Chihuahua mix is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black and brown coat, weighs 11 pounds, and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 23b, ID No. 35252.

Chihuahua mix pup

This male Chihuahua mix is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black and brown coat, weighs 10.2 pounds, and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 23c, ID No. 35253.

Chihuahua mix pup

This male Chihuahua mix is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black and brown coat, weighs 10.2 pounds, and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 23d, ID No. 35254.

Beagle-hound mix

This female beagle-hound mix is 6 months old.

She has a short tan coat, weighs 27 pounds and has been spayed.

You can find her in kennel No. 29, ID No. 35118.

Please note: Dogs listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

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, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.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. – A man who had been a codefendant in the murders of a Maine couple pleaded guilty to a lesser charge this week and was released on his own recognizance pending sentencing next month.

Elijah Bae McKay, 30, of Lower Lake pleaded guilty to accessory to murder after the fact in connection to the January 2010 deaths of Frank and Yvette Maddox of Augusta, Maine, according to his attorney, Justin Petersen of Ukiah.

The Maddoxes were shot to death by Robby Alan Beasley, who had grown up with McKay in Maine and came west to work in McKay’s marijuana growing business.

Beasley, 32, was convicted last month and sentenced to two life terms last Tuesday, as Lake County News has reported.

The same day as Judge Andrew Blum handed down to Beasley two life sentences without the possibility of parole, plus 23 years for other charges, Senior Deputy District Attorney Art Grothe filed an amended complaint against McKay, who originally had faced murder and a number of other felony charges in the case.

Grothe’s amended complaint included only one charge, accessory after the fact to murder.

“I informed the court that my basis for making the motion to amend was that, in view of all the evidence produced during the investigation and trial of Beasley, it was my opinion that the current amendment most accurately reflected McKay’s participation in the murder and was what I felt we could properly obtain a conviction for should McKay chose to go to trial,” Grothe said.

Both Grothe and Petersen emphasized that there was no plea bargain or deal made in settling McKay’s case.

Petersen said the District Attorney’s Office simply gave McKay the opportunity to tell his side of the story in Beasley’s trial.

“Based on the credibility and compelling nature of Mr. McKay’s testimony, Mr. Grothe came to be convinced that my client was, in fact, not involved in the murders but was simply an accessory after the fact,” Petersen explained. “Based on that belief, Mr. Grothe amended the charges.”

During his testimony McKay admitted to providing Beasley with a 9 millimeter handgun for protection after his apartment was burglarized and several pounds of marijuana was stolen.

Beasley used the handgun to fatally shoot the couple during a confrontation along the side of Morgan Valley Road near Lower Lake, believing they had stolen the marijuana from him.

After the murders, McKay helped Beasley dispose of his clothes, cell phone and the Maddoxes’ pickup, according to his statements in court.

Petersen said he agreed with the amended complaint. “My client was never guilty of murder.”

He said he believed McKay was “hugely relieved when the DA’s Office came to believe what we already knew.”

Beasley, who is appealing his conviction, said at his Tuesday sentencing that McKay had lied in his testimony.

Grothe said McKay’s sentencing is set for Feb. 19 before Judge Blum.

The sentencing range for the charges is 16 months, two years or three years. On Tuesday McKay was released on his own recognizance due to the fact that under the available sentencing options he had already served all of the custody time available, Grothe said.

Petersen said McKay had been in jail for 26 months. He said the charge only required half time be served, meaning McKay had far exceeded the necessary time in custody.

Once the court proceedings are past, McKay plans to leave Lake County and move back east to be with his wife’s family, where he intends to start a new life, Petersen said.

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Four young cats are awaiting the chance to meet new owners at the county’s animal shelter this week.

The cats cleared for adoption range in age from 12 weeks to 2 years. All are spayed or neutered.

In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).

Female domestic long hair mix

This female domestic long hair mix is 12 weeks old.

She has green eyes, a black coat and weighs 3 pounds. She has been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 14a, ID No. 35204.

Male domestic long hair mix

This male domestic long hair mix is 12 weeks old.

He has green eyes, a black coat and weighs 3 pounds. He has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 14b, ID No. 35205.

Domestic short hair mix

This female domestic short hair mix is 2 years old.

She has gold eyes, if of medium size and has been spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 29, ID No. 35259.

Male orange tabby

This male orange tabby is 1 year old.

He has gold eyes, weighs 9 pounds and has been neutered.

You can find him in cat room kennel No. 81, ID No. 35198.

Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

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, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.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.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The American Red Cross has released a three-year update on its response to the 2010 Haiti earthquake, made possible by donations from the public.

The report, which can be found at www.redcross.org/Haiti , shows that hundreds of thousands of people are living in safer homes and have improved access to water and health services thanks to the generous donations following the earthquake.

“The American Red Cross remains dedicated to wisely spending the money donated for Haiti’s recovery. The people of Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties who so generously supported our work can be proud that their donations are making a significant difference in thousands of Haitians’ lives,” said local Red Cross CEO Tim Miller. “This past year has been about making progress permanent by continuing to move people from camps into safer homes, building hospitals that will last, and ensuring that communities are better prepared for future disasters.”

In the three counties of the local chapter, donations to Haiti relief totaled more than $284,000.

National Red Cross Disaster Officer Anne Reynolds, recently relocated to Sonoma County, served in the American Red Cross Haiti response.

“Witnessing the devastating effects of the earthquake was heart-wrenching,” Reynolds recalled.

But “witnessing the incredible outpouring of generosity from around the world, and putting their generosity to work was so heart-warming.”  Reynolds added, “The global Red Cross/Red Crescent family is committed to continuing our work there.”

In addition to helping move more people out of camps, the Red Cross continued its work to upgrade transitional homes and repair permanent homes.

Much of the past year has involved transitioning toward projects that are aimed at building long-term solutions to meet more than just individual or family needs.

This includes investing in the creation of fully functioning and resilient communities, from infrastructure and housing solutions to health, sanitation, livelihoods and disaster preparedness.

Since the earthquake in 2010, American Red Cross programs in Haiti have:

• Provided clean water and sanitation services for more than 545,000 people;
• Invested more than $65 million in health services and infrastructure, including construction or operational funding for several hospitals;
• Reached 3.1 million people with cholera response and prevention activities, including the country’s first-ever cholera vaccination campaign;
• Assisted more than 465,000 people to be better prepared for disasters like Tropical Storm Isaac and Hurricane Sandy;
• Spent more than $32 million on livelihoods assistance, including grants, job training, cash-for-work and other help.

Virtually all of the $486 million donated to the American Red Cross following the earthquake has been spent, committed or allocated for planned housing and neighborhood recovery, health, clean water and sanitation or disaster preparedness projects.

The American Red Cross remains committed to its support for Haiti and to its promise to continue to invest in the nation’s development until every last dollar has been spent. On average, 91 cents of every dollar spent by the American Red Cross goes directly to humanitarian services and programs

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation's blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families.

The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

For more information, please www.visitredcross.org or join the Red Cross blog at http://blog.redcross.org .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The captain of a commercial crab vessel was sentenced by the Sonoma County Superior Court for a misdemeanor violation committed while taking Dungeness crab from inside the Stewarts Point State Marine Reserve.

The Fish and Game Code and California Code of Regulations prohibit the take of any wildlife or deployment of fishing equipment in marine protected areas.

Steven Anello, 54, of Bodega Bay, was sentenced Jan. 3 to 36 months of informal probation, forfeiture of the proceeds of Dungeness crabs illegally taken, payment of a $10,000 fine, 20 hours of community service work and five days in jail, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

Anello also was ordered to stay out of Stewarts Point Marine Conservation Area during his probation, officials reported.

Between April 3 and 7, 2012, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers observed Anello deploying crab traps into Stewarts Point State Marine Reserve waters. Officers located 23 of Anello’s traps inside the protected waters in the reserve.

It also was discovered the traps were not equipped with an escape device that allows crabs to escape from traps in the event traps are not raised or become lost.

The escape devices help minimize crab mortality and are also required by law under the Fish and Game Code.