LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for portions of Lake and some of its surrounding counties due to fire concerns.

The warning is in effect until 8 a.m. Thursday, the agency reported.

In addition to Lake County, the warning has been issued for Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, as well as portions of the Bay Area, according to the National Weather Service.

A red flag warning means that critical fire weather conditions – a combination of low humidity, dry conditions and gusty winds – are occurring.

Gusty northeast winds are forecast to occur in Lake County areas above 2,000 feet through Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported.

Ridge winds between 10 and 15 miles per hour, with gusts ranging from 20 to 30 miles per hour, are anticipated, mainly during the nighttime and early morning hours, based on the forecast.

The National Weather Service predicted daytime humidity in the 5- to 10-percent range during the daytime, with poor overnight recovery of humidity levels.

At the same time, forecasters predict temperatures to range from lows in the 40s and 50s at night to highs in the 60s and 70s during the day.

As a rule, local and state fire agencies go on heightened alert during red flag warnings, with Cal Fire reporting that it increases staffing during such times of heightened fire danger.

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. – A young local performer is preparing for the biggest audition of his career so far.

Tyler VanDerWall, or “Tyler V” as he goes by on stage, has been invited to audition for “America's Got Talent.”

Tyler V began performing comedy locally at the age of 9. A student at Konocti Christian Academy, his first-ever gig was at his school's talent show in the spring of 2011 – not a very rough crowd but knee-knocking worthy as it was his first ever standup comedy performance.

The crowd loved him and his path was set.

Slight of build, red of hair and with an overflow of personality, Tyler comes across wise beyond his years and supernaturally composed. He has a ready smile and a slight air of mischief. Not what you’d usually picture when the topic of comedians comes up.

Tyler is an anomaly in many ways. Born with a congenital heart anomaly called “hypoplastic left heart syndrome,” or HLHS, he and his parents have spent many emotionally and physically stressful days and nights in hospital rooms, praying for the things that parents want to take for granted for their children such as good health and childish thoughts of Legos and baseball.

To look at Tyler’s family you would never know the trials they have endured together – as a family they are friendly, outgoing, and involved in football and music and church and community. They pulled together and persevered with love and faith and Tyler thrived, and comedy became his preferred outlet.

Since his first performance at his school’s talent show, Tyler started his career by performing for local Rotary, Kiwanis, nursing homes, Grace Evangelical Church and the Lake County Fair Amateur Talent show where he won first place.

Since his debut at age 9, Tyler’s list of gigs has grown fast and furious. He regularly performs with professional comedians in the Bay Area, Sacramento, and much of Northern California.

He perfected his jokes and stage presence by hitting opens mic nights at comedy clubs in Santa Rosa, no easy gig for a professional let alone a kid.

Tyler’s dad Bill is his “agent” and is perhaps Tyler’s biggest fan. Bill and Tyler sometimes work out jokes together while they’re traveling from Lake County to nearby comedy venues for Tyler’s performances.

Bill has posted video clips of Tyler on YouTube throughout the years for friends and family to view.

Recently a talent scout for “America’s Got Talent” discovered one of Tyler’s clips and contacted Bill to ask for more examples of Tyler’s comedic skills. The scout then showed the clips to the show's producers, who loved them.

The producers invited Tyler to give them a live audition as they wanted to make a pitch to NBC for Tyler to be a contestant in the show's Season 9.

Most people who are interested in auditioning for “America’s Got Talent” have to wait in line for however long it takes and hope that they make it inside before the producers.

The producers have been looking for a talented young comedian after the huge success of 14-year-old Jack Carroll who was a comedic sensation and ultimately became a semi-finalist on the popular British reality show, “Britain’s Got Talent.”

Young Carroll, who has cerebral palsy, shares more than a comedic gift with Tyler V; he too has suffered from physical challenges and has chosen to surmount those by making others laugh.

Both young men refuse to be categorized or held back by their life challenges and audiences have seemed to recognize both their talent and zeal for life.

Tyler’s next show is on Saturday, Jan. 18, at Johnny's Java, 3080 Marlow Rd Santa Rosa, telephone 707-526-4000. The show is family friendly and Tyler is the headliner.

You can see more of Tyler V, comedian and local boy making good on his Facebook page “Tyler V. – kid comedian,” https://www.facebook.com/pages/Tyler-V-kid-comedian/193525877389756 .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Congressman John Garamendi (D-Fairfield, CA) will host a series of 10 town halls across his Third Congressional District.

The town halls will be in an open question and answer format, Garamendi's office reported.

“Throughout 2014, I am holding town halls in communities across our region,” Garamendi said. “Because I’ve always believed the best ideas, suggestions, and solutions come directly from local residents, I hope you will attend and make your voice heard.”

The town halls take place in Clearlake, Davis, Dixon, Fairfield/Suisun, Marysville, Orland, Rio Vista, Vacaville, Williams and Woodland.

The Clearlake event will be held from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, March 8, at the American Legion Hall, 14770 Austin Road.

The other nine town halls are as follows:

• Saturday, Feb. 8: 10 a.m. to noon, Fairfield/Suisun, Solano County Supervisors' chambers, 675 Texas St., Fairfield; 1 to 3 p.m., Woodland Community College, 2300 E. Gibson Road, Room No. 800; 5 to 7 p.m., Davis City Hall chambers, 23 Russell Blvd.
• Saturday, Feb. 15: 10 a.m. to noon, Dixon, American Legion Hall, 1305 N. First St.; 1 to 3 p.m., Rio Vista, Veterans Memorial Building, 610 St Francis Way; 6 to 8 p.m., Vacaville, Veterans Memorial Building, 549 Merchant St.
• Saturday, March 8, 9 to 11 a.m.: Orland, Carnegie Center, 912 Third St.
• Tuesday, March 18: 1 to 3 p.m., Williams, Granzella’s Restaurant banquet room, 457 Seventh St.; 5 to 7 p.m., Marysville, Lee Burrows Center for the Arts, 630 E St.

Editor's note: The date and time of the Orland town hall has been changed, Garamendi's office reported Tuesday. It previously was scheduled to take place at the end of January.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Umpqua Bank has given a $5,000 grant to Habitat for Humanity Lake County.

The funds are to be used in Habitat’s ongoing efforts to provide safe, decent affordable housing for county residents.

“Umpqua Bank donates to Habitat for Humanity throughout our area of service,” said Paula Bryant, vice president and commercial relationship manager of Umpqua's Lakeport branch. “We have been looking for local charities to be involved with, and when we considered Habitat for Humanity, we knew we had a fit.”

Umpqua Bank, which encourages their employees to volunteer at least 40 hours a year, also is in discussions with Habitat for Humanity regarding ways in which they can give back to our community through volunteering.

Habitat for Humanity said it's excited for this opportunity to further connect with community resources and continue its work with low-income residents in need of decent, safe, affordable housing. The group looks forward to the chance to partner with Umpqua Bank.

For more information on how you can donate or volunteer, contact the Habitat for Humanity office in Lower Lake at 707-994-1100.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new state report shows a continued drop in infant mortality across California, with a notable decrease in Lake County in 2012.

California’s infant mortality rate has reached a record low, according to Dr. Ron Chapman, state health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health.

Chapman reported that in 2012, California’s infant mortality rate was 4.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births, lower than the rate of 4.8 in 2011.

The agency defines infant mortality as the number of deaths in infants less than one year of age.

In 2012, there were 503,788 births in California and 2,247 infants died that year. The leading cause of infant death in 2012 was congenital malformations, followed by short gestation and low birth weight, CDPH reported.

“Optimal infant health outcomes are influenced by a woman’s health even before she becomes pregnant, including avoidance of tobacco, alcohol and drugs, maintaining a healthy weight, and taking folic acid supplements,” said Chapman. “Early entry into prenatal care, genetic testing to identify health risks at birth, breastfeeding, childhood immunizations, and continuing proper nutrition through a baby’s developing years all contribute to improving infant health outcomes.”

For 2012, Lake County had 739 births and three infant deaths, compared to 715 births and eight infant deaths in 2011, according to CDPH data.

Based on a Lake County News review of county vital statistics records from 1994 to 2012, illustrated in the chart above, 2011 had the highest infant mortality rate of all of those years.

The data also suggests that there can be extreme variations from year to year in the local infant death rate.

Because Lake County had less than five deaths in 2012, the state did not give the county a specific infant rate, so it's difficult to compare it to other counties.

In 2012, 17 counties had fewer births than Lake, based on the state's data.

The black infant mortality rate decreased from 10.5 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011 to 9.8 in 2012, however racial/ethnic disparities in infant mortality persist, CDPH said. Black infant deaths occurred 2.6 times more frequently than Caucasian infant deaths in 2012.

The Caucasian infant mortality rate decreased from 4.1 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011 to 3.8 in 2012, and the Hispanic infant mortality rate also decreased from 4.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births in 2011 to 4.7 in 2012, according to CDPH.

The most recent national statistics show that California accounts for approximately one in every eight births nationwide.

In 2010, California had the seventh lowest infant mortality rate among all 50 states and the lowest infant mortality rate among the 10 states with the largest number of births, CDPH said. The most recent (2011) national Infant Mortality Rate is 6.05 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.

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.

In 2013, wildlife officers at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife ensured public safety, protected California’s natural resources and saved lives. Many of the situations that officers faced put them in harm’s way, but it did not stop them from successfully doing their job.

“Our wildlife officers represent the best of the best of California law enforcement and I could not be more proud of my staff,” said CDFW Law Enforcement Chief Mike Carion. “Each day our officers come to work with courage, passion and dedication to protecting California’s valuable resources regardless of the dangers they may face.”

CDFW had several high profile criminal investigations and convictions this year for resource violations.

Fourteen people were arrested in Sacramento and the Bay Area for illegally harvesting and selling abalone on the black market. Many of the suspects had previous poaching convictions and are now facing additional charges.

In El Dorado County, two men shot, but didn’t kill a deer that they then put in their small SUV.

The deer woke up and panicked inside the vehicle. The poachers then hacked the deer to death with a machete.

They were both convicted and received jail time for poaching and animal cruelty.

In Southern California, wildlife officers filed several cases of lobster poaching, illegally selling fish directly to restaurants and one case in which a diver attempted to catch fish by squirting rubbing alcohol into the rocks forcing fish into open water where he then netted them.

Most of these cases are currently pending.

While responding to a spotlighting suspect at night in rural in Santa Barbara County, one wildlife officer rolled his patrol truck off of a small mountain road. His truck rolled 20 times. He is still recovering from his injuries.

In Nevada County, a wildlife officer was able to apprehend two bear poachers through an in-depth investigation that revealed an abundance of criminal activity including drug trafficking, stolen vehicles and violence.

The primary suspect, Jason Wilkison, baited and killed a bear out of season with a military style rifle with no tags and no license.

Wilkison, a convicted felon, was sentenced to two years in state prison for his part in the crime.

Wildlife officers also demonstrated their courage to assist the public on several occasions, and their direct action saved lives of California citizens.

A Madera County wildlife officer jumped into the cold, swift current of a slough, twice, to save the lives of two small children clinging to a branch. With no equipment, life jacket or help, he brought each girl safely to shore.

In Monterey, a wildlife officer took off his boots to help save a drowning woman in the ocean then gave her the boots so she could walk across rocks to the waiting ambulance. In five separate incidents wildlife officers along with local agencies prevented people from committing suicide.

In a case that brought national attention, wildlife officers and San Bernardino County Sheriff's deputies spotted, pursued and exchanged gunfire with former Los Angeles Police officer and murderer Christopher Dorner.

In Big Bear, a patrol truck was hit with several shots but the two wildlife officers and one K-9 inside escaped major injury.

While Dorner evaded capture at that particular moment, law enforcement teams continued to pursue him.

He was found dead later that day at a nearby cabin, but not before taking the life of one San Bernardino Sheriff’s deputy and severely injuring another.

Other gunfire incidents occurred in three marijuana growing operations in northern California. In a Shasta County incident, shots were fired during a marijuana raid. Two men were then arrested, both after being apprehended by a CDFW K-9.

In other rural counties wildlife officers were shot at and returned fire as suspects fled from illegal marijuana grow sites as officers entered for eradication purposes.

More than 350 wildlife officers are responsible for patrolling 1.8 million acres of land in California. The overwhelming majority of contacts are with law abiding citizens.

Wildlife officers are there to respond to the small percentage of people who break laws in place to protect California’s natural resources and keep the public safe.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – An early Saturday morning crash near Ukiah claimed the life of a young Kelseyville man.

The California Highway Patrol's Ukiah Area office said the crash occurred at 4 a.m. Jan. 11.

The CHP did not release the 24-year-old man's name, and messages Lake County News left with the Mendocino County Coroner's Office on Tuesday were not immediately returned.

The Tuesday CHP report said that at approximately 4:10 a.m. Saturday CHP officers responded to the report of a vehicle rollover on the eastbound Highway 20 onramp from northbound US 101. Units arrived on scene five minutes later.

The CHP investigation determined that the driver was attempting to enter Highway 20 from US 101.

He traveled onto Highway 20's left shoulder and attempted to correct, losing control of his 1997 Honda Accord, which overturned, according to the CHP.

The report said the driver was ejected from the Honda. He was transported to a hospital where officials said he later died.

The CHP said the fatal crash's cause remains under investigation. However, it appears that alcohol may have been a contributing factor.

Editor’s note: An earlier version of the story indicated the driver died at the scene; Mendocino County officials provided additional information not in the CHP report that he was transported to a hospital.

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. – One of the candidates seeking to succeed Sen. Noreen Evans said he is suspending his campaign.

Chris Lehman of Arcata made the announcement Monday.

Lehman also said that he will endorse another candidate, Sonoma County Supervisor Mike McGuire.

Last August, Sen. Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) announced her plans to retire from public office, as Lake County News has reported.

The Second Senate District Evans represents includes all or portions of Lake, Humboldt, Mendocino, Marin, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.

Evans' decision not to seek reelection opened up the race to succeed her, with Lehman, McGuire and Novato Mayor Eric Lucan joining the field.

Lehman, who has worked as a staffer in the State Senate for 15 years, said he believes McGuire has the attributes – experience, commitment, energy and a proven track record – to ensure the North Coast is well represented in the Senate.

“Supervisor McGuire and I have similar backgrounds and beliefs. Our biggest difference is geography – he's from one community and I'm from another,” said Lehman, adding that their main difference is not a sufficient reason to wage a costly campaign against each other.

He said McGuire is committed to working with him and other community leaders to create a seven-county North Coast Agenda to ensure fair representation of each county's interests in Sacramento.

McGuire posted to his Twitter account on Monday to thank Lehman for his support.

“Huge thanks to @chris_lehman for his support of our campaign today. So honored to be working with you!” McGuire tweeted.

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.

NICE, Calif. – A Sunday morning vehicle stop has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of LSD, processed marijuana, concentrated cannabis and psilocybin mushrooms.

Kevin Lord Dirksen, 30, of Santa Maria was arrested following the stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

At 10:30 a.m. Sunday a patrol deputy was traveling westbound on Highway 20 in Nice when he noticed a vehicle traveling in front of him which had a broken tail light, Brooks said.

The deputy also noticed the vehicle was dragging a dog leash, which was attached to the passenger door. Brooks said the deputy then conducted an enforcement stop on the vehicle on Highway 20 near Pyle Road outside of Nice.

The deputy contacted the driver, who was identified as Dirksen, who told the deputy that he did not have a driver’s license because it was expired and previously suspended, Brooks said.

Brooks reported that the deputy asked Dirksen if he had anything illegal in the vehicle and Dirksen said he had approximately 8 ounces of marijuana in a backpack.

Central Dispatch conducted a records check of Dirksen and advised he was on searchable probation out of San Luis Obispo County for sales of a controlled substance, said Brooks. The deputy also was advised that Dirksen’s driver’s license was suspended for a failure to appear in court.

Brooks said the deputy conducted a search of the vehicle and located 10.3 ounces of marijuana, 12.3 ounces of hashish, 6.1 ounces of psilocybin mushrooms and 800 dosage units of LSD.

Dirksen told the deputy that he is a sound technician and grows medicinal marijuana for patients. He denied selling the marijuana and explained that he barters with it. Brooks said Dirksen went on to say that he would trade one of the “pucks” of hash for an ounce of processed marijuana.

He denied making the hash and said he obtained it from a friend. Brooks said Dirksen also denied having any knowledge of the LSD or the psilocybin mushrooms and said he had borrowed the vehicle from a friend.

Brooks said Dirksen was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of concentrated cannabis, possession of more than one ounce of marijuana and for driving while his license is suspended.

He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. On Monday he remained in custody, with bail set at $35,000.

The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Legislation authored by Senators Kevin De León (D-Los Angeles) and Noreen Evans (D-Santa Rosa) to regulate the appearance of toy, imitation or “copycat” guns passed out of its first policy committee on Tuesday with a 4-1 vote.

In an effort to prevent toys from being mistaken for real firearms, Senate Bill 199, the Imitation Firearm Safety Act, would amend California law to define what an imitation firearm is and what those imitations must look like to differentiate real guns from fake guns.

Currently, toy guns such as Airsoft and BB guns are not included in California’s legal definition of imitation weapons.

“Children want to play with toys,” said Evans. “A toy should look like a toy and not a lethal weapon. Currently these copycat toys are manufactured to be virtually indistinguishable from real firearms. Toys should not get a child killed.”

Last October in Santa Rosa, 13-year-old Andy Lopez was shot and killed by a Sonoma County Sheriff's deputy who believed the Airsoft gun he was carrying was a real AK-47.

In December, De León and Evans committed to introduce a bill to require all BB, pellet and Airsoft guns to have their entire exterior surfaces painted a bright color.

“In a stressful situation where it’s a question of using deadly force, police officers are not going to be able to get close enough for a detailed inspection,” said De León. “These toy guns need some sort of marking that will make them harder to mistake for real firearms.”

A 1990 study commissioned by the Department of Justice found that there are more than 200 incidents per year in which imitation guns are mistaken for real firearms.

According to law enforcement, one of the primary dangers posed by imitation firearms is that such guns are used by children and young adults who may not comprehend the seriousness of displaying them around unsuspecting law enforcement officers or around other armed individuals.

As a result, officers and community residents can find themselves in precarious situations when they are unable to distinguish imitation guns from handguns and assault weapons.

In a similar incident in 2010, a teenager was accidentally shot by Los Angeles Police officers who misidentified the replica gun he was carrying.

The teenager and two of his friends were playing that evening in the middle of a dark street shooting pellets at one another with fake handguns.

When the two LAPD officers stopped to investigate, the boys ran away, but one produced a pellet gun that the LAPD officers mistook for a real handgun. A LAPD officer who feared for his life shot the teenager in self-defense. The pellet gun looked identical to a real gun and it even had the exact dimensions of a Beretta 92F.

As a result of this accidental shooting, SB 798 (De León) was introduced in 2011 in collaboration with Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck to require distinguishing colors on BB guns. This measure would have allowed law enforcement to effectively discriminate between imitation and real firearms.

Though the measure failed passage in the Assembly Public Safety Committee, SB 1315 (De León) was signed by Gov. Brown last year to allow cities within the county of Los Angeles to enact local ordinances more restrictive than state law regulating the manufacture, sale, possession, or use of any BB device, toy gun or replica of a firearm that substantially similar to existing firearms (Statutes of 2012, Chapter 214).

Evans represents the Second Senatorial District, including all or portions of the counties of Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Marin (caretaker), Napa, Solano and Sonoma.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Lake County/City Area Planning Council (APC) and Caltrans on Wednesday, Jan. 29, are hosting a community meeting to solicit feedback on potential transportation improvements in Middletown.

The meeting will be held from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Middletown High School multi-use facility, 20932 Big Canyon Road.

The Jan. 29 meeting will be focused on presentation and discussion of potential road, bike, pedestrian and equestrian improvements in Middletown that are identified in the Middletown Community Action Plan.

A separate interrelated study is focused on potential improvements to Highway 29 from the Napa County line to Highway 53.

The combined studies are identifying improvements that will make area travel safer and more convenient, reduce congestion and address other local community needs.

The studies are scheduled to be completed early this year.

More information is available at www.lakecountysr29.com .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Lake Family Resource Center will present its annual “Wine and Chocolate … And More” fundraising event on Saturday, Feb. 8.

The fundraiser will take place from noon to 4 p.m. at the Mt. Konocti Winery & Event Center, 2550 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville.

The annual benefit supports Lake Family Resource Center's efforts to strengthen local families.

Lake Family Resource Center provides vital services to children and families throughout Lake County, including child abuse prevention and treatment, domestic violence services, rape crisis center, comprehensive child development and family support, nutritional education and counseling.

Wine and Chocolate spotlights Lake County’s award-winning, ultra-premium wines. Recent San Francisco Chronicle award winning wineries also are participating, and wine will be available for purchase at the onsite wine store.

There will be pairings of local wines with chocolates as well as savory bites from local restaurants and caterers. Local Sommelier Stephanie Green provides the pairing expertise.

The event also includes an auction, original artwork by Kelseyville artist Gail Salituri, workshops on wine and food pairing, and olive oil sensory.

Chacewater Olive Mill’s own Emilio De La Cruz will share his secrets in producing the finest extra virgin olive oil, and Green will share the secrets of wonderful wine and how to pair that complex libation with savory food.

This year’s event also will include a fire pit and a car show, weather permitting.

Tickets are $35 each in advance, $40 each the day of the event and at the door.

This year attendees also may purchase a special VIP package: $500 includes tickets for eight, a special reserved table in the VIP Cellar and appetizers.

Sponsorship opportunities also exist. If your company would like to participate, call Lake Family Resource Center Executive Director Gloria Flaherty at 707-279-0563. Caterers who wish to participate also should contact Flaherty.

Tickets are available at Lake Family Resource Center's Kelseyville office, 5350 Main St., via telephone at 707-279-0563 or online at www.lakefrc.org ; the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, 875 Lakeport Blvd., Lakeport; Clear Lake Chamber of Commerce, 14808 Olympic Drive, Clearlake; Saw Shop Gallery & Bistro, 3825 Main St., Kelseyville; and most Lake County wineries’ tasting rooms.