NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Rural County Representatives of California (RCRC) and the California State Association of Counties (CSAC) announced their joint support for the enactment of legislation to better manage California’s national forests.

“The growing bipartisan recognition that Congress must address proper management of our nation’s forests illustrates the need to enact healthy forest legislation in 2014,” said Kevin Cann, RCRC chair and Mariposa County supervisor. “The recent wildfires on U.S. Forest Service lands clearly demonstrate the results if Congress fails to act.”

Two weeks ago, RCRC and CSAC authored a joint letter to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources urging the creation of bipartisan legislation related to forest management reform.

Earlier this year, the U.S. House of Representatives approved H.R. 1526 to provide a mechanism for better management of federal forests; however, most congressional observers believe that legislation will not be considered in the U.S. Senate.

“The health of our forests, the safety of our rural communities, and California’s natural resources are threatened by the current condition of our national forests,” said David Finigan, CSAC president and Del Norte County supervisor. “It is crucial that all of California’s forested counties experience a reform in the management of the forests to minimize fire threats, ensure a proper balance of animal life and vegetation, protect recreational opportunities, and help rural communities return to economic vitality.”

RCRC and CSAC argue that while components of the House of Representatives-approved legislation may not be acceptable to the majority of the Senate, reforms can be adopted to address active management, streamline environmental laws, and revise the U.S. Forest Service’s day-to-day approach to managing our forests.

The RCRC/CSAC joint letter to the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources can be accessed here.

The Rural County Representatives of California is a 33 member county strong service organization that champions policies on behalf of California’s rural counties. Visit www.rcrcnet.org and follow @RuralCounties on Twitter.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A new group of adult cats are waiting for new homes at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The cats range in age from 6 months to 6 years, with tabbies, calicoes, a tuxedo and a white cat among those available.

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”).

Male domestic long hair mix

This male domestic long hair mix is 4 years old.

He weighs 9 pounds, has a black and white coat, and has been neutered.

Find him in cat room kennel No. 13, ID No. 38326.

Dilute calico

This dilute calico is 6 years old.

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

She's in cat room kennel No. 32, ID No. 38256.

Female brown tabby

This female brown tabby is 1 year old.

She has green eyes and a short coat, and has not yet been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 41, ID No. 38213.

'Mom'

“Mom” is a 2-year-old domestic long hair mix.

She has green eyes, is of medium size and has not yet been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 44, ID No. 37995.

Domestic medium hair mix

This domestic medium hair mix cat is 6 months old.

She has has a black and white coat and gold eyes. Shelter staff did not report of she has been altered.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 67, ID No. 38040.

Female gray tabby

This female gray tabby is 6 months old.

She has a short coat; shelter staff did not report if she has been spayed.

She's in cat room kennel No. 98, ID No. 38287.

Dilute calico

This dilute calico is 6 months old.

She weighs 5 pounds, has a short coat and has not been spayed.

Find her in cat room kennel No. 126, ID No. 38320 .

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On the corner of Third and Forbes streets in downtown Lakeport, standing just a tree away from the Lake County Veterans Services building and across the street from the courthouse, is a little building that contains valuable resources offered free to the community.

The Lake County Law Library is one of such facilities serving the 58 counties in California because a state law enacted in 1891 mandates that every California county has a fully operational public law library. But they are not government-owned or supported.

The Law Library is an independent public agency, but not a government agency. The library does not sell books. It is funded partly by donations, but the bulk of its funding comes from a small fixed portion of the court filing fees.

“We are not funded by the taxpayers,” said Casse Waldman Forczek, the Law Library's librarian. “Whatever income that comes in here we use to update our collection and to purchase reference books and reference materials, supplies and furniture and to pay for our online services and other expenses.”

The Law Library and the resources it contains have become more important in recent years as the local courts have seen an increase in self-represented litigants, according to Lake County Superior Court officials.

Waldman Forczek, the law library's librarian for the last two years, is a fastidious – some might say fussy – overseer of this county resource open to everyone, from Philadelphia lawyers in town on major cases, to do-it-yourselfers.

“If someone wants to find out about a barking dog they can go into 2013 Deering's California Desktop Code Series Index,” she said. “It tells where the code is and exactly what the current code is for barking dogs.”

The Lake County Law Library has a collection of approximately 7,300 books. Compared to the state law library in Sacramento or the state's largest county law library in Los Angeles – which boasts an imposing near-million books and documents – Lake County's law library is but a blip on the monitor.

But the cyber age and access to the World Wide Web have vastly expanded the little library's resources.

“Everything is on the Internet and it's just a matter of where to find it, using our online subscriptions,” said Waldman Forczek.

“But our top priority is to maintain the most widely used legal resources in printed book form on our shelves for our patrons – both attorneys and non-attorneys,” she said.

To name a few, those resources include California's Deering's Codes, California Forms of Pleading and Practice, Continuing Education of the Bar titles, Rutters Group Practice Guides, Witkins and official appellate and Supreme Court reports.

Putting all the information needed at the library users' fingertips are three programs subscribed to by virtually all law libraries including:

• Lexis Nexis Online “Patriot Plan”: A monthly subscription program with a comprehensive database covering all Supreme Court, appellate, federal and state cases, decisions and laws.
• EBSCO Nolo: Nolo eBooks are accessible from any outside computer or cell phone through a link on the Lake County Law Library Web site home page, http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Law_Library.htm ; and
• CEB Onlaw: The entire collection of Continuing Education of the Bar Practice guides, with links to cases and laws/codes, covering all practice major areas of law such as, among others, criminal civil and family law.

But, noted Waldman Forczek, many of these guides are accessible at the Lake County Law Library only as binders.

“We just do not have enough shelf space to carry them all,” she said. “However, it is always wise to double-check printed resources online to ensure the most recent information.”

There also is a sophisticated system that enables the efficient flow of professional information between law librarians throughout Northern and Southern California – namely the statewide nonprofit Council of California County Law Librarians, as well as Northern California Association of Law Librarians in which the Lake County Law Library maintains active memberships – and nationwide.

“Law librarians from all over get together for multiday conferences and seminars,” said Waldman Forczek, “and for any research question that needs to be answered … For example, I can get on the Internet to my network of 56 other county law libraries in Council of California County Law Librarians or Northern California Association of Law Librarians and send a message saying, 'We need this article from a particular law journal and we don't carry the journal. Can you help?' And sure enough we get an answer.”

The Lake County Law Library's most engaging nook for both lawyers and nonlawyers holds an exhaustive Nolo Self-Help Book Collection of about 350 books and brochures – all donated by the late Steve Elias. Several titles were either authored or collected by Elias, himself.

Before his death in December 2011, Elias was on the Lake County Law Library Board of Trustees and was a Lake County pro bono attorney, radio talk program host and a founder of the Lake County Community Radio station, 88.1 FM.

Elias' donated book collection continues to be a valuable aid to laypeople in understanding legal issues in plain English, which is why such eye-catching titles as “Beat Your Ticket” are in his collection.

He also championed mediation for bankruptcy and foreclosure cases and is credited with spearheading the bringing of 21st century law to Lake County through his online subscription to the Nolo eBooks Legal Information Reference Center.

While every treatise on jurisprudence written by famed legal authors that are sought by patrons won't be found on the shelves of the Lake County Law Library, those patrons can request their acquisition.

“… And my board of trustees will determine whether I should or should not purchase the title during our monthly board meetings,” Waldman Forczek added.

The Law Library Board of Trustees currently includes several of Lake County's judges, including Andrew Blum, Michael Lunas and Richard Martin, as well as local attorneys Mike Ewing and Dennis Fordham, and the newest member, Shanda Harry, a deputy county counsel.

Harry succeeds to the board seat previously held by Bob Bridges, a newly retired senior county counsel, who served on the Law Library Board of Trustees for 15 years and resigned from the board at the time of his retirement.

Bridges observed that while research at the Law Library has increasingly become electronic, the board has agreed with his view that books are better for everyone to use, as they don't require special training.

“We want to have people come in off the street and have books that they can read and use, so we maintain a basic collection,” he said.

“For people who are trained and can use the computer it's an excellent research tool, but not everybody in the public is trained to do it,” he added. “The Law Library has to be there for a base of people. It's not just for unique lawyers. It's there for a lot of people to use.”

The library, located at 175 Third St., is open Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., and is closed on county holidays.

For more information about the library, visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Law_Library.htm or call 707-263-2205.

Email John Lindblom at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – On Monday a Kelseyville man convicted last month of having had sex with a young teenage girl was sentenced to eight years in state prison.

Brian Barrett Stasko, 22, who was convicted of two counts of lewd and lascivious acts on a child and two counts of statutory rape, was sentenced to the prison term by Judge Andrew Blum.

“An appeal will be taken from the judgment and sentence,” Stasko’s defense attorney, Barry Melton, told Lake County News.

Stasko was convicted of having sex with a 13-year-old girl who had fallen asleep at his home after drinking alcohol last fall, as Lake County News has reported.

Last month, the jury – which deliberated for a day and a half – came back with the guilty verdicts on the four charges, and acquitted Stasko of three counts of aggravated sexual assault on a child, according to Senior Deputy District Attorney Ed Borg.

Borg said Stasko must serve his time in state prison because of the nature of the charges.

Stasko, who has remained in jail since his April arrest, has 234 days credit for time served. He has to serve 85 percent of the eight years because lewd and lascivious acts on a child is a violent felony, according to Borg.

Once Stasko is released from prison, he must register as a sex offender, Borg said.

Borg credited investigating officer Todd Dunia of the Lake County Sheriff's for doing a “great job on a difficult case.”

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. – The National Auto Sport Association (NASA) is returning to Lake County to conduct a Teen Car Control Clinic aimed at helping teens become better drivers.

The clinic will take place beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 2, in the parking lot at Lakeside Family Fun & Event Center, 872 Lakeport Blvd. in Lakeport.

NASA, in conjunction with the Clear Lake Area California Highway Patrol (CHP), has conducted four clinics in Lake County, the last one being October 2012.

“It was a great event, you could see the kids getting better as the day went on and as they got more confident in their skills,” said CHP Officer Kory Reynolds said. “We are hoping this event will be even bigger and better.”

NASA has conducted these clinics all over the United States and the focus is to teach children how their cars will react in emergency situations.

Participants will perform such drills as ABS braking, split decision braking, reverse driving, skid pad, parallel parking and a two wheels off the roadway drill.

The drivers will perform each drill several times and rotate in groups to the next drill.

The NASA driving instructors volunteer their time and come from all over California to help at these events.

“The kids perform these drills using their own cars so they know how their car will react,” Reynolds said. “I put my own daughter through this clinic and as a parent I can tell you that you will be glad you did it. My daughter is a much better driver thanks to NASA and there great instructors, I can’t thank them enough for bringing this event to Lake County.”

NASA operates the Teen Car Control Clinic as a nonprofit organization. A fee of $99 is charged but is used to cover insurance fees. Scholarships are available to all participants.

“The $99 is tax-deductible after the insurance is paid anything left over is put into the scholarship fund,” Reynolds said. “At our last clinic, 10 scholarships were available.”

He added, “I get asked all the time about what is available for teen drivers and, in my opinion, this event is the single best thing you as a parent can do for your teen driver.”

To learn more about NASA and the Teen Car Control Clinic visit www.nasaproracing.com/event/1707 , contact event director Eric Wheaton at 707-279-4840 or Officer Kory Reynolds at 707-279-0103.

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – The Animal Coalition of Lake County held its annual Halloween fundraiser on Friday, packing the house at the Moose Lodge in Clearlake Oaks.

The dinner and dance featured drawings, a silent auction and a costume contest that saw a cave couple take the prize.

Proceeds from the event will be directed toward the coalition's efforts to provide low cost spay and neuter vouchers for seniors and low income residents of Clearlake, as well as animal rescue and fostering services.

In their leopard print pelts and bones in their ratted-hair, caveman Jim Dvorak and his cave wife Carol of Lakeport claimed the popular vote for best costume. Jim Dvorak said he and his wife are regular guests of the coalition.

"We come to the Animal Coalition dance because it's such a good event and a good cause, and we're animals ourselves," Jim Dvorak said, waving his cave club in the air.

Jim and Pattie Johnson said they always have a good time at the event.

The San Mateo couple, dressed as dragons, were among a party of eight and guests of Bob Sullivan, president of Kono Tayee and avid supporter of the Animal Coalition.

Peacocks and butterflies, jailbirds and scallywags, witches, vampires and even the King Elvis himself joined in the festivities, including the interactive performance of the evening's musical entertainment, The Charlie Baker Band.

Email Denise Rockestein at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Fresno County man driving a U-Haul van was arrested Sunday night after Lake County Sheriff's deputies found 256 pounds of processed marijuana in the vehicle.

Jorge Jerson Tellez, 21, of Reedley was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sales and the transportation of marijuana, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.

At 10:15 p.m. Sunday a sheriff's patrol deputy was traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in Clearlake Oaks when he observed a U-Haul box van – which also was traveling eastbound – cross over both of the double yellow lines. Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and Keys Boulevard.

The deputy contacted the driver, identified as Tellez, and as they were speaking the deputy could smell the odor of marijuana emanating from the vehicle, according to Brooks. The deputy asked why it smelled like marijuana in the vehicle and Tellez showed the deputy a partially smoked marijuana cigarette.

Brooks said the deputy asked what was in the back of the U-Haul and Tellez said boxes. When asked what was inside the boxes, Tellez told the deputy, “Bud.”

Deputies conducted a search of the cargo area and located nine large plastic containers and several large black garbage bags, all containing processed marijuana, Brooks said.

He said the deputies also located a duffel bag which contained 11 vacuum sealed bags of marijuana. Each vacuum sealed bag contained approximately 2 pounds of processed marijuana.

In addition, the deputies located a suitcase which contained nine plastic bags, each containing approximately 1 pound of processed marijuana, Brooks said.

The marijuana from the U-Haul was seized and later weighed. The packaged, processed marijuana had a total gross weight of 44.2 pounds. The loose processed marijuana in the plastic containers had a gross bulk weight of 212.5 pounds for a total combined weight of 256.7 pounds, according to Brooks.

Tellez was arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility, where he was booked. Brooks said Tellez remained in custody Monday evening, with his bail set at $20,000.

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

COBB, Calif. – The US Geological Survey reported Sunday night that the area near The Geysers geothermal steamfield was shaken by a 3.3-magnitude earthquake.

The quake occurred at 9:59 p.m., the survey reported.

It was centered two miles southeast of The Geysers and 15 miles south southwest of Clearlake at a depth of 1.2 miles, according to the report.

As of 10:30 p.m., the US Geological Survey had received shake reports from Lower Lake, Middletown and Healdsburg.

The last earthquake in Lake County measuring magnitude 3 or above occurred on Oct. 2, when the Cobb area experienced a 3.1-magnitude temblor, as Lake County News has reported.

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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a big new group of dogs available for adoption this week.

The dogs range in age from 11 months to 3 years, and include Chihuahua mixes to larger breeds, including mastiff and German Shepherd

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.

In addition to the animals featured here, all adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .

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”).

Pomeranian mix

This male Pomeranian mix is 3 years old.

He weighs 12 pounds and has a short coat. Shelter staff did not report if he has been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 5, ID No. 38280.

Hound-shepherd mix pup

This male hound-shepherd mix pup is 11 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat and gold eyes, weighs 6 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 8a, ID No. 38178.

Hound-shepherd mix pup

This male hound-shepherd mix pup is 11 weeks old.

He has a short brown coat and gold eyes, weighs 6 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 8b, ID No. 38179.

Male German Shepherd mix

This male German Shepherd mix is 2 years old.

He has a short brown and black coat, weighs nearly 80 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 11, ID No. 38245.

'K.C.'

“K.C.” is a 2-year-old blue heeler mix.

She weighs 30 pounds, has a short tricolor coat and has been spayed.

Shelter staff said she is good with other dogs, and is quiet and calm.

She's in kennel No. 12, ID No. 38218.

Mastiff-shar pei mix

This male mastiff-shar pei is 2 years old.

He has a short black coat and it was not reported if he was neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 13, ID No. 38288.

Female Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever is 1 year old.

She has a short black coat and weighs nearly 56 pounds. Shelter staff did not report if she has been altered.

She's in kennel No. 27, ID No. 38257.

Female Labrador Retriever mix

This female Labrador Retriever is 6 months old.

She has a short black coat with white markings and is not yet spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 29, ID No. 38319.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This male terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

He has a short fawn-colored coat. It was not reported if he has been altered.

He's in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 38295.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This female terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

She has a short fawn-colored coat; shelter staff did not report if she has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 38296.

Terrier-Chihuahua mix

This female terrier-Chihuahua mix is 1 year old.

She has a short fawn-colored coat. It was not reported if she has been spayed.

Find her in kennel No. 32c, ID No. 38297.

Boxer-pit bull terrier mix

This male boxer-pit bull terrier mix is 1 year old.

He has a short brown brindle mix coat, weighs 72 pounds and has been neutered.

He's in kennel No. 33, ID No. 35680 .

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.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County American Legion Post 194 recently sent a record number of outstanding local students to participate in the annual Boys and Girls State program.

The post honored five Kelseyville High school students, one student from Clear Lake High School in Lakeport and one student from Upper Lake High School, all of whom completed a weeklong trip to the State Capitol in June to represent the post at the 2013 American Legion Boys and Girls State program.

A dinner was held in their honor and each was presented an award for their participation.

The students selected are Kristina Bour, Justin Johnson, Max Lehman, Kyle Schmidt and Aaron Fultz from Kelseyville High School, Ian Seevers from Upper Lake High School and Brian Gatton from Clear Lake High School.

The schools recommend their most qualified students to the local American Legion, which in turn conducts interviews and selects its representatives for the program.

Only those who illustrate leadership, character, scholarship, loyalty and service in their schools and community are considered.

Lake County American Legion officials said the organization was excited to send a record number of students this year from Lake County because the American Legion Boys State is among the most respected and selective educational programs of government instruction for U.S. high school students.

A participatory program in which students become part of the operation of local, county and state government, Boys State was founded in 1935 to counter the socialism-inspired Young Pioneer Camps.

The program was the idea of two Illinois Legionnaires, Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card, who organized the first Boys State at the Illinois State Fairgrounds in Springfield.

American Legion Auxiliary sponsors a separate but similar program for young women called Girls State.

At Boys State, participants learn the rights, privileges and responsibilities of franchised citizens. The training is objective and centers on the structure of city, county and state governments.

Operated by students elected to various offices, Boys State activities include legislative sessions, court proceedings, law-enforcement presentations, assemblies, bands, choruses and recreational programs.

Legion posts select high school juniors to attend the program. In most cases, individual expenses are paid by a sponsoring post, a local business or another community-based organization.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – An early Sunday morning fire destroyed a Clearlake home, but firefighters were able to prevent additional damage to nearby structures.

The fire, which occurred at 3848 Oakland Ave., was dispatched just before 1:30 a.m. Sunday, according to radio reports.

Lake County Fire Protection District Chief Willie Sapeta said the mobile home was fully involved by the time firefighters arrived at the scene minutes later.

The fire also led to power lines falling down in the area of Oakland Avenue and Ridge Road, with Pacific Gas and Electric responding to the scene, Sapeta said.

While nearby structures initially were threatened by the fire, Sapeta said none of them were damaged, with firefighters containing the blaze in about 25 minutes.

The mobile home, however, was a total loss, he said.

The woman renting the home was able to get out unharmed, and went to stay with family, according to Sapeta.

Four engines, a rescue unit, Sapeta and a total of 18 personnel from Lake County Fire and Cal Fire were on scene. Units remained on scene for mop up until just after 3:30 a.m., based on radio reports.

Sapeta said the investigation into the fire's cause was continuing on Sunday.

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.

It’s that time year again, the Halloween celebration. October conjures up some frightening images in our mind – witches circling the sky, goblins walking the streets and bats emerging from caves.

In reality, it’s a month to celebrate the gorgeous weather, the harvest of many favorite fruits and vegetables and the changing landscape.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) reminds residents of another reason to celebrate this time of year – those same bats.

They are one of the most misunderstood groups of mammals and, in fact, perform an important service.

“Because bats are nocturnal, fly and have teeth, many people fear them. What the public doesn’t realize is that bat populations play a huge role in controlling insects,” said CDFW Senior Environmental Scientist Scott Osborn.

“Bats have amazing abilities – they are the only mammals capable of true flight,” Osborn added. “Their unique ultrasonic sonar system enables them to navigate and to catch insects in flight in complete darkness. Once people get to know bats, fear gives way to admiration.”

There are many misconceptions about bats.

Many think they are blind, prefer to feast on the blood of prey (animal and human) and attack people.

Actually, they see almost as well as us, eat flower nectar and insects (up to 600 mosquitos in one hour!) and they want nothing more than to be left alone.

California has 25 species of bats that eat tons of insects each night.

Some bats are migratory and just pass through California to warmer climates in winter. Others stick around all year and hibernate in old barns, under bridges, and in caves and mines.

As mammals, they feed their young by nursing until they are old enough to fend for themselves.

The average lifespan of a bat is 30 years or longer and most California bat species could fit in the palm of your hand.

Helping bats

Bats have one young per year and their low reproduction rate puts them at risk of extinction.

The fungal disease White-Nose Syndrome, which first appeared in New York in 2006, also threatens bat populations throughout North America.

Although the disease has not yet been detected in the western states, if it should reach California many of our most sensitive bat species could be drastically impacted.

As with any wildlife, it is best to keep a respectful distance from injured or sick bats. There are many wildlife rescue groups in California that help and treat injured bats.

You should never pick up a downed bat with your bare hands, especially because some bats, like other animals, might have rabies.