Monday, 10 March 2025

Register

News

Posted On

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A former community college dean convicted in Lake County of elder abuse in 2005 has been sentenced in Placer and Sacramento counties for felony identity theft, with a local investigation now seeking potential victims among the clients of his tax preparation and accounting business.

George Tanner McQueen II, 61, formerly of Lake County and now living in the Sacramento area, was sentenced last week for separate identity theft cases in which his adult children were the victims.

McQueen was sentenced on Sept. 6 to one year in jail and five years of formal probation for one count of felony identity theft in a case involving the use of his son Nathan McQueen’s personal information, according to the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office. Court records show he had entered a no contest plea in that case on Aug. 9.

Then, on Sept. 7, George McQueen pleaded no contest and was sentenced for one felony count of identity theft for using the personal information of his daughter, Sarah Cunningham, according to the Placer County District Attorney’s Office.

Placer County officials said McQueen received four years of formal probation, was ordered to pay $10,891.06 in restitution to the victims and received 120 days in county jail to run concurrently with the one-year sentence he received in Sacramento County.

McQueen was ordered to turn himself in last Friday to begin serving his jail time, and did so as ordered at the Sacramento County Jail. He was booked into the Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center on last Friday night, booking records show.

Despite receiving a yearlong jail sentence, his booking records state that he is expected to be released in early March.

McQueen had been an educator and businessman in Lake County for many years, at one time serving as dean of Yuba Community College, working for the Lake County Office of Education and even winning a Stars of Lake County Award for Man of the Year.

His businesses include McQueen and Associates, which is reported to have local clients.

Because of McQueen’s ongoing business ties to Lake County and the potential for local identity theft and fraud victims, an investigation by the Lake County Sheriff’s Office and Lake County District Attorney’s Office is under way, Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson confirmed to Lake County News.

McQueen prosecuted for Lake County elder abuse case

McQueen was arrested in Lake County in March 2005 for forgery, elder abuse and grand theft after it was discovered that he had stolen funds from the trust of a friend who had named him executor, according to Abelson, who charged McQueen in that case.

The investigation revealed that McQueen took hundreds of thousands of dollars from the trust, with Abelson explaining that some of the money taken from the trust had been intended to go to the elderly mother of the decedent. McQueen used the funds for his personal activities, including taking his family on expensive vacations.

Abelson said a plea agreement led to McQueen being convicted of elder abuse. The remaining charges were dismissed with a Harvey waiver, which allows charges to be dismissed as part of a plea agreement but factored into a final sentencing decision.

In 2006, Judge Richard Martin sentenced McQueen to a year in jail and ordered him to pay restitution in the case, Abelson said.

Abelson said McQueen originally was ordered to pay $82,000 in restitution to the elder abuse victim, the mother of the man who had set up the trust, and $235,810.90 to the trust itself. The restitution amount later was modified to $185,000, with Abelson reporting that he had borrowed money from family members to help repay the estate.

McQueen was not required to stay in Lake County while the funds were being repaid – Abelson said at that time probation wasn’t being transferred to other counties – and his family later left Lake County and moved to the Sacramento area.

There, he opened McQueen and Associates, a tax preparation and bookkeeping company, in Rancho Cordova as well as Rancho Cordova Training Center and City Hill Publishing.

In addition to clients in the Sacramento and Placer County areas, McQueen and Associates is reported to have clients in Lake and Mendocino counties. At one time the company had offices in Lakeport and Lower Lake, according to its Web site.

Despite his Lake County conviction, McQueen was able to build a new financial business because, according to family members, he convinced people that he had changed and repented.

Son and daughter discovery ongoing identity theft, fraud

It was early last year that McQueen’s children began to discover that, as early as 2009, he had been using their personal information – including their Social Security numbers and details about their finances – to open more than 15 accounts for credit cards, checking accounts and bank loans, according to a Facebook post by his son which family members separately confirmed to be authentic.

Those accounts totaled $125,000 and were being run through George McQueen’s businesses, so failed to show up on Nathan McQueen or Sarah Cunningham’s credit reports, according to Nathan McQueen’s online statement.

When contacted by Lake County News about the case, Nathan McQueen declined to be quoted further than the statements he made in the Facebook post.

McQueen family members have indicated that they believe the funds were being used both for George McQueen’s business and for his personal use; in the case of the latter, the money paid for plane tickets for trips he was taking.

“After talking with pastors and counselors, we knew we had to report our father to the authorities. This was the hardest decision we ever had to make. Not only to restore our plummeting credit scores and unwarranted debt, but for the sake of our father,” Nathan McQueen’s post stated.

The family said that the fraud was reported to officials in Placer and Sacramento counties last September, which kicked off the investigation that led to George McQueen’s arrest by both counties earlier this year.

In Placer County Superior Court, McQueen initially was charged in February with five counts of identity theft, one count of forgery and one count of false impersonation, all of them felonies, for using his daughter’s personal information between Oct. 13, 2011, and Sept. 1, 2013.

Sacramento County Superior Court documents show that George McQueen was charged in March with identity theft and fraud for the use of his son’s information between Jan. 1, 2012, and Aug. 26, 2016.

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office said he was arrested April 4 and arraigned in the case on April 12.

Concerns for additional victims

Following the sentencings in both cases last week, which had George McQueen pleading just to the identity theft charges, Nathan McQueen posted his statement on Facebook, explaining that he and his family wanted to let people know about the situation and to warn potential victims.

“Our immediate and extended family and friends are ashamed and devastated by my father’s actions, both criminally and personally,” Nathan McQueen wrote.

He said that, besides the theft and abuse, his father has lied about him, his sister and their spouses since the case began, claiming they were “callous, unforgiving, bitter children,” who didn’t want him to get remarried in the wake of the October 2015 death of his wife of 36 years, Marsha.

The post indicated that family members have heard from some of George McQueen’s tax clients who have reported receiving penalties from the Internal Revenue Service and wage garnishments due to fraudulent claims on taxes he filed for them.

“His payroll clients have also been victimized,” Nathan McQueen wrote in the post.

Nathan McQueen also encouraged clients or employees of his father to be vigilant in reviewing credit reports, income tax reports, bank accounts, business accounts and any other business, personal or nonprofit ventures in which his father was involved to look for signs of financial abuse.

For Lake County residents who did business with George McQueen and believe they may be the victims of a financial or identity crime, they should contact the law enforcement agency for the area of the county where they reside: the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, 707-262-4200; the Lakeport Police Department, 707-263-5491; or the Clearlake Police Department, 707-994-8251.

Those who believe they are victims of tax fraud or have recently had action against them by the IRS should fill out a form with the IRS, which can be found at https://www.irs.gov/individuals/how-do-you-report-suspected-tax-fraud-activity.

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.
Posted On


In the video above, bats catch insects drawn to the lights at Lucerne Harbor Park in Lucerne, Calif., on Wednesday, September 13, 2017. Video by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s public health officer confirmed that another bat has tested positive for rabies, requiring treatment for the individual who came in contact with it, a situation that coincides with the annual seasonal southern migration of the region’s bat population.

Dr. Karen Tait said the bat was found in Kelseyville on Tuesday, and that the individual who came in contact with it was a juvenile.

Dave McQueen, superintendent of the Kelseyville Unified School District, told Lake County News that the juvenile is a freshman at Kelseyville High School.

The Tuesday case is the second reported over the past two weeks by county health officials.

A bat found in Lucerne tested positive for rabies, resulting in several people who had come in contact with the dying animal requiring treatment, as Lake County News has reported.

“We don’t always test bats. We test them if there’s human exposure and if the condition of the bat is fresh enough that it will be a good specimen,” said Tait, adding, “If we tested more we might find more.”

Tait said the Kelseyville Unified School District contacted Public Health about the bat.

She said Lake County Animal Care and Control Director Bill Davidson has been working closely with her staff to assist with collecting and transporting rabies specimens to the Sonoma County Public Health Laboratory for testing.

In this latest case, the bat was collected, went straight to the lab and they had results by the end of the day, Tait said.

Getting the specimens to the lab as soon as possible is critical, as Tait said it can help rule out rabies. If testing can’t be used, it obligates anyone who came in contact with suspect animals to go through treatment.

Tait said in both of the recent cases involving rabies-positive bats, the animals were acting sick.

In the Kelseyville case, the teen handled the bat, which was enough for Tait’s office to recommend treatment for rabies as it’s important to err on the side of caution.

“You don’t want to be wrong on this,” she said, explaining that rabies is almost 100-percent fatal, yet it’s also 100-percent preventable.

If Public Health knows a person has been exposed to rabies, Tait said the agency will track them through recommending treatment and checking with them to make sure they completed it.

“We get a lot of bite reports of animals that most likely were not rabies” but aren’t available for quarantine or testing, she said. “The majority of animals are not rabid, especially domestic animals.”

Tait added, “My concern is around the animals that are allowed to run free and allowed to interface with wildlife.”

She also emphasized the importance of vaccinating dogs and cats, including feral cats.

“The danger there is if the cat or dog becomes rabid, then they can expose people,” she said. “There is an underappreciation of that risk.”

“Any animal that licks itself to groom itself, if they’re rabid, the rabies virus is in the saliva,” she said.

So if a person handles such an animal and has a break in their skin, they could be exposed to rabies without even having been bitten, Tait explained.

Bats can also leave inapparent bites and scratches, which is why people who find bats flying around in their bedroom may have been inadvertently exposed while they were sleeping, she said.

Tait said that any mammal can get rabies, but the risk is lower with some than with others. That’s the case with opossums, which have cooler body temperatures that have resulted in them rarely getting the disease.

Rabies has no set incubation period, and the onset can range from days to months. Tait said that, usually after 10 days of observation, a domestic animal can be ruled not rabid.

More information about rabies can be found at https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/index.html.

Rachael Long is a Woodland-based University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources advisor who studies bats. Courtesy photo.

A numbers game

The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, reported that rabies is found in all 58 of the state’s counties.

In an October report, CDPH said bats have been the most frequently reported rabid animal in California from 2000 to 2015.

“As in previous years, most rabid bats were detected in the late summer and early autumn – a time when juvenile bats are leaving the roosts for the first time and adult bats are initiating pre-winter migration or search for winter roosts and hibernacula,” the report stated.

Tait said that bat rabies is in the environment and it’s important for the public to be aware.

“It’s just a little unusual that we’ve had two positive tests within a fairly short period of time,” she said.

However, Rachael Long, a Woodland-based University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources advisor who studies bats, explained that the recent rabies cases overlap with the beginning of the bat migration season referenced in the state report.

Long gave a presentation in Lake County in April to the Redbud Audubon Society about bats.

“We do have 26 species of bat in California, which is phenomenal,” she told Lake County News this week.

The most common bats in this part of California are the Mexican free-tailed bats, which have large colonies ranging into the hundreds of thousands at the Vic Fazio Wildlife Refuge between Davis and Sacramento; and the less-imaginatively named little brown bats and big brown bats, Long said.

While some bat species do hibernate in caves, those three species don’t, she said.

It’s the hibernating bat species that are hit by white nose syndrome, which hasn’t made it to this area yet, said Long.

The syndrome, which needs cool, humid conditions and thrives at 45 degrees, attacks them while they’re hibernating. Long said it grows on their wings and muzzles, and causes them to burn too much fat tissue so they can’t survive through the wintertime.

While white nose syndrome isn’t here yet, Long added, “We are going to get it because it’s really spreading like wildfire everywhere.”

Bats are primarily migratory, like swallows. “They depend on insects for their food source,” Long said, and as a lot of them don’t hibernate, they have to feed all year long.

She said they migrate north in the spring – through this area and the coast around April – when it warms up and there are a lot of insects.

They always go back to where they were born. “They have these incredible homing instincts, just like the salmon,” she said.

They have one pup per year, and it usually takes six to eight weeks to raise the pups and for them to learn to fly, Long explained.

Around the start of September, bats start to head south for the winter, and Long said they can migrate in the thousands from as far north as Canada to Southern California, Mexico and Central America.

Like birds, “They congregate and then they really start to move,” she said.

Due to those sheer numbers, Long said it’s during the migratory months that there are more bat-human encounters.

As they’re traveling, “They have to rest along the way,” said Long, and they sometimes rest in places where they truly don’t belong or where they’re noticed.

“The reason that we’re picking up more bats now, it’s just their migration,” she said.

Whereas mothers and young tend to stay together, juvenile male bats are more independent, and as a result they tend to have the hardest time during the migration. They’re often alone and don’t know where they are, Long said.

The level of rabies in bats “is really a numbers game,” said Long; more bats with rabies are being seen because more bats are migrating.

Rabies is endemic in bats, with usually about one in 1,000 infected, Long said. Thus, if you have 20,000 bats migrating through an area, 20 of them might have rabies, so it’s not really a rabies outbreak but an issue of increased population.

She encourages people who see bats in an area where they’re unlikely to be in contact with humans to simply leave them alone. At this time of year, especially, they’re flying thousands of miles and are tired, and so they may be resting during a break in their travels.

Long said people often think they have to call their local animal control agency when they see a bat that may be perfectly healthy. “That drives me crazy.”

Bats that have rabies are easy to distinguish, said Long, as they usually are so sick they’re paralyzed. If you come across such an animal, it should be tested.

That’s why it’s important to leave wildlife alone and especially to not handle bats with bare hands, Long said.

Like Tait, she encourages people to vaccinate their pets to protect them from rabies.

While Long and Tait urge precautions around bats, they also reminds people of how good and beneficial they are, despite the bad perception many people have about them.

“They’re such an important part of the ecosystem,” said Tait.

A 2011 study in the journal Science estimated that bats provide more than $23 billion per year in pest control to farmers.

Long said they’re agile and have wings built for incredibly fast flight and aerial maneuvers, with striated muscles that allow them to expand and contract their wings, which are the focus of special study.

“They’re just so amazing,” she 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.
Posted On


NASA's Cassini spacecraft is on final approach to Saturn, following confirmation by mission navigators that it is on course to dive into the planet’s atmosphere on Friday, Sept. 15.

Cassini is ending its 13-year tour of the Saturn system with an intentional plunge into the planet to ensure Saturn's moons – in particular Enceladus, with its subsurface ocean and signs of hydrothermal activity – remain pristine for future exploration.

The spacecraft's fateful dive is the final beat in the mission's Grand Finale, 22 weekly dives, which began in late April, through the gap between Saturn and its rings. No spacecraft has ever ventured so close to the planet before.

The mission’s final calculations predict loss of contact with the Cassini spacecraft will take place on Sept. 15 at 7:55 a.m. EDT (4:55 a.m. PDT).

Cassini will enter Saturn's atmosphere approximately one minute earlier, at an altitude of about 1,190 miles (1,915 kilometers) above the planet's estimated cloud tops (the altitude where the air pressure is 1-bar, equivalent to sea level on Earth).

During its dive into the atmosphere, the spacecraft's speed will be approximately 70,000 miles (113,000 kilometers) per hour.

The final plunge will take place on the day side of Saturn, near local noon, with the spacecraft entering the atmosphere around 10 degrees north latitude.

When Cassini first begins to encounter Saturn's atmosphere, the spacecraft's attitude control thrusters will begin firing in short bursts to work against the thin gas and keep Cassini's saucer-shaped high-gain antenna pointed at Earth to relay the mission's precious final data.

As the atmosphere thickens, the thrusters will be forced to ramp up their activity, going from 10 percent of their capacity to 100 percent in the span of about a minute.

Once they are firing at full capacity, the thrusters can do no more to keep Cassini stably pointed, and the spacecraft will begin to tumble.

When the antenna points just a few fractions of a degree away from Earth, communications will be severed permanently.

The predicted altitude for loss of signal is approximately 930 miles (1,500 kilometers) above Saturn's cloud tops. From that point, the spacecraft will begin to burn up like a meteor.

Within about 30 seconds following loss of signal, the spacecraft will begin to come apart; within a couple of minutes, all remnants of the spacecraft are expected to be completely consumed in the atmosphere of Saturn.

Due to the travel time for radio signals from Saturn, which changes as both Earth and the ringed planet travel around the Sun, events currently take place there 83 minutes before they are observed on Earth.

This means that, although the spacecraft will begin to tumble and go out of communication at 6:31 a.m. EDT (3:31 a.m. PDT) at Saturn, the signal from that event will not be received at Earth until 83 minutes later.

"The spacecraft's final signal will be like an echo. It will radiate across the solar system for nearly an hour and a half after Cassini itself has gone," said Earl Maize, Cassini project manager at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. "Even though we'll know that, at Saturn, Cassini has already met its fate, its mission isn't truly over for us on Earth as long as we're still receiving its signal."

Cassini's last transmissions will be received by antennas at NASA's Deep Space Network complex in Canberra, Australia.

Cassini is set to make groundbreaking scientific observations of Saturn, using eight of its 12 science instruments. All of the mission's magnetosphere and plasma science instruments, plus the spacecraft’s radio science system, and its infrared and ultraviolet spectrometers will collect data during the final plunge.

Chief among the observations being made as Cassini dives into Saturn are those of the Ion and Neutral Mass Spectrometer.

The instrument will directly sample the composition and structure of the atmosphere, which cannot be done from orbit.

The spacecraft will be oriented so that INMS is pointed in the direction of motion, to allow it the best possible access to oncoming atmospheric gases.

For the next couple of days, as Saturn looms ever larger, Cassini expects to take a last look around the Saturn system, snapping a few final images of the planet, features in its rings, and the moons Enceladus and Titan.

The final set of views from Cassini's imaging cameras is scheduled to be taken and transmitted to Earth on Thursday, Sept. 14. If all goes as planned, images will be posted to the Cassini mission website beginning around 11 p.m. EDT (8 p.m. PDT).

The unprocessed images will be available at https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/galleries/raw-images.

Live mission commentary and video from JPL Mission Control will air on NASA Television and the agency’s Web site from 7 to 8:30 a.m. EDT (4 a.m. to 5:30 a.m. PDT) on Sept. 15. A post-mission news briefing from JPL is currently scheduled for 9:30 a.m. EDT (6:30 a.m. PDT), also on NASA TV.

A new NASA e-book, The Saturn System Through the Eyes of Cassini, showcasing compelling images and key science discoveries from the mission, is available for free download in multiple formats at https://www.nasa.gov/ebooks.

An online toolkit of information and resources about Cassini's Grand Finale and final plunge into Saturn is available at https://saturn.jpl.nasa.gov/grandfinale.

Follow the Cassini spacecraft’s plunge on social media using #GrandFinale, or visit https://twitter.com/CassiniSaturn and https://www.facebook.com/NASACassini.

The Cassini-Huygens mission is a cooperative project of NASA, ESA (European Space Agency) and the Italian Space Agency. JPL, a division of Caltech in Pasadena, manages the mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL designed, developed and assembled the Cassini orbiter.

Blog Left ad
Posted On

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Fire crews are making progress on containing two wildland fires caused by lightning this past week on the Mendocino National Forest.

The largest incidents are the Skeleton fire and the Slides fire, located on the Upper Lake Ranger District, said forest spokeswoman Sandra Moore.

Moore said there are three other small fires in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness.

The Slides fire, located four miles west of Lake Pillsbury, was about 50 acres and 40-percent contained as of Thursday night, according to Moore.

There are 65 personnel at the incident, along with two dozers, 11 engines and one water tender, Moore reported.

She said steep terrain and burning material rolling downhill is hampering suppression efforts. The incident is being managed under a full suppression strategy to prevent fire from spreading into private property and structures.

More said Thursday night that the Skeleton fire was approximately 200 acres and 50-percent contained. The fire is four miles east of Lake Pillsbury.

Crews are reinforcing firelines and mopping up this incident. Approximately 120 resources are on scene including three crews, two dozers, eight engines and four water tenders. The fire is being managed under a full suppression strategy, Moore said.

Moore said there is a closure order in effect for the Skeleton fire to provide for firefighter and public safety due to the fire activity in the area.

The Forest Order No. 08-17-27 closes a portion of the M3 Road from its junction with the M10 Road and then north 14.5 miles to the Lower Nye Campground and includes the campground, Moore said. The campground is being used by firefighters and equipment.

The three fires in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness are the Penny, Pan and Harvey, Moore said.

Moore said smokejumpers are working on the Penny fire and the others remain unstaffed with little activity.
Posted On

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday, Sept. 20, the Lakeport Planning Commission will hold a public meeting concerning the review of possible amendments to the Lakeport Zoning Ordinance that would allow for commercial cannabis uses in the city.

The meeting will take place beginning at 5 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

At the Sept. 20 meeting commissioners will consider developing procedures for the allowance of commercial cannabis uses within the city.

Officials said the proposed changes would reflect state regulations associated with the recently approved Proposition 64 that legalized the personal use of cannabis in the state and other recent legislative changes concerning cannabis over the past couple of years.

At that meeting, the commission will do the following:

- Host a short discussion on recently approved legislation concerning commercial cannabis, including Prop 64 and SB 94;
- Consider potential use permit standards for commercial cannabis uses including cultivation, manufacturing, testing, retail delivery, etc.
- Look at appropriate zoning districts for the allowance of commercial cannabis uses. Staff is recommending the consideration of the “C-3,” Service Commercial and “I,” Industrial zoning districts.

The public is encouraged to attend and participate.

Following that meeting the city will develop a draft ordinance for the regulations of commercial cannabis to be presented at a joint workshop of both the Lakeport Planning Commission and Lakeport City Council on Tuesday, Oct. 3, with the time to be determined.

Those with questions or who wish to get more information can call the Lakeport Community Development Department at 707-263-5613 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Posted On

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Mendocino National Forest fire personnel are managing several fires across the forest after thunderstorms on Tuesday.

The largest incidents are the Skeleton fire and the Slides fire, located on the Upper Lake Ranger District.

The Slides fire is approximately four miles west of Lake Pillsbury and is estimated at 50 acres, according to a Wednesday report from forest spokeswoman Sandra Moore.

Moore said resources ordered for this incident include smokejumpers, airtankers and helicopters. There is private property in proximity to the fire.

The Mendocino Emergency Communication Center reports it is having difficulty filling resource orders, Moore said.

The Skeleton fire is approximately four miles east of Lake Pillsbury near the boundary of the Snow Mountain Wilderness after a location correction that originally placed it within the wilderness, Moore said.

Moore said that fire is estimated at 200 acres with two crews assigned. It is growing at a moderate rate of spread in chaparral, timber and grass.

There are several other new fires across the forest and information about these will be provided as it becomes available, Moore said.

Moore said the forecast for Wednesday shows a slight chance of thunderstorms, temperatures 87 to 92 degrees, partly cloudy with light variable winds.
Posted On

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Campus of Woodland Community College presents “Building CommUNITY” on Monday, Sept. 18, from 5 to 7 p.m.

Guest speakers Voris Brumfield, Aqeela Elamin, Karl Parker and Steve Wylie will respond and comment on questions about the First Amendment right of free speech, freedom of religion, as well as their experience with discrimination and prejudices.

Too often, we have found ways to create a divide between us in the nation, even in our own communities. Yet, the connections between community members is necessary to build up a community that is prosperous and successful. How do we overcome this divide? How we do build a community together? How do we unite?

These are all important questions that this event will attempt to answer and leave attendees with a new perspective of self and community.

Lake County Campus is located at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake and the event will be in the 200 building, next to Aromas Café.

For more information call 707-995-7900 or visit http://lcc.yccd.edu.
Posted On

MENDOCINO NATIONAL FOREST, Calif. – Fire crews continue to work on a number of lightning-caused fires across the Mendocino National Forest after thunderstorms on Tuesday.

The largest incidents are the Skeleton fire and the Slides fire, located on the Upper Lake Ranger District, according to forest spokeswoman Sandra Moore.

Moore said there are several other small fires in other areas of the forest.

The Slides fire is approximately four miles west of Lake Pillsbury. It is estimated at 40 acres and 20 percent contained, Moore said Wednesday night.

She said there are 65 personnel at the incident, two dozers, 11 engines, and one water tender. There is private property in proximity to the fire.

On Wednesday, the very large air tanker, or VLAT, DC-10 was used to drop several loads of retardant on the fire, Moore said.

Moore explained that the VLAT can drop a little over 11,000 gallons of retardant per load. Water scoopers are also on order. Steep terrain is hampering suppression efforts.

The Skeleton fire is about five miles east of Lake Pillsbury, adjacent to the Snow Mountain Wilderness. It is estimated at 200 acres and 40 percent contained, Moore said.

She said crews are reporting creeping and smoldering fire activity. Approximately 120 resources are on scene including three crews, two dozers, eight engines and four water tenders.

Three additional lightning-caused fires – the Penny, Pan and Harvey – are located in the Yolla Bolly Middle Eel Wilderness, Moore said.

Smokejumpers are assigned to the Penny fire, the other fires remain unstaffed, according to Moore’s report.
Posted On

LAKEPORT, Calif. – While Lake County continues to face enormous fiscal challenges, the county of Lake’s administrative officer told the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday that there also is reason for optimism as staff considers new ways of doing business and improving operations.

The supervisors unanimously approved the county’s 2017-18 final recommended budget, which County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson presented at the board’s Tuesday morning meeting.

The budget’s appropriations total approximately $230,395,789, based on the resolution the board approved.

That total breaks down as follows, according to the resolution:

- Salaries and benefits: $78,263,474;
- Services and supplies: $74,395,443;
- Other charges: $34,428,739;
- Fixed assets: $3,615,005;
- Construction in progress: $41,624,650;
- Other financing uses: ($3,593,160);
- contingencies: $1,661,638.

This year’s budget is nearly $11 million more than the final recommended budget the board approved for fiscal year 2016-17.

Budget narratives and documents for the meeting can be found under the meeting date at budget item at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/LegislationDetail.aspx?ID=3144840&GUID=B84A1B0D-507A-4DCF-8FE7-D91086266A47.

Over the years, it’s been common practice for the board to hold its most substantive budget hearings in September, when the final recommended budget is presented.

However, this year, Huchingson rearranged the process, with the board having an extended hearing in June in which there were presentations by each of the county’s department heads.

It’s that process that Huchingson indicated on Tuesday would be used going forward, as she said it made more sense to hold the longer hearings at the start of the fiscal year, not a few months in as has traditionally been done.

With the significant hearing held in June, on Tuesday Huchingson said she saw no need to hold another lengthy hearing. As such, her presentation and the board’s brief discussion took up only about 20 minutes of the hour-and-a-half-long meeting.

Huchingson’s presentation was both realistic and optimistic, sizing up challenges and emphasizing that the budget will take on those challenges in new ways.

“While the state and most other counties are fully recovered or actively recovering from the dip that hit all of us in the recession, we here in Lake County continue to face many financial challenges,” Huchingson said.

In particular, the county continues to face the many fiscal impacts resulting from the wildfire disasters of 2015 and 2016.

Tuesday was the second anniversary of the beginning of the most devastating of those fires, the Valley fire, which burned from Sept. 12 into early October of 2015.

The Valley fire resulted in four confirmed deaths, destroyed more than 1,950 structures – about 1,300 of them homes – and scorched more than 76,000 acres across the south county. It continues to be listed by the state as the third-most destructive fire in California’s history.

The Clayton fire, which occurred in Lower Lake in August 2016, burned more than 3,900 acres and 300 structures, 200 of them homes.

In addition to the fires, Huchingson said the county had costs increases in its labor agreements with safety employees in 2016 and 2017 that it is still working to cover.

There also have been retirement contribution increases for the workforce, although the county always had had a very modest version of the CalPERS retirement program compared to other jurisdictions, she said.

She also thanked the county’s department heads for their support and cooperation in bringing forward the budget, which included a new approach to budget narratives meant not just to present numbers but also to give a fuller picture of what each department does.

“This final recommended budget poses many solutions to these challenging fiscal times, both budgetarily and in terms of staffing,” with the document looking both at new revenue streams and operational efficiencies, she said.

Even though the financial picture is not as exciting as county officials would like it to be, "It's a time of opportunity to reinvent the way we do business, and so it is really an exciting time,” Huchingson said.

In terms of revenues, Huchingson said the 2017-18 budget includes the assumption of an update to the master fee schedule, which staff will be bringing back to the board on Sept. 19. The schedule was updated last year and the staff is now in a regular cycle of updating it, which she said will help the county’s revenues in years to come.

"As a whole, if we're going to meet our revenue needs in the future, we must focus on economic development in the county. We have to grow our tax base. Our property tax revenue is among the lowest of California counties and it was low even before the wildfire disasters decimated 22 percent of our land mass here in Lake County,” Huchingson said.

Huchingson said this budget also provides for consulting services to help look at other revenue enhancements and operational efficiencies.

“We're really at a time in which we need to reinvent ourselves,” she said.

Huchingson said staff also is recommending the establishment of “a technology modernization reserve.”

They’re proposing to put $500,000 of one-time funds into a reserve and then establish a committee that will compile recommendations for the board’s future consideration regarding technology advancements.

Huchingson said the county also must take action to address increases in the county’s retirement program which, while modest, is still expected to see costs rise “tremendously.”

She said staff has established a pension stabilization fund as part of its planning for those increases. Over the next seven years, the county’s general fund is anticipated to have increases to the tune of $18 million due to those growing retirement costs.

Absent new revenue, the county has to use one-time fund balance carryover to balance the budget, which Huchingson said comes at the expensive of one-time projects and building maintenance.

However, Huchingson noted of the budget document that it’s far from all negative.

The positives include maintaining service levels to the sheriff’s office, fully funding a sidewalk project in Clearlake Oaks and increasing funds for roads by almost $1 million, she said.

She said the budget is balanced, which means it has sufficient revenue to support its appropriations, although because of the use of one-time funds to support ongoing operations it’s not structurally balanced, which has been the case for the last couple of years.

Huchingson said the amount of one-time funds proposed to be used in the 2017-18 budget is less than the previous year.

Deputy County Administrative Officer Jeff Rein, one of the staffers who Huchingson cited as being key in preparing the budget, told Lake County News after the meeting that the county’s 2016-17 budget had used $1.5 million in one-time funds to balance, while the amount in this new fiscal year is smaller, coming in at $1.1 million.

He said the goal is that the use of those one-time funds will be eliminated after three years.

Huchingson told the board that despite the continuing pressure of diminishing funds and staffing challenges, the county’s departments continue to provide quality services.

Salary and benefits are as much factors as keeping up with volume of recruitments that the county needs, said Huchingson.

Filling jobs is such a concern that earlier in the meeting on Tuesday a new standing agenda item debuted in which staff reports on current job openings and recruitments.

Huchingson said the county’s compensation plan has lagged behind the other counties to which Lake typically is compared, and on average the county government’s salaries are considerably lower than other counties, which is why Lake serves as a training county.

“So we are facing many challenges,” said Huchingson. “It’s a strange time because at the same time I tell you I'm excited about the prospect of reinventing the way we do business, through the engagement of your board and with the dedication of department heads I believe that we can confront this budget year with positive momentum. It's really a time of opportunity where we look for new ways of doing business.”

“It always amazes me how we can do so much with so little,” said Supervisor Rob Brown.

He said the county hasn’t laid off people, which is something that would normally have to be done in tough budget times. “Our employees are our most valuable asset,” he said, adding that the county is fortunate in its department heads.

Board Chair Jeff Smith said this is the 19th budget he’s been part of, and recalled the many ups and downs the county has faced.

He said that he hopes a solar project to benefit the county’s senior centers will be done eventually. “I’m still hoping that’ll get some legs and move on after I’m gone,” said Smith, who intends to retire after his fifth four-year term is up.

In finalizing the budget, the board unanimously approved four items – including three resolutions to adopt the final recommended budget, approve position allocations and cancel general reserves, and the continuation of a hiring freeze, delegating authority to Huchingson to waive the freeze as appropriate.

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.
Posted On

State Senators Mike McGuire and Scott Wiener’s Presidential Tax Transparency Bill that would require all presidential primary candidates to release their tax returns prior to being placed on the California ballot passed the State Assembly on Thursday.

It now heads back for a concurrence vote in the Senate and then will be on its way to the governor’s desk.

California’s Secretary of State Alex Padilla has also endorsed the transparency bill.

“President Trump’s blatant disregard for the tradition of releasing tax returns is dangerous to our democracy,” Sen. McGuire said. “For decades, every president has put their personal beliefs aside and put our country first and released their returns. SB 149 helps to reestablish desperately needed transparency in the White House, and we are looking forward to seeing the governor’s signature on the bill.”

SB 149 – the Presidential Tax Transparency & Accountability Act – will require basic tax information to be shared with the American public and require that all presidential candidates release the last 5 years of their tax returns in order to appear on the California ballot.

The returns would also be made available to the public on the Secretary of State’s Web site.

After President Trump’s election and potential conflicts of interest became apparent, legislators in California and several other states across the country moved forward with similar legislation mandating the release of tax returns — but so far California is the closest to seeing the bill become law.

“This bill is about giving the American people the honesty and transparency they deserve from anyone who wishes to serve as their president,” said Sen. Wiener. “As the months continue to go by in the disastrous Trump Administration and the investigations and conflicts of interest pile up, it becomes more and more clear how critical basic transparency is in how we elect our president. I’m proud to be partnering with Sen. McGuire on this bill to restore and strengthen the trust between American voters and future presidents."

Prior to Donald Trump’s refusal to release any tax returns, every president since Jimmy Carter has released at least one year of tax returns.

During the 2016 Presidential election, Hillary Clinton (Democratic) and Jill Stein (Green) both released their tax returns.

Contrary to what President Trump has stated in public that Americans don’t care about his tax returns, 74 percent of respondents in national polls on the issue believe President Trump should release his tax returns.

The bill passed the State Assembly on Thursday on a 42-18 vote. The bill was presented on the Assembly Floor by Assemblymember Santiago.
Posted On

NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office and the Mendocino County Office of Emergency Services will be conducting a countywide emergency notification exercise as part of a regional tsunami warning communications test on Oct. 18.

The exercise will take place from 11 a.m. to noon, according to Emergency Services Coordinator Rick Ehlert.

Ehlert said community members who have not already registered for the Mendocino County Alert and Notification System are urged to do so before the Oct. 18 test date to participate in the exercise and ensure they can receive the county’s emergency notifications.

Community members can register for the Alert and Notification System at the OES Web site at www.MendocinoCounty.org/OES and click on the registration link at the bottom of the page, Ehlert said.

He said residents must register and opt-in to receive emergency notifications to their cell phones and other devices. Some landline phone numbers are automatically imputed into the system, but to ensure emergency notifications are received all residents are urged to register.

This is the primary system which is used to communicate with the public during times of emergency. Ehlert said it is vital residents register to ensure they get important time sensitive information.

Ehlert said the Oct. 18 alert and notification test will send a test notification to all registered community members countywide via their preferred communication method (text message, voice phone call, or email) and to most land lines. This message will clearly state that the notification is only a test and not a real emergency.

Additionally, on Oct. 18 between 11 a.m. and noon the National Weather Service office in Eureka will be conducting a Tsunami Warning Communications Test in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties, according to Ehlert.

If you are listening to the radio, you may hear alerting tones followed by a voice announcing that the test is occurring. Ehlert said if you have a NOAA weather radio with the Public Alert feature, the radio will automatically turn on and you will hear the same message as broadcast on radios.

In some areas, you may also hear the sounding of a tsunami siren, or an airplane testing its public address system. The tsunami sirens in Noyo Harbor, Pudding Creek, and Point Arena Cove are planned to be activated and will sound for approximately one to three minutes, Ehlert said.

To register or learn more about the Mendocino County Alert and Notification System, including a list of frequently asked questions, please visit www.MendocinoCounty.org/OES.
Posted On

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall this week is set to get updates on a number of new projects in southern Lake County.

MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 14, at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St.

Meetings are open to the community, and offer the opportunity for additional public input on items not included on the agenda.

Items on the agenda include information on the Montesol Park project on the border of Lake and Napa counties; Huttopia at Six Sigma; the Guenoc Valley resort and residential project; and the design of a traffic circle Caltrans proposes to build at Highway 29 and Hartmann Road.

There also will be updates on oak tree protections, the Middletown Quick Lube and Dollar General projects, a proposed retail development at Highway 29 and Butts Canyon Road and a Valley fire memorial.

The MATH Board includes Chair Claude Brown, Vice Chair Linda Diehl-Darms, Secretary Fletcher Thornton, and members Lisa Kaplan and Gregg Van Oss.

MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

Meetings are subject to videotaping.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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.

LCNews

Responsible local journalism on the shores of Clear Lake.

 

Memberships:

 

Search