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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The latest report on unemployment in California shows that the recovery of jobs is continuing, with local and state jobless rates dropping.

The Employment Development Department said California’s unemployment rate was 13.3 percent in July thanks to the addition of 140,400 new jobs. That’s down 1.6 percent from June 2020, but up 9.3 percent from July of last year.

The Employment Development Department said California has now regained about a third – or 31.2 percent – of the 2,625,500 nonfarm jobs lost during March and April as a direct result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Despite California’s unemployment rate of 13.3 percent being noticeably lower than the record high of 16.4 percent from April and May, it is still above the 12.3 percent mark set during the height of the Great Recession in March, October and November 2010.

In Lake County, employment in July was 11.6 percent, down from a final rate of 14.2 percent in June, 15.5 percent in May and 16.7 percent in April, according to state data.

For comparison, Lake County’s July 2019 unemployment rate was 5.1 percent.

California had a record gain of 542,500 jobs in June and record losses from March and April in a data series that dates back to 1976, officials reported.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics said the nationwide unemployment rate in July was 10.2 percent, down from 11.1 percent in June, 13.2 percent in May and 14.7 percent in April.

Lake County’s civilian labor force in July totaled 26,920, up from 25,850 in June. The number of unemployed in July totaled 3,130, down from 3,670 in June, according to state data.

The farming sector in Lake County added nearly 300 jobs in July, an increase of 34.5 percent, with total nonfarm jobs up by 5.3 percent, or 680 jobs. That’s still down by 9.6 percent when compared with jobs in July 2019.

Within the nonfarm jobs category, the strongest sectors included goods producing, 35.5 percent; total private, 12.2 percent; private service providing, 9.6 percent; and service providing, 2.9 percent.

Leisure and hospitality, a subcategory of private service providing, showed an increase of 32.9 percent since June, but a year-over decrease of 18.6 percent.

The only subcategory showing job losses in any sector was government, down by 13 percent.

Lake County’s July jobless rate ranked it No. 31 of California’s 58 counties.

Lake’s neighboring county jobless rates and ranks for November are Colusa, 15.3 percent, No. 53; Glenn, 10.8 percent, No. 20; Mendocino, 10.9 percent, No. 22; Napa, 10.4 percent, No. 17; Sonoma, 9.8 percent, No. 11; and Yolo, 9.5 percent, No. 9.

In July, the impacts of the pandemic continued to give some rural counties higher jobless rankings than the urban areas that historically have been placed higher.

Trinity and Lassen counties tied with the lowest unemployment statement, at 8.6 percent, followed by Marin and Modoc, tied at 8.8 percent, and San Mateo at 9.2 percent.

The high unemployment in July was in Imperial County, 26.8 percent, with Los Angeles, 18.2 percent, Mono, 16.6 percent, Kern, 16.5 percent, and Tulare, 16.2 percent, rounding out the bottom five.

State job picture improving

The Employment Development Department said the number of Californians holding jobs in July was 16,293,900, an increase of 153,700 from June, but down 2,315,400 from the employment total in July of last year.

At the same time, the number of unemployed Californians was 2,510,100 in July, a decrease of 320,800 over the month, but up by 1,738,500 compared with July of last year.

Total nonfarm jobs in California’s 11 major industries totaled 15,796,100 in July – a net gain of 140,400 jobs from June. That job total is 113,400 fewer than June 2020 and down 1,643,600 from July of last year.

Total nonfarm jobs decreased by 1,643,600 – a 9.4-percent decrease – from July 2019 to July 2020 compared to the U.S. annual loss of 11,371,000 jobs, a 7.5-percent decrease, the state said.

The number of jobs in the agriculture industry increased by 22,400 jobs from June to 335,500. The agricultural industry has lost 85,900 farm jobs since July 2019, the state reported.

The month-over decrease in California’s unemployment rate (-1.6 percentage points) was larger than that of the nation as a whole (-0.9 percentage point), the report said.

Nine of California’s 11 industry sectors gained jobs in July.

The Employment Development Department said that among those industries, trade, transportation and utilities (+40,900) had the largest job gain due to the performance of motor vehicle and professional equipment wholesalers, as well as automobile dealers. The government sector grew by more than 36,000 jobs, thanks to the growth in state government.

The state reported the construction industry lost more than 14,800 jobs in July, largely due to weak hiring in residential construction despite hiring in non-residential construction being strong.

Unemployment claims up

The Employment Development Department said there were 3,144,098 people certifying for Unemployment Insurance benefits during the July 2020 sample week. That compares to 2,778,771 people in June 2020 and 308,212 people in July 2019.

Concurrently, 244,506 initial claims were processed in the July 2020 sample week, which was a month-over decrease of 39,794 claims from June 2020 but a year-over increase of 205,016 claims from July 2019, the Employment Development Department said.

Separately, the state reported that the Employment Development Department has disbursed more than $76.9 billion in benefit payments since March.

The agency said it has processed approximately 11.9 million in claims for Unemployment Insurance, Pandemic Unemployment Assistance and benefit claims extensions over that timeframe.

The average amount of benefits paid daily by EDD over the week of Aug. 20, $724 million, was 967 percent higher than the daily average paid over the same week at the height of the Great Recession ($68 million) in 2010.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has expanded a mandatory evacuation order for Pillsbury Ranch to include the entire Lake Pillsbury basin due to fire conditions on the growing August Complex.

The sheriff’s office issued the expanded mandatory evacuation order shortly before 5:30 p.m. Monday, about two hours after ordering residents of Pillsbury Ranch to leave the area.

The upgraded order now includes all areas and residents north of Pack Saddle Creek, south of the Lake County line, west of the Lake County Line and east of the Lake County Line.

Residents are advised that there is an immediate threat to life and property from a wildfire, and are urged to evacuate.

Evacuees needing shelter are directed to a temporary evacuation point that is being established at the Upper Lake County Park, 575 East Highway 20.

The US Forest Service said the August Complex on the Mendocino National Forest is up to 349,565 acres and 24-percent containment.

A major wind event is forecast for Monday night through early Tuesday morning, which officials said is increasing fire danger.

At the same time, a red flag warning is going into effect on Monday night because of fire weather conditions.

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.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The August Complex is continuing to burn across forestland in four counties, with 20,000 more acres reported burned as of Sunday.

The US Forest Service said the August Complex in the Mendocino National Forest reached 325,172 acres and 24 percent containment on Sunday.

The Hull, Doe, Tatham, and Glade fires have merged to form one large fire, officials said.

There are 1,070 resources committed to the complex, including 22 crews, four camp crews, seven helicopters, 53 engines, 20 dozers, 32 water tenders, and two masticators.

Due to high temperatures and gusty winds, the potential for rapid fire spread throughout the complex will continue today through Tuesday, officials said. Temperatures could range from the mid-90s on the ridges to 110 degrees in the valleys.

A spot fire moved beyond the containment line in the Buck Rock area moving west towards an old burn scar. The Forest Service said crews will continue to contain and mop up the spot.

Firefighters were assisted with air operations dropping water from C-130 tankers and helicopters Saturday on the Hopkins fire, which is 15,466 acres and 10-percent contained, officials said.

The Forest Service said firefighters continue to use old burn scars and road systems in burnout operations, working along Rainbow Ridge with crews and heavy equipment, and air support.

Air operations also supported work in the areas around the M1 Road near the northwest corner of the Hull fire. Officials said a spot crossed the line during a burnout operation on Saturday. Fire retardant was used to cool down the area and hand crews worked to mop up the spot fire. That work continued on Sunday.

The burnout operations near Mendocino Pass to the west side of the Doe fire were successful and stayed within containment lines, officials said. Crews are also conducting burnout operations around the Mitchell Place on the north end of the Complex.

The Forest Service said crews are performing these operations in anticipation of potential rapid fire spread in the coming days. The burnout operations are aimed at slowing or stopping the fire as it reaches predetermined areas.

Mendocino National Forest officials updated the area closure for the August Complex on Sept. 5. The Forest Order 08-20-12 and map are posted on the forest website.

Daily updates and the virtual community meeting can be found on the Mendocino National Forest Facebook page.

The most up to date information on the August Complex can be found on InciWeb.


The August Complex as mapped on Sunday, Sept. 6, 2020. Map courtesy of the US Forest Service.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet to discuss several projects this week, including an application to rename a city street in honor of the man who was instrumental in the creation of Westside Community Park.

The commission will meet via webinar beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The agenda is available here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling 951-384-3421 or toll-free, 877-309-2071. The access code is 825-284-020; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments prior to 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 9.

Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.

On Wednesday’s agenda, the commission will entertain a proposal from the Westside Community Park Commission to rename Westside Park Road to Charlie Jolin’s Way.

Jolin, who died June 29, led the effort to develop the park.

In July, the Lakeport City Council approved beginning the street renaming process, as Lake County News has reported.

It will be up to the commission to decide if the name change is in conformance with the city’s general plan and the existing street name network.

Another item of business on the commission’s agenda is an application for a use permit submitted by Precision Window Tint for automotive service at 112 Armstrong St., located in the city’s central business zoning district.

The commission also will continue its discussion, begun last month, of a project proposed by Jonathan and Doug Bridges for a 35,800 commercial self-storage facility located at 1296 and 1320 Craig Ave.

The Bridges are seeking approval of a general plan amendment, zone change, and an architectural and design review for the project.

Another project seeking a general plan amendment, along with an environmental review and zone change, is one proposed by Cory Poso, who wants to convert two high-density parcels at 1339 and 1343 Broten Court to low density residential to allow for the development of a single-family dwelling.

City documents said the two parcels together are approximately 4.8 acres.

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.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Monday afternoon issued a mandatory evacuation order for the Pillsbury Ranch area due to the growing August Complex and a wind event forecast for the area.

The US Forest Service said Monday the August Complex has grown to 349,565 acres – an increase of 24,000 acres since Sunday – with containment remaining at 24 percent.

Officials said there are 1,138 resources committed to the complex, which is burning primarily in the Mendocino National Forest.

A previous evacuation warning for Pillsbury Ranch had been lifted on Sept. 3, but on Monday shortly before 2:30 p.m. the sheriff’s office instituted a new one due to an expected wind event that begins on Monday evening.

Just over an hour later, the sheriff’s office upgraded that new evacuation warning to a mandatory evacuation order, which covers the areas north of Forest Road M1, south of the Lake County line, west of Bloody Rock and east of the Lake County Line.  

Residents and visitors in the area are ordered to leave immediately.

Those in need of shelter should respond to a temporary evacuation point that is being established at the Upper Lake County Park, 575 East Highway 20. Evacuees are asked to stay in their vehicles and wear masks when they arrive at the park. A shelter is being established for them.

The Forest Service said there are multiple wind direction shifts expected through the day and into early morning Tuesday with strong gusts of up to 30 to 40 miles per hour. Winds are expected to shift from the southwest to the northeast by early Tuesday morning.

The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning on Sunday afternoon that’s in effect from 10 p.m. Monday to 8 a.m. Wednesday. There is potential for increased fire activity and spread with heavy smoke production, the Forest Service said.

Officials said fire activity increased Sunday due to high temperatures and gusty winds throughout the complex. Fire crews are prepared for heightened fire activity over the next couple of days due to the extreme forecast weather.

There were successful burnout operations in multiple areas of the complex. The burnout operations along the M2 Road and in the area around the Mitchell Place on the north end of the complex are holding in place, officials said.

Another effective burnout operation from the area around the Mare Cabin down to Brewer Oak Camp progressed steadily ahead of the fire. The Forest Service said the spot fire east of Howard Lake has moved into an old burn scar and is holding on the northern side of the lake.

Firefighters worked to contain the spot fire from Saturday on the Hopkins fire, which is 18,514 acres and 10 percent contained. The Forest Service said those efforts will continue into Monday to hold the containment line. Access to this area from Highway 36 or Forest Road 30 is not advised.

On the southwest corner of the complex, the Forest Service said firefighters will work on the spot fire in the Mendenhall Creek area Monday. This is a focal area for operations ahead of the upcoming northeast winds.

The August Complex as mapped by the US Forest Service on Monday, September 7, 2020.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County and much of the rest of the state is under a fire weather watch for early in the new week due to extremely high temperatures.

The National Weather Service issued the fire weather watch, which is in effect from 10 p.m. Monday through 8 a.m. Wednesday.

A fire weather watch means that critical fire weather conditions are forecast to occur, the National Weather Service said.

The forecast calls for a prolonged period of hot and dry conditions that began this weekend and will continue into early next week.

The National Weather Service said that period will be followed by the potential for strong north to northeast winds on area ridges from Monday evening through Wednesday morning, with wind speeds estimated to be between 20 and 30 miles per hour, and gusts as high as 40 miles per hour.

These winds would primarily impact Lake County and extreme eastern portions of Mendocino and Trinity counties, based on the forecast.

Strong winds combined with low relative humidity values of between 10 and 15 percent on Tuesday afternoon with poor overnight recoveries in the 25- to 40-percent range could result in critical fire weather conditions, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters said those conditions meant that any new fires that develop will likely spread rapidly.

At the same time, an excessive heat warning is in effect in Lake County and across the state through Tuesday at 6 p.m. due to temperatures topping the century mark.

Compounding the situation for Lake County is a continuing air quality alert that’s in effect through 10 p.m. Monday.

The Lake County Air Quality Management District issued the alert due to smoky and hazy conditions from the LNU Lightning Complex, which is nearly full containment, and the August Complex, which continues to grow in the Mendocino National Forest.

Local air quality conditions can be tracked here.

A fire and smoke map can be found here.

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.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee will discuss COVID-19 recovery, development of a public art master plan and get updates on city activities when it meets this week.

The committee, or LEDAC, will meet telephonically from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Sept. 9.

The meeting is open to the public.

If you would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the meeting remotely by joining from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device. Please register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

If you prefer to use your phone, you must select "Use Telephone" after joining the webinar and call in using these numbers: United States (toll-free): 877-309-2071; United States: 562-247-8421; Access Code: 748-407-093.

On the agenda is a presentation by Sheli Wright, the new CEO of the Lake County Fair, about plans and partnerships and this year’s virtual fair events, according to LEDAC Chair Wilda Shock.

Shock said LEDAC members also will be asked to consider engaging with surveying and contacting businesses to gain an informed awareness of the challenges and opportunities in the current and post-COVID-19 world.

She said this activity will be in lieu of the annual business walk activity conducted in person by the city of Lakeport, LEDAC and volunteers.

City Manager Kevin Ingram will discuss the development of a master plan for public art projects in Lakeport, with an initial emphasis on the new lakefront park area now under development at 800 N. Main St., Shock said.

There also will be member reports from the Lakeport Main Street Association, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, CareerPoint Lake, Mendocino College/Lake Center, Lake EDC/BARC and others.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Secretary Terre Logsdon, Maureen Brasier, Candy De Los Santos, Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Pam Harpster, Andy Lucas, Laura Sammel and Amanda Xu. City staff who are members include City Manager Kevin Ingram.

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.
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Hardened wheel ruts from early 1900s travelers on Oat Hill Mine Road in Northern California. Photo credit: John Parker.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Mercury, which occurs naturally in many parts of California’s Coast Range, was mined during three eras in our region: the Gold Rush for recovering gold flakes (late 1800s), the two world wars for munitions (early- to mid-1900s), and most recently for products such as hearing aids, batteries and fluorescent light bulbs (up to the early 1970s).

We are now left with the legacy of about 80 abandoned mercury mines in the upper Cache Creek and Putah Creek watersheds.

This mining largely pre-dated two important developments: major water projects damming and diverting runoff from the two watersheds, and modern environmental laws. Enterprising miners simply dumped their contaminated waste downhill to be swept away in the next storm. That contaminated material still blankets our landscape.

Today’s mercury problem

Mercury is an odd element: it is liquid at room temperature, yet 13 times denser than water. In nature, mercury is a concern because one form, methylmercury, is extremely toxic to humans and wildlife – one droplet is enough to pollute several Olympic-size swimming pools worth of water.

Today, mercury is a common cause of contaminated waters statewide, including in our local watersheds.

Exposure to methylmercury comes largely from eating fish that have accumulated it through their diets to levels about one million times more concentrated than their water.

The state’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment has issued several warnings for people to limit their consumption of local fish.

But wait … there’s more! The LNU Lightning Complex Fires are burning around many mine sites. Fire impacts on mercury can vary depending on factors such as the fire’s temperature and the forms of mercury, but much more than usual can be released into the air (vaporized and adsorbed to smoke and ash) and downstream (adsorbed to eroded ash and soil).

A silver lining of fires is that they clear the vegetation, making it easier to identify, access and clean up mine sites.

Remains along Oat Hill Mine Road in Northern California of a brick furnace used to process mercury ore. Photo credit: James Scott


Tuleyome to the rescue

Tuleyome, a nonprofit organization based in Woodland, is a regional leader in cleaning up abandoned mercury mine sites.

Tuleyome led projects from 2012 to 2019 funded by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Ecosystem Restoration Program to clean up the Corona and Twin Peaks mercury mines in northwest Napa County. The site is in the Lake Berryessa watershed, and contributed to high mercury concentrations in fish and fish-eating birds in the streams and lake.

The core project team assembled under Tuleyome’s leadership included many regional experts: soil scientist Vic Claassen from UC Davis, mining geologist Greg Reller of Burleson Consulting in Folsom, general contractor Justin Smith from Middletown, attorney Michael Lozeau of Lozeau & Drury in Alameda, environmental engineer Peter Green from UC Davis, and chemist Tim Tsukamoto of TKT Consulting in Reno, Nevada.

As a “Good Samaritan,” Tuleyome worked with regulators to address the many environmental laws governing abandoned mine sites. The project team spent many hours studying the site’s cultural history, plants and animals.

Those efforts allowed the team to most effectively make the site safer, revegetate barren hillsides, and treat acidic drainage water. Researchers continue to study the bacteria found in the mine drainage water for their ability to thrive in such harsh conditions.

Tuleyome also recently completed a project funded by Napa County’s Lake Berryessa Watershed Improvement Program to improve nearly three miles of Oat Hill Mine Road, which passes by several mercury mines (including Corona and Twin Peaks).

The road, first constructed in 1867 for stagecoaches, ran into disrepair when the alternative toll road became a free public highway in 1924 and large-scale mining operations along the roadway ceased.

Most culverts were undersized and improperly installed, frequently failing during heavy rains. After culverts plugged, runoff flowed down the dirt road, scouring channels and washing away berms.

Tuleyome’s project team designed and constructed durable road improvements to reduce erosion (of mercury-rich sediment) and localized flooding, leading to better water quality downstream and access to the mine sites and road network.

This project also supported the planned Napa County Open Space Trail System and public primitive campground, potentially connecting to the popular Oat Hill Mine Trail.

Tuleyome project team members inspecting new improvements to Oat Hill Mine Road in Northern California. Photo credit: Stephen McCord.

What’s next?

Regional water managers recently completed a project to identify and prioritize all of our region’s mercury mine sites, and then to conduct detailed site assessments and produce cleanup plans for a select few. Several stakeholders are now considering how to address those sites.

Tuleyome is also proposing to improve roads in a designated off-highway vehicle use area near Knoxville (in the Lake Berryessa watershed and beside a UC Davis reserve).

As for the recent road improvement project, these planned efforts will reduce mercury-laden soil erosion from contaminating local waterways and the lake.

For more information, visit www.tuleyome.org/projects/mercury-mine-remediation-program.

Stephen McCord is president of McCord Environmental, based in Davis, California. As a registered professional engineer, he has more than 25 years of consulting, research and teaching experience in the environmental engineering field throughout the US and internationally. Dr. McCord has managed Tuleyome’s mercury cleanup projects since 2011. Tuleyome is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization that engages in advocacy and active stewardship with diverse communities to conserve, enhance, restore and enjoy the lands in the region.
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The California Independent System Operator said consumer conservation helped grid operators avoid rotating power outages on Saturday and Sunday, with another Flex Alert to be called on Monday as high temperatures continue across the state.

The grid operator declared a Stage 2 Emergency just before 6 p.m. Sunday when a transmission line from Oregon reduced capacity by 900 megawatts due to the heat. At the same time, generation totaling 260 megawatts tripped offline.

Conservation helped grid operators overcome those challenges and avoid rotating power outages.

“Consumer action to conserve energy tonight was key to helping us keep power flowing throughout the state,” said Eric Schmitt, ISO’s vice president of operations. “We recognize the sacrifice that consumers make in conserving energy during these very hot conditions, and appreciate their contribution.”

The ISO issued a Flex Alert to urge consumers to conserve energy during this statewide heatwave that’s driving up energy consumption.

The Flex Alert will be reissued on Monday, with conservation needed again from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., the ISO said.

Consumers are urged to conserve electricity when the grid is most stressed in the afternoons and evenings, when temperatures remain high and solar production is falling due to the sun setting.

Between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m., the ISO is urging consumers to:

– Set air conditioning thermostats to 78 degrees, if health permits.
– Defer use of major appliances.
– Turn off unnecessary lights.
– Unplug unused electrical devices.
– Close blinds and drapes.
– Use fans when possible.
– Limit time the refrigerator door is open.

Consumers can also take steps to prepare for the Flex Alert by doing the following before 3 p.m.:

– “Pre-cool” their homes, or lower air conditioning thermostats.
– Charge electric vehicles.
– Charge mobile devices and laptops.
– Run dishwashers, washing machines and other major appliances.
– Set pool pumps to run in the early morning or late at night.

Temperatures on Monday will continue to be hot throughout the western US. The ISO is also monitoring numerous wildfires that may impact electrical lines.

For information on Flex Alerts, and to get more electricity conservation tips, visit the ISO’s Flex Alert website.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Pacific Gas and Electric said it has begun shutting off power across 22 counties in Northern California due to a strong wind event expected to continue through early Wednesday morning, with approximately two dozen Lake County residents to be included in the shutoff.

PG&E said the public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, event will affect customers in portions of 22 counties and seven tribal communities in the northern Sierra foothills, northern Sacramento Valley and elevated North Bay terrain.

This PSPS event is based on forecasts of widespread, severely dry conditions and strong, gusty winds that create critical fire weather with high ignition risk. These conditions are expected to continue through early Wednesday morning.

The power shutoff is expected to impact approximately 172,000 customers in Alpine, Amador, Butte, Calaveras, El Dorado, Humboldt, Kern, Lake, Lassen, Mariposa, Napa, Nevada, Placer, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Sonoma, Tehama, Trinity, Tuolumne and Yuba counties.

The shutoffs began at different times across the PSPS area, with the earliest shutoffs taking place starting at 9 p.m., PG&E said.

In Lake County, 24 residents in the unincorporated areas of the county, none of them medical baseline customers, can expect to have their power shut off between 3 and 6 a.m. Tuesday. PG&E said the estimated time of restoration for those customers is 7 p.m. Wednesday.

PG&E said it will use temporary generation and islanding to enable about 69,000 customers and several medical facilities to stay energized.

The company said it is working to improve the PSPS program by making events smaller in size, shorter in length and smarter for our customers.

Although the National Weather Service has placed 1.5 million customers across PG&E’s service territory under red flag warning conditions, the company has been able to limit public safety PSPS de-energization to less than 12 percent of those customers now under red flag warning risk.

Customers can use an address lookup tool to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff at www.pge.com/pspsupdates.
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Low water conditions at Lucerne Harbor Park in Lucerne, California, have brought sunken hazards closer to the surface creating obstacles to launch. Lucerne resident Robert Maher warns about a rock obstructing the left side boat dock at Lucerne Harbor Park. Photo by John Jensen/Lake County News.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Users of Clear Lake are advised to use extra caution when operating motorboats around shallow waters and near the shores of Clear Lake during the fall and winter months due to submerged debris near the lake’s surface.

Due to low water levels, submerged debris such as rocks, trees, sediments and other objects can cause significant damage if hit or come in contact with boats operating at normal to significant speed.

Lake County Water Resources Department advises boaters to maintain a safe speed and keep a clear line of vision ahead of their vessel, especially in the shallow areas and shoreline of the lake.

The Water Resources Department, in coordination with Lake County Marine Patrol, actively monitors and identifies submerged hazardous debris as lake levels drop.

However, this is an ongoing process and boaters should remain aware of their surroundings and maintain a safe speed when in and around Clear Lake’s shallow waters and shoreline.

For questions regarding this topic, or to report in-lake hazards such as debris or missing or found hazard buoys, please contact the Water Resources Department at 707-263-2344.
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Bob Oertel of Middletown, California, displays chicken he grilled to perfection. Outdoor grills, barbecues and smokers will be used throughout the nation this holiday weekend to celebrate Labor Day. Photo by Esther Oertel.


LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Many an American will be firing up the grill this Labor Day weekend. While today’s methods of cooking over fire can be quite sophisticated, the act of grilling is almost as old as humankind itself.

Before we go any further, it should be noted that there is a difference between grilling and barbecuing. The words are sometimes used interchangeably, but technically grilling is cooking at a high temperature directly over flame or another heat source (hot coals, for example).

Barbecue, on the other hand, is a low and slow method of cooking that utilizes indirect heat and smoke. The longer cooking time at a lower temperature allows the smoke to permeate and flavor what’s being cooked.

To take it a step further, smoking is a method similar to barbecue, but the temperature is even lower, typically under 225 degrees Fahrenheit, and the cook time is longer.

Now on to the history of grilling.

When our ancestors were able to tame fire, it changed the course of human evolution. Fire provided light on dark nights and a means to cook food, it warded off predators, and its warmth allowed humans to migrate to colder climates.

Up until recently, the oldest hard evidence of man using fire was found at Qesem Cave in Israel and dates to more than 300,000 years ago.

In April 2012, however, archaeologists found evidence of campfires that could have burned a million years ago. Charred bones and the ashy remains of plants were found at Wonderwerk Cave in South Africa, a dwelling place for humans and our ancestors for more than two million years.

The sharp edges on the bones and the excellent preserved state of the plant ash indicated that they would have been burned in the cave, rather than in a wildfire, as being blown into the cave by the wind would have blunted the bones and damaged the plant matter.

The discovery rekindled a controversy that’s been smoldering for decades. Could cooking over fire have allowed our ancestors to take in more calories, contributing to an increase in brain size? This theory of human origins is called the “cooking hypothesis.” Not all archaeologists agree, and other factors are cited as contributors to brain growth.

Either way, one thing is certain: cooking with fire and smoke make for some great tasting fare!

Let’s fast forward from a million years ago to a more familiar era: the 1940s.

During World War II, the U.S. government asked the Coleman Co. of Wichita, Kansas to develop a compact stove for military use.

The parameters were that the stove had to be lightweight for easy carrying, no bigger than a quart-sized bottle, able to operate in extreme temperatures (from -60 to +125 degrees Fahrenheit), and able to burn any type of fuel.

The result was the G.I. Pocket Stove, which was developed in only 60 days.

The stove was a hit among the soldiers and served the military well during the war. A side benefit was that it reintroduced the idea of outdoor cooking to the troops, perhaps contributing to the enthusiasm for backyard grilling in the post war era.

In the midst of post-war affluence and the resulting baby boom, people flocked to the suburbs from cities and rural areas. The same G.I.s who had used the Pocket Stove during wartime now had growing families and backyards, and a national obsession with backyard grilling was born.

The grills in most backyards at that time were not particularly sophisticated. They consisted of a place for charcoal with a raised grill grate above it, and the process was vulnerable to the elements, such as wind, which could affect the flame and therefore cooking temperature.

Enter George Stephen, a salesman for the Weber Brothers Metal Works in Chicago, who in 1952 decided he was going to make a better grill. Inspired by the shape of the round metal buoys made by the company at that time, he tweaked one and transformed it into a simple version of what we now know as a kettle grill.

A few well-placed holes and a removable top transformed the way a nation grilled.

Gas grills weren’t far behind, with the Chicago Combustion Co. producing a portable gas grill in 1954.

Now a word about fuel. The fuel of choice for barbecuing is wood, which is also used in smoking, though some smokers are designed to use pellets.

With grilling, it’s typically gas or charcoal. While wood charcoal has been around since ancient times, it was a man named Ellsworth B. A. Zwoyer who in 1897 invented and patented the charcoal briquet, a form of fuel designed for easier use in grills.

In 1919, Henry Ford of car assembly line fame further popularized Zwoyer’s invention by using wood and sawdust byproducts from automobile manufacturing to mass produce briquets. His colleague Edward Kingsford assisted him in this process and an industry was born.

These days there are a plethora of ways to grill, barbecue or smoke food, with ever advancing technology to make things easier, or at least fancier. Even so, we must give a nod of thanks to our human ancestors for blazing a trail by igniting the grilling fire a million years ago.

Today’s recipe is for barbecue beans made on the grill a la Bob Oertel, my oldest son. I thank him for sharing his methods with us!

Bob’s Barbecued Beans (they’re delicious!)

Use a pot that can withstand the heat of a grill, such as one that’s oven safe. Bob uses an aluminum Dutch oven.

Ingredients:

Olive oil for the pot
1 diced onion, any color
1 diced bell pepper, any color
A couple of Mexican peppers of your choice, such as jalapeno, Anaheim, or poblano, diced (use a jalapeno pepper or two if heat is desired)
A couple of garlic cloves, minced, or a spoonful of jarred minced garlic
4 cans of assorted beans, drained (Bob likes to use one can each of kidney and black beans, plus two cans of pinto beans)
1 regular sized bottle of barbecue sauce
1 can beer, any type
Seasonings to your liking, such as Italian seasoning, garlic salt, dehydrated onion, black pepper, smoked paprika, or pre-made barbecue rub (Bob likes to use them all)
½ cup brown sugar
¼ cup molasses if you’ve got it
4 strips bacon, cooked and chopped

Procedure:

Place the pot with olive oil on the grill over indirect heat (meaning hot coals on the opposite side of the grill).

Heat olive oil, then add onions and peppers and cook until soft, stirring occasionally.

Add garlic and stir, cooking until soft (be careful not to burn).

Add beans, barbecue sauce, beer, seasonings, brown sugar, molasses, and bacon; stir to combine.

Cook for 2 to 3 hours until liquid is mostly reduced and the flavors permeate beans.

Stir occasionally to prevent burning.

This makes about eight hearty side dish servings.

Notes:

Be sure not to use a pot that’s Teflon coated or has plastic handles.

Beer may be replaced with a juice, such as apple or orange.

Bacon may be cooked on the grill before chopping and adding (see below).

Leftover grilled or barbecued meat may be added. (For example, if Bob makes these beans on a Sunday, he might add leftover pulled pork, tri tip, sausage or chicken that he barbecued or grilled on Friday or Saturday.)

If you want lots of heat, keep the seeds in the jalapenos.

How Bob cooks bacon on the grill:

There’s no need to grease the grill if it’s seasoned. (If not, spray a little grilling oil, such as Pam, on it.)

Lay bacon strips on the grill over indirect heat.

Depending on the temperature, the bacon may take 20 to 30 minutes to cook on a kettle grill. (If using a low temperature smoker, it can take up to an hour and a half.)

Flip bacon three to four times during the process.

Note: Do not cook over direct heat as dripping grease can cause flare-ups.

Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.

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