NOTE: The article has been updated to reflect the board's final decision on the credential screening process.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – As it's facing one of its biggest financial challenges in recent years – the need to cut $2.8 million from its 2012-13 budget – the Konocti Unified School District also is beginning the process of searching for a new superintendent.

Dr. Bill MacDougall, who rose from the position of Carlé Continuation High School principal four years ago to be district superintendent, has announced he'll retire at the end of June.

MacDougall told Lake County News on Wednesday night that he submitted his resignation letter to the board just before Christmas.

The selection process for his successor was on the agenda of a more than four-hour-long Wednesday night meeting, at which the board also had its first public discussion regarding a zero based budget model.

MacDougall and the district management team are proposing that zero based budget model – which focuses on providing the bare minimum services and then building upward – in order to reduce the coming year’s budget by $2.8 million.

Getting the district through the current budgeting process is a priority for MacDougall before he retires, he told Lake County News.

In addition to the $2.8 million reduction in funding the district is facing for 2012-13, MacDougall said the district has experienced $3.6 million in reductions in the previous three years.

Board Trustee Hank Montgomery requested the board discuss the new superintendent search and establish guidelines for the process, as well as the compensation they would offer.

The board asked MacDougall for his opinion on how the recruitment should take place.

He proposed they welcome applications both from within the district and from outside.

“It's a very important position,” he said. “It's a very important time for Konocti.”

MacDougall said the zero based model is meant to offer building blocks for the future, and he said he believed it will make the district strong – both educationally and fiscally – going forward.

“At that point you're looking for the vision for the future,” he said.

MacDougall recently attended a conference for superintendents in Monterey and handed out fliers on the job to assistant superintendents and superintendents from all over the state.

“There are excellent candidates both in house and outside,” he said.

MacDougall also met a retired headhunter while in Monterey, and told him about the district. He said he spoke with pride about Konocti Unified in his conversation with the man. “There's a lot to be proud of here.”

In turn, MacDougall said the man offered his services – which it was noted at the meeting generally run between $10,000 and $20,000 for an executive recruitment – for free to help the district.

MacDougall said he believes the district can find the right person, and hopes that they find a successor far stronger and more knowledgeable than he is.

Board President Anita Gordon assured MacDougall that the future superintendent would have big shoes – or, offered Board member Herb Gura, sneakers – to fill.

Montgomery wanted the board to have an active part in screening candidates up front, suggesting that the Lake County Office of Education could begin the process by double-checking credentials.

The board set a March 30 deadline for applications, with applications to be forwarded immediately to Marty Aarreberg in the superintendent’s office for a credential check instead of the Lake County Office of Education.

In the middle of April the board will meet to begin its own applicant screenings, with the goal of having initial interviews start the last week of April in hopes of having a candidate selected by the end of May.

A 17-member committee of composed of teachers, classified employees, board members, parents, community members and a student representative will take part, said Gordon.

Beyond the selection process, the board had to decide what salary range it could offer.

MacDougall's salary, including benefits, is just over $121,000 a year. Gordon said he has refused to take any raises during his four years as superintendent.

That salary is well below the state average for similarly sized schools of $148,000, said district Business Manager Laurie Desimone.

It’s also low based on a countywide comparison of school district superintendent salaries and benefit packages district staff presented to the board, along with the superintendent's current job description.

That countywide salary comparison shows that while MacDougall heads the largest school district in the county – with more than 3,000 students – he is the second-lowest paid superintendent. Only the Lucerne Elementary School superintendent receives less.

The survey showed that the highest-paid superintendent in the county is Upper Lake Elementary’s, with more than $146,000 in salary and more than $15,000 in benefits, for a total of just over $162,000.

During the meeting, a teacher told the board that he and fellow teachers wanted the job description to include a requirement of past teaching experience in order for the candidate to have an understanding of their work. They also wanted to see a workshop take place to discuss desirable traits for MacDougall's successor.

Ultimately, after discussing whether to offer a range or a single number, board members took Desimone's suggestion of listing MacDougall's salary in the recruitment materials and offering to make that amount negotiable based on experience.

MacDougall agreed that offering to be negotiable on the final amount is one way to appeal to candidates.

He worried that his salary level may not attract many candidates, noting that many of the superintendents he met recently at the Monterey conference were making $250,000 and up in the $300,000-plus range.

“You want somebody who really wants the job,” he said.

MacDougall added that if a candidate is looking for a district where they can serve people, Konocti Unified is an incredible district for that.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Local officials and veterinarians are partnering in an effort to reduce the county's number of unwanted cats, which has resulted in thousands of animals being euthanized annually.

Lake County Animal Care and Control reported that Lake, like many other counties, has a serious cat overpopulation problem.

Unfortunately, that problem has resulted in the county having the highest feline euthanasia rate in the state.

According to shelter statistics, of the 4,000 animals turned into the shelter in 2011, 65 percent – or 2,600 – were cats.

Of those 2,600 cats, 18 percent – or 480 – were adopted or transferred to a rescue; the remaining 2,120 cats were destroyed.

This is a cycle that just keeps repeating year after year, according to Animal Care and Control officials. Without some kind of significant intervention, the cycle will not be broken. 

Many people in the county start out feeding one or two stray cats because they don’t want them to go hungry, not realizing that one or two cats soon leads to eight or nine, according to the report.

Within a few weeks time, they’re now dealing with a colony of 12 to 15 cats, which in turn will continue to grow and reproduce exponentially unless action is taken.

That agency suggested that the appropriate action is spaying or neutering cats in order to stop the cycle, because taking them into the shelter, holding them as stray animals and then trying to adopt them out to a public who doesn’t want them isn’t working.

That approach is costly to the taxpayers, and agency officials suggest that destroying thousands of healthy cats each year isn’t a socially acceptable solution. 

Many agencies work with local groups on “trap neuter release” – or TNR – programs. TNRs are a wonderful idea, but must be properly maintained in order to work, according to Animal Care and Control.

Many people start out with good intentions, spaying and neutering, vaccinating, releasing and feeding colonies of cats only to find out after they start, the property they are using isn’t allowed to be used for that purpose, the agency reported.

First and foremost, with any TNR program, use of the property for this purpose must be established and granted by the property owner. Additionally, in order to maintain a colony in one area, it has to be monitored and fed on a daily basis, animal control officials said. Local rescue groups and volunteers are necessary in order to follow up with this maintenance and care. 

In light of Lake County’s euthanasia status and cat overpopulation problem, local veterinarians have offered to help by providing assistance with cat alterations.

Together, local vets are hoping to provide as many as 20 surgeries a month through a program they call “Catsnip,” which is managed by Vicki Chamberlain.

Additionally, starting in March of this year with the grand opening of Animal Care and Control's new medical clinic, the shelter will offer the same service for those people who wish to keep the community cats in their neighborhood, rather than simply turn them over to the shelter for euthanasia. 

Although local vets and the animal shelter will be providing a small scale spay/neuter program for community cats, what the county really needs is a large-scale, high-volume TNR program to really make a difference in the cat population and euthanasia rates, Animal Care and Control said.

For questions about having feral or community cats altered in your neighborhood, please contact Vicki Chamberlain at 707-263-3958.
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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Office of Education College-Going Initiative will host the Lake County Academic Decathlon Super Quiz and awards ceremony on Saturday, Feb. 4.

This year's Academic Decathlon theme is “The Age of Empire.”

The Super Quiz and awards ceremony are the portion of the two-day competition that are open to the public.

The quiz starts at 3:45 p.m. at Kelseyville High School, 5480 Main St., with the awards presentations to follow.

The afternoon will feature a performance from the Kelseyville High School Band, poster and poetry contest display, and Blue Lakes Scholarship Award presentations.

The event is sponsored by the The Lodge at Blue Lakes, the Lake County Arts Council and Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

For more information call the Lake County Office of Education at 707-262-4162 or visit www.lakecoe.org.

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LAKEPORT, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted by members of the Lake County Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of narcotics, drug paraphernalia, cash and stolen property.

Arrested was 36-year-old Nino Salee Davis of American Canyon, according to Sgt. Steve Brooks.

Brooks said Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force conducted a vehicle stop on Davis' vehicle on S. Forbes Street in Lakeport on Tuesday.

During the vehicle stop, detectives learned that Davis was on searchable probation out of Napa County for possession of a controlled substance, Brooks said.

Detectives discovered that Davis allegedly attempted to hide approximately one ounce of methamphetamine, two grams of cocaine and digital scales inside his underwear. Brooks said Davis also allegedly was in possession of approximately $500.

The task force then conducted a probation search of Davis’ motel room in Lakeport, where he admitted to be staying, Brooks said.

Detectives located a police scanner, a glass “meth” pipe, two hypodermic needles and several Oxycontin pills, which Davis did not have a prescription for. Brooks said detectives also located a laptop computer which was discovered to have been stolen and taken during a burglary within the county.

Davis was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance for sale, transportation of a controlled substance and possession of stolen property, Brooks said.

He was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked on the four felony charges. His booking sheet indicated bail was set at $35,000. He remained in custody on Wednesday.

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

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SACRAMENTO – Snow surveyors on Wednesday confirmed that water content in California’s mountain snowpack is far below normal for this time of year.

Manual and electronic readings record the snowpack’s statewide water content at only 37 percent of normal for the date. That is just 23 percent of the average April 1 reading, when the snowpack normally is at its peak before the spring melt.

“So far, we just haven’t received a decent number of winter storms,” said Department of Water Resources Director Mark Cowin. “We have good reservoir storage thanks to wet conditions last year, but we also need more rain and snow this winter.”

The manual readings by the Department of Water Resources off Highway 50 near Echo Summit showed that Lyons Creek and Alpha snow levels were the second lowest on record, going back to 1958 for Lyons Creek, and to 1966 for Alpha.

Water content in the snowpack at Lyons Creek Wednesday was 5.8 inches, compared with the record low of 0 inches in 1963. Water content in the snowpack at Alpha was 3.6 inches, compared with the record low of 2.9 inches in 1976.

The snowpack at Tamarack Flat contained 4.8 inches of water, the fourth lowest on record going back to 1946. The record low at Tamarack Flat was 0 inches in 1963. Water content at the Phillips course was 3.8 inches, second lowest in records dating back to 1946. The record low at Phillips was 0 inches in 1963. 

For a broader comparison of current conditions to previous years, dry and wet, see DWR’s new “Water Conditions” at www.water.ca.gov/waterconditions/.

Electronic readings Wednesday indicate that water content in the northern mountains is 41 percent of normal for the date and 26 percent of the April 1 seasonal average. Electronic readings for the central Sierra snowpack are 32 percent of normal for the date and 20 percent of the April 1 average. The numbers for the southern Sierra are 42 percent of average for the date and 25 percent of the April 1 average.

Statewide, the snowpack water content was 37 percent of normal for Feb. 1 and 23 percent of the normal April 1 seasonal total.

DWR and cooperating agencies conduct manual snow surveys around the first of the month from January to May. The manual surveys supplement and check the accuracy of the real-time electronic readings from sensors up and down the state.

DWR’s initial estimate is that the State Water Project (SWP) will be able to deliver 60 percent of the slightly more than 4 million acre-feet of water requested this calendar year by the 29 public agencies that supply more than 25 million Californians and nearly a million acres of irrigated farmland.

The 60 percent delivery estimate is largely based on the known quantity of carryover reservoir storage. Unknown is how much rain and snow the state will get the rest of this winter. DWR may adjust the SWP delivery estimate to reflect changing hydrologic conditions.

Calendar year 2011 illustrates how weather-driven supply conditions can dramatically change. The initial 2011 estimate was that the SWP would be able to deliver only 25 percent of the slightly more 4 million acre-feet requested.

As winter took hold, a near-record snowpack and heavy rains resulted in deliveries of 80 percent of requests in 2011.

The final allocation was 50 percent in 2010, 40 percent in 2009, 35 percent in 2008, and 60 percent in 2007.

The last 100 percent allocation – difficult to achieve even in wet years because of Delta pumping restrictions to protect fish species – was in 2006.

Lake Oroville in Butte County, the State Water Project’s principal storage reservoir, is at 107 percent of average for the date (72 percent of its 3.5 million acre-foot capacity). Lake Shasta north of Redding, the federal Central Valley Project’s largest reservoir with a capacity of 4.5 million acre-feet, is at 99 percent of its normal storage level for the date (68 percent of capacity).

San Luis Reservoir in Merced County, an important storage reservoir south of the Delta, is at 119 percent of average for the date (95 percent of its capacity of 2,027,840 acre-feet). San Luis is a critically important source of water for both the State Water Project and Central Valley Project when pumping from the Delta is restricted or interrupted.

For context, an acre-foot is 325,851 gallons, enough to cover one acre to a depth of one foot.

Mountain snow that melts into reservoirs, streams and aquifers in the spring and summer provides approximately one-third of the water for California’s households, farms and industries.

Electronic snowpack readings are available on the Internet at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/snow/DLYSWEQ .

Historic water content readings from snowpack sensors are posted at: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/rpts1/DLYSWEQ .

Archived snowpack water content records: http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cgi-progs/rpts_archived1/DLYSWEQ .

Electronic reservoir level readings may be found at http://cdec.water.ca.gov/cdecapp/resapp/getResGraphsMain.action .

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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The premiere performance of a new local variety show received a warm welcome last weekend, with the show’s creator promising more to come.

The “Lake County Live!” debut took place last Sunday, Jan. 29, in the Soper-Reese Community Theatre in Lakeport, which is the show’s home.

The show was broadcast before a live audience on KPFZ 88.1 FM, as well as streamed over the Internet; the link can be found at the station’s Web site, www.kpfz.org.

The debut show will be rebroadcast on KPFZ from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, and on Saturday from 7 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. to 11 a.m.

The one-hour radio variety show is the brainchild of Doug Rhoades of Kelseyville, who also serves as the show’s host.

“The talent we assembled for our first show was above professional,” said Rhoades. “Their timing and conviviality made the show a pleasure to hear, watch and in which to participate. I extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone involved, and there were many. They took my vision and made it even better than I could have wished.”

Rhoades, Suna Flores and Richard Smith wrote the show, which was in development for several months. The process to launch the show also involved the development of the show’s Web site, www.lakecountylive.com.

The show’s cast for its premiere performance included announcer Mitchell Hauptman, Smith, Flores, Chris Andre, Pamela Bradley, Vicky Parish Smith, Sarah Keezer Arnt, Judy Conard and Wally Holbrook.

Nick Reid acted as stage manager, with Nick Biondo working the sound board and Mike Chavez in charge of lighting. Mike Stempe did videography and photography at the show.

Rhoades estimated that 180 people were in the theater’s audience to watch the show, with KPFZ reporting that the number of listeners to its online stream tripled for the performance.

The show has a “Prairie Home Companion” meets wine country feel.

Liked its venerable Midwest counterpart, “Lake County Live!” features comedy skits, fake commercials – such as one for the American Society of Sociopaths, which assures potential members that “your behaviors are OK and those of others are not” – and even poetry, with Lake County Poet Laureate Emeritus Sandra Wade making an appearance on the first show to read her work.

A considerable portion of the show is dedicated to showcasing local musical performers.

Featured on the first show was the folk and bluegrass group “Three Deep,” which includes Jill Shaul, Sarah Tichava and Anna McAtee, who sang three original songs.

Shaul said the group got its name while waiting to perform at a recent Winter Musicfest. When they asked how much longer they had to wait to perform, they were told that acts were stacked up “three deep.”

Three Deep, which last fall appeared at the Old Time Bluegrass Festival in Lower Lake, will be going into the studio soon to complete a demo, and plans to make more music festival appearances in Lake, Mendocino and Sonoma counties, the group said during the Saturday show.

A cappella group EarReverence, featuring Nick and Valerie Reid, Bill Bordisso and Carol Cole Lewis, also performed, sharing its blend of powerful vocals on favorites such as “Your Love is Lifting Me Higher,” with a bit of comedy thrown in, in the form of comedian Steve Martin’s “Atheists Don’t Have No Songs.”

The evening’s third musical group was “Polecat Rodeo,” whose members are April Knoll, Randy Johnsen, Janet Berrian, Jim Evan and Jon Hopkins.

Performing a mix of bluegrass, folk and country, Polecat Rodeo started out with a rendition of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken,” also performing an old-time tune, “Angeline the Baker” and a cowboy song, “Riding Down the Canyon.”

At the show’s end, the audience was invited to join in for a sing-along of the well-loved tune, “You Are My Sunshine.”

The next Lake County Live! performance will take place at the Soper-Reese on Sunday, Feb. 26, Rhoades said.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The generosity of an anonymous local resident will benefit children who come in contact with law enforcement.

Sgt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff’s Offices said the anonymous donor gave approximately 40 new children’s blankets, each individually packaged with a new stuffed animal.

In December 2011, a Lake County resident who wishes to not disclose their identity donated the blankets and stuffed animals, Brooks said.

The donations were made and obtained through a group of volunteers and are intended to be handed out by law enforcement during their contacts with children in need, he explained.

The packages have been dispersed to patrol deputies and investigators and many were handed out during the holiday season, according to Brooks.

Brooks said the Lake County Sheriff’s Office is very grateful for the donations and the support for children who are in need.

Though the resident wishes to remain anonymous, persons wishing to donate funds to this group to help purchase the blankets and stuffed animals can contact Detective Kellie Joseph at 707-262-4200.

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On Tuesday California Controller John Chiang sent a letter to budget leaders in the state Legislature urging them to take action before the state runs out of cash in March.

In the letter to Sen. Mark Leno Assemblyman Bob Blumenfield, the controller said the liquidity shortfall is projected to last between Feb. 29 and about April 13.

Cash flows based on the governor’s proposed budget show that $3.3 billion worth of cash solutions are needed to address liquidity needs during this period.

If left unaddressed, the State's General Fund balance at this time will fall below the $2.5 billion minimum safety cushion on Feb. 29, Chiang’s office reported.

On March 1, cash will be exhausted and will continue to decline until hitting a low of negative $730 million on March 8, according to Chiang.

Working with the state treasurer and the Department of Finance, the controller has crafted a cash management plan that would avoid delays in paying tax refunds or issuing IOUs, as was required in 2009.

Additional measures may be needed should the state’s fiscal condition worsen, Chiang said.

“Although this cash management plan relies on still more borrowing, payment delays and deferrals, we believe this is the most prudent and responsible course of action considering we have about four weeks before the advent of the cash shortfall,” Chiang wrote. “It is not an ideal solution, but it is the best way to manage the challenge without relying on IOUs or delaying tax refunds – actions that can disrupt the delivery of essential public services and slow California’s economic recovery.”

Chiang also reported that as of Dec. 31, total state receipts are coming in $2.6 billion less than forecasted, with expenditure $2.6 billion more than assumed, totaling a $5.2 billion shortfall in cash resources.

See the full letter below.

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013112 Chiang Letter to Legislature

SACRAMENTO – A federal court judge has issued a tentative decision to block California officials from moving forward with a 10 percent Medi-Cal reimbursement rate cut, which was approved by the federal government.

The California Medical Association (CMA), the California Dental Association (CDA), California Pharmacists Association (CPhA), National Association of Chain Drug Stores (NACDS), California Association of Medical Product Suppliers (CAMPS), AIDS Healthcare Foundation (AIDS) and American Medical Response (AMR) applauded the federal court and Judge Christina Snyder for the tentative decision.

“The court’s tentative ruling is encouraging to those of us practicing medicine,” said James T. Hay, M.D., CMA President. “The state’s repeated attempt to slash Medi-Cal reimbursement rates is a short-sighted solution that balances the budget on the backs of the poorest and most vulnerable Californians. Rather, we need to be addressing long-term solutions relative to the cost of health care. Access to care is crucial for prevention and treatment; the court’s tentative decision today to block the Medi-Cal cuts means that those patients will still have access to health care.”

Last spring, the California Legislature passed and Governor Jerry Brown signed AB 97, which included a 10 percent reimbursement rate cut for physicians, dentists, pharmacists and other Medi-Cal providers. Federal approval was required before the state could implement its proposed cuts.

“CDA is pleased that the judge considered the facts in this case, that the state’s attempt to cut reimbursement rates would harm patients and their ability to access care,” said CDA President Dan Davidson, DMD. “The state already eliminated most adult Denti-Cal services and making further cuts to children’s services would have been devastating to their oral health.”

The groups said the information that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services relied on to approve the state's cuts do not measure whether and how patients' access to care would be impacted or otherwise take into consideration, as required by law, the costs to provide the care.

"We commend the court's tentative ruling in favor of preserving and protecting patient care," said NACDS President and CEO Steven C. Anderson, IOM, CAE. "Drastic cuts are not in the best interest of patient care or the state's finances. Community pharmacies help to reduce health care spending and improve patient health through pharmacy services including medication counseling, vaccinations, education and screenings as well as the utilization of generic medications. Jeopardizing patient access to community pharmacy would diminish health and increase the reliance on more costly forms of care."

Because California Medi-Cal rates are already extremely low and many prescription medications are reimbursed at breakeven rates, many providers cannot afford to participate. Kaiser State Health Facts lists California as the lowest reimbursed state in the nation.

“We are fighting for an injunction against these cuts on behalf of patients and the pharmacists who serve them,” said Jon R. Roth, CPhA chief executive officer. “The Legislature needs to realize that using the Medi-Cal program to close the budget is bad medicine for California. When the Legislature asked, we provided them with cost-effective solutions that would have helped close the budget gap. However, they effectively slammed the door on our proposed solutions when they voted to reduce reimbursement to providers by 10 percent and in turn have ensured that access to care for California’s most vulnerable citizens is put in jeopardy.”

The lawsuit was filed against the California Department of Health Care Services and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services on Nov. 21, 2011.

Judge Snyder has issued a 25-page tentative order, wherein she favored the plaintiffs’ request for a preliminary injunction. A final order, if consistent with her tentative ruling, will enjoin the cuts and is expected in the near future.

“We applaud the ruling of the court today to help preserve the ability of Medi-Cal providers to continue to provide services to the most needy of our population,” said Bob Achermann, CAMPS executive director. “Providers of durable medical equipment and medical supplies allow Medi-Cal patients to remain in their homes and avoid more costly care in hospitals or other types of facilities. The continued cuts in reimbursement threaten the ability of these patients to access these important services. We hope that this tentative ruling is confirmed by the court.”

"The ruling today is another in a long line of decisions, now going back years, from courts telling the state that it has not followed the law when attempting to implement these crushing rate reductions. At this point, it seems pretty obvious that the state is doing this deliberately, and that it cannot justify these cuts within the bounds of the law," said Tom Myers, general counsel for AIDS Healthcare Foundation.

“As California’s largest emergency ambulance provider, American Medical Response provides a critical healthcare safety net to California’s most vulnerable citizens.  We are pleased with the Court’s tentative decision today granting a preliminary injunction to stop these shortsighted cuts,” Tom Wagner, CEO of AMR’s West Region said.

CMA, CPhA, and CDA successfully sued in the past to enjoin prior Medi-Cal cuts and expect to once again demonstrate that federal law, which ensures that Medi-Cal patients have equal access to health care, was not followed.

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LOWER LAKE, Calif. – Continued reductions in educational funding are forcing the Konocti Unified School District’s board to begin the process of deciding how to cut millions of dollars in order to balance its coming year’s budget, a task that will involve considering the possible elimination of dozens of jobs.

The initial discussion on fiscal year 2012-13 budget cuts by the Konocti Unified School District Board of Trustees will take place during its regular meeting, which begins at 6:15 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 1, in the Carol McClung Conference Center, 9430-B Lake St. in Lower Lake.

The item on “The KUSD Zero Based Model” will be discussed under budget and facilities items.

Marty Aarreberg, executive administrative assistant to district Superintendent Bill MacDougall, said no decision will be made at the Wednesday meeting, and that further discussion and a decision are expected at a special daylong budget session beginning at 8:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 11. Aarreberg said all community members are welcome – and encouraged – to attend.

MacDougall, who was in meetings throughout Monday afternoon, did not return a message seeking comment on the Wednesday meeting and the proposal to cut services and jobs.

However, MacDougall and district Business Manager Laurie Desimone submitted an in-depth memorandum to the board of trustees, outlining the challenges the district is facing.

In a memo explaining the zero based model, the memo begins by stating, “The financial challenge with which we are faced is not one of the district’s choosing, nor have we created this problem. The current financial distress has been created as a result of the state and national economic circumstances and governmental decisions and given to us to resolve for our district.”

MacDougall’s and Desimone’s memo said that the four main budget issues the district must face are the complete elimination of state transportation funding; a mid-year trigger cut of $370 per student for average daily attendance, which exceeds $1 million for Konocti Unified; the exhaustion of federal jobs funds, a loss of $571,000; and an estimated $400,000 in step and column advancement and other bargaining agreement-associated costs for staffers.

Those four items total almost $2.8 million, which MacDougall and Desimone reported is more than 10 percent of the district general fund budget.

“Along with these unprecedented cuts, the Governor proposes the greatest budget flexibility seen in decades,” the memorandum said. “These changes if adopted by the legislature would pool nearly all state categorical funds into a single revenue stream for districts to utilize in the manner decided by the local district, without the ‘strings’ of the past program guidelines.”

The memo said the board directed district staff to develop a zero based budget model, which starts at zero and builds upward by prioritizing essential programs and personnel.

The message from MacDougall and Desimone to the board acknowledges that the decisions before trustees will have far reaching impacts on programs and staff.

“We want to be sure that we can give earliest notice possible to staff who may be laid off or will have their hours reduced,” they wrote. “We anticipate that action by the board on lay off notices will be made no later than the March 7th regular board meeting.”

The zero based model’s proposed staffing cuts are deep, according to an early version of the report released as part of the agenda packet.

Up for possible elimination are the Carlé Continuation High School principal’s job; eight to 10 kindergarten through third grade teaching positions; all K-8 librarians and the K-8 music teacher; three six-hour licensed vocational nurses; director of technology and student services; one truancy investigator or partial position at the Lake County Office of Education; all site bilingual paraprofessionals and bilingual family liaisons; a 1.5-hour clerk position and one eight-hour mechanic in the transportation department; a half-time education specialist at Lower Lake Elementary; a two-hour California High School Exit Examination paraprofessional at Carlé High; and a half-time contracted alternative education teacher.

Further, the plan proposes to cut one eight-hour librarian, three six-hour student management assistants, one seven-hour student management assistant and one two-hour site secretary at Highlands Academy, adding back one seven-hour site secretary.

At the high school, possible cuts include one ROP teacher, one 11-month high school secretary, one-eight hour librarian, one eight-hour career center clerk/site testing coordinator, one eight-hour high school campus supervisor, four periods of an in school school suspension teacher, two sections for the athletic director, 12 hours for a bilingual paraprofessional, one five-hour bilingual family liaison, junior varsity coaching stipends and two sections of the academy director.

The food services director’s salary would be cut by one month, and bus drivers, paraprofessionals and some other support positions would see their work year cut by five to six days.

Also on the list of possible eliminations are drama and band for K-8; seven to eight bus routes would be cut, with reduced hours for five to six other routes; the teacher in charge for Lewis School would no longer receive a stipend; and class size reductions for K-3 and the Community-Based English Tutoring program would end.

Blue Heron School, for grades nine through 11, is proposed to be reduced to a single session and moved to Burns Valley.

MacDougall and Desimone concluded their memo by writing, “Together we can make the tough decisions necessary and do what we must under these difficult circumstances to provide the highest quality education possible for our students.”

Management staff are set to meet on Tuesday to finalize their recommendations for the board's Wednesday meeting.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake home sustained major damage in a Saturday afternoon fire.

The fire, reported over the radio shortly before 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, was located in a residence at 14415 Alvita Ave., according to Lake County Fire Protection District Capt. Brice Trask.

Initial reports from the scene said there was heavy smoke coming from the home’s eaves.

Trask said firefighters arrived at the scene of the single-story, single-family home, and were quickly able to contain the fire to the room of origin, which he said was the living room.

He estimated that it took only about 10 minutes to suppress the fire and mop up the scene.

The residence has been undergoing remodeling, and had the utilities turned on, he said.

He said the home appeared to have been illegally entered by an unknown person or persons.

“Activities inside the house resulted in a fire to the couch,” he said.

However, Trask said the exact cause wasn’t not known on Monday, with the incident still under investigation.

He estimated that the structure suffered $30,000 in damage from fire and smoke.

E-mail Elizabeth Larson at elarson@lakeconews.com . Follow Lake County News on Twitter at http://twitter.com/LakeCoNews, on Tumblr at www.lakeconews.tumblr.com, on Google+, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604?ref=mf and on YouTube at www.youtube.com/user/LakeCoNews .

SONOMA COUNTY, Calif. – The Department of Fish and Game (DFG) recently released adult coho salmon in Salmon Creek, Sonoma County to reestablish a coho salmon population.

This is the fourth consecutive year adult salmon were released, the agency reported.

The Department of Fish and Game said 200 adults were released on two separate occasions in late December 2011 and early January 2012.

The released coho included 120 males and 80 females, predominantly hybrids derived from mating between coho salmon of Russian River and Olema Creek origin, with a small number of pure Russian River coho and Olema Creek coho, Fish and Game said.

“We are at a critical moment in the survival of the coho salmon on the California coast,” said Manfred Kittel, the Department of Fish and Game Coho Salmon Recovery coordinator. “DFG and our federal and environmental partners must take aggressive actions to save the species from becoming extinct in central California.”

As in previous years, this year’s fish were released near the mouth of Salmon Creek with the hope that the fish will migrate upstream to find suitable spawning habitat in one of Salmon Creek’s tributaries, according to the Monday report.

Despite the general lack of rain this season, biologists are optimistic that the recently released coho should be able to find spawning habitat in some upstream portions of Salmon Creek and its tributaries.

The release of adult coho in Salmon Creek is a joint effort between DFG, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and other entities, including private landowners. The Salmon Creek access site is located a few miles north of Bodega Bay on the Chanslor Ranch owned by George Gross.

“The entire coho recovery team appreciates Mr. Gross allowing us to access the creek on his property for the past four years,” said Kittel. “There are few optimal places where adult coho can be released and we appreciate the help we get from Chanslor Ranch.”

In 2008, 2009 and 2010 field biologists collected tissue samples and confirmed that the released coho spawned successfully in several tributaries and in all possible mating combinations.

Fish surveys planned for the coming summer in the Salmon Creek watershed will tell DFG biologists whether the latest released group of adult coho salmon has reproduced successfully and whether any of the progeny from the first release in winter 2008 have returned this season from the ocean to spawn in the watershed where their life’s journey began three years ago.

Releasing hatchery-reared adult coho salmon is a relatively new technique that has the advantages of not requiring spawning in a hatchery, allowing the released fish to establish natural mating patterns and subjecting their offspring to natural selective pressures from birth on.

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