NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Many pets were left behind to fend for themselves during the wildfires in California’s Calaveras and Lake counties resulting in serious injuries, death or disappearance.

This occurred because the fire came so fast many survivors had no time to save the animals.

"Pets are members of the family. You wouldn't want to leave a family member behind during a disaster would you?" said Deputy State Coordinating Officer Charles Rabamad. "Having a plan and emergency kit for your pets is just as important as having them for your mother, father, sister or brother."

With predictions of more severe weather and flooding this winter due to El Niño now is a good time to develop both a family and pet emergency plan.

Here are some tips on what to include in your pet plan:

• If your pet doesn’t have a microchip, ask your veterinarian about the possibility. Make sure your pet’s tags are up-to-date and fastened to its collar. If possible, attach the address and/or phone number of your evacuation site. If your pet gets lost, its tag is its ticket home.

• Make sure your pet’s immunizations are current and keep a copy of the veterinary records with you.
Take a photo of your pet and keep it with you for identification purposes.

• Make a pet emergency kit. You should have enough pet food, bottled water and medications for three days. Also, pack cat litter and pan, manual can opener, food dishes, leash and collar, brush, blankets, a first aid kit and other supplies. A full list of items to include can be found online at www.Ready.Gov . Information also is available at www.Cal-cares.com and www.CDFA.ca.gov .

• If you plan to shelter in place, identify a safe area of your home where you can all stay together. Put all emergency supplies in that room ahead of time, including your pet’s crate and supplies.

• Consider checking with your local animal control agency or emergency management office now to determine if a pet-friendly shelter is available in your area. Make a list of boarding facilities and veterinary offices that might be able to shelter animals in disaster emergencies.

• Make a buddy system with your friends or neighbors as a back-up emergency plan if you cannot care for your animals yourself. The buddy system will assure that someone is available to care for or evacuate your pets if you are unable to do so.

Those with larger animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, goats or pigs should also plan for these animals by:

• Ensuring all animals have some form of identification.
• Evacuating animals whenever possible. Map out primary and secondary routes in advance.
• Making sure vehicles and trailers for transporting animals as well as experienced handlers and drivers are available.
• Ensuring destinations have food, water, veterinary care and handling equipment.
Survivors can register for FEMA assistance online at www.disasterAssistance.gov or by calling 800-621-3362; TTY 800-462-7585; 711 or Video Relay Service (VRS), call 800-621-3362.

Registration continues through Nov. 23.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Innkeeper Karan Mackey, her mother Ruth, and Karan’s sisters Jill and Marlene have transformed the rooms of the Lakeport English Inn to feature magical angels among the holiday decorations and English tea settings for this year’s “Victorian Christmas Faire and High Teas.”  

The faire is open to the public from 11 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between Nov. 20 and Dec. 20.

Admission to the faire is free.

High tea at the inn, 675 N. Main St., Lakeport, is served every Friday, Saturday and Sunday during the faire with seatings at noon and 3 p.m.

Tea reservations are required. Call 707-263-4317 to reserve space and inquire about prices.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake Transit is kicking off the holiday season on Monday, Nov. 23, with new schedules featuring the return of Route 2 service to Cobb, revised evening hours, and more frequent North Shore service with better connections.

The schedules are in a new Rider's Guide booklet available on buses, at Lake Transit ticket sales locations, and many other places around the County.

Schedules also are available at www.laketransit.org .

Route 2 returns to its regular bus schedule serving Cobb Mountain communities along Highway 175 between Middletown and Kit's Corner on Highway 29.

The schedule includes four round trips daily to Anderson Springs, Cobb and Loch Lomond.

Connections are available at Middletown to Route 3 between Lower Lake and Calistoga, and at Kit's Corner to Routes 4 and 4A with service to Lower Lake, Soda Bay, Kelseyville and Lakeport. These connections also offer the fastest service between Middletown and Lakeport.

According to Transit Manager Mark Wall, “We are thankful this holiday season that we are restoring this service. It is the most important thing we are announcing.”

Evening hours return to many areas of the county on Monday.

Service in Clearlake, Lakeport and along the North Shore typically operate until 8 p.m. or later on weekdays, and until 6 p.m. or later on Saturdays.

In Clearlake and Lower Lake Routes 10 and 11 will run two hours later each evening with service ending at 8:45 p.m.

Route 12 will end at 6:49 p.m. and the night time only Route 5 service is discontinued. 

Lake Transit expects that riders will find the new schedules easier to use.

In Lakeport, the new Route 8 weekday bus schedules operate until 8:20 p.m. northbound to the Sutter Lakeside Hospital, and until 8:40 p.m. southbound to Mendocino College.

Route 1 travelers along the North Shore between Lakeport and Clearlake will be thankful for more frequent day time service and better connections to other bus routes. 

There are now 11 roundtrips per weekday with westbound buses leaving Clearlake from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m., and eastbound buses leaving Lakeport from 6:35 a.m. until 8:20 p.m.

The new Route 1 schedules are designed to provide smoother connections at Clearlake and Upper Lake for all passengers using Routes 1, 3 or 7 linking Napa County, Middletown, Clearlake the North Shore (Clearlake Oaks, Glenhaven, Lucerne, Nice, Upper Lake), Blue Lakes, and Ukiah.

Good connections remain at Clearlake and Lakeport for links to other Lake Transit routes.

For more information, please go to www.laketransit.org or call 707-994-3334.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Blankets for the Children of Lake County and the Konocti Education Center have partnered up to give away handmade blankets to children of all ages. 

In January Debi Kinney of Kelseyville began quilting blankets for the children in need of Lake County, with a goal of making at least 100 blankets.

She has given approximately 40 away to the Lake County Sheriff's Office to give to children with whom they come into contact.

The remaining blankets will be given away on Dec. 9 at the Konocti Education Center.

The center is asking for nominations of children to receive these blankets. 

A nomination form can be found at http://goo.gl/forms/IJ4fFwqfyK .

Visit the Blankets for the Children of Lake County Facebook page or the Konocti Education Center Facebook page for more information.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Valley Fire Recovery Coordinator Carol Huchingson, will not be holding office hours from Nov. 23 to 27, the week of the Thanksgiving holiday.

Huchingson will resume regular office hours on Nov. 30.

Huchingson's office is located in the back office at the Gibson Museum & Cultural Center at 21267 Calistoga at Callayomi streets in Middletown.

Regular office hours are held Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m., and Thursdays from 9:30 a.m. to noon.

These hours do not include the weeks of Thanksgiving or Christmas.

NORTH COAST, Calif. – Caltrans reports that the following road projects will be taking place around the North Coast during the coming week.

Included are Mendocino County projects that may impact Lake County commuters.

Caltrans will suspend work on Northern California highways from Wednesday, Nov. 25, through Sunday, Nov. 29, in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday.

However, due to unforeseen circumstances, it may be necessary for Caltrans Maintenance forces to respond to emergency situations.
 
LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20

– Installation of a roundabout at the junction of Routes 20/29 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 6 a. m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

– Pavement repairs from Rosemont Drive to the junction of Routes 20/53 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., or from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

– Rocky Fire repairs from Gravel Plant Road to the Lake/Colusa County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 29

– Valley fire cleanup from the Lake/Napa County line to Hidden Valley will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Pavement repairs from Main Street in Kelseyville to the junction of Routes 29/175 near Lakeport will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Installation of a roundabout at the junction of Routes 20/29 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 10 p.m. to 6 a. m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175

– Fire recovery work from the junction of Routes 29/175 in Middletown to Loch Lomond will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., 7 days per week. Motorists should anticipate 30-minute delays.

Highway 281

– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans encroachment permit for utility repairs 1.0 mile north of the junction of Routes 29/281 on Monday, Nov. 23. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 1

– Highway repairs just north of Ocean Meadows Circle will continue. One-way traffic control with a temporary signal will be in effect 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 20
 
 – Guardrail repairs at the junction of Routes 1/20 will begin Monday, Nov. 23. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a. m. to 5 p. m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
Highway 101

– Caltrans will perform slide repairs near the Korean War Veterans Memorial Bridge (near Frog Woman Rock). Northbound traffic will be restricted to one lane 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists may experience minor traffic slowdowns.

– Pavement repairs from 0.3 miles north of Nelson Road to the Route 101/253 interchange will continue. Work hours are 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. In two-lane sections, one-way traffic control will be in effect, and motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays. In four-lane sections, traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction, and motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns. At the Robinson Overcrossing and El Roble Overcrossing interchanges, ramps will be intermittently closed, and motorists should seek an alternate route. No consecutive offramps or onramps will be closed at the same time.
 
– Highway construction from Sherwood Road to the north Willits railroad crossing will continue. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Bridge rehabilitation at the Arnold Bridge Overcrossing will continue through Friday, Nov. 20. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
– Pavement repairs from Harwood Road to Rattlesnake Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Saturday. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Bridge rehabilitation at the Bridges Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Bridge rehabilitation at various South Fork Eel River Bridges from Piercy to the Humboldt/Mendocino County line will continue through Friday, Nov. 20. Traffic will be restricted to one lane in each direction from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.
 
Highway 175

– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans encroachment permit for tree trimming from Route 101 to the Lake/Mendocino County line through Friday, Nov. 20. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 271

– Bridge rehabilitation at the McCoy Creek Bridge will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
The Caltrans Traffic Operations Office has reviewed each project and determined that individual project delays are expected to be less than the statewide policy maximum of 30 minutes, unless noted otherwise above.

For information pertaining to emergency roadwork or for updates to scheduled roadwork, please contact the California Highway Information Network (CHIN) at 1-800-GAS-ROAD (1-800-427-7623).