SAN FRANCISCO – A legal aid hotline is now available for victims of the recently declared disaster areas related to the Valley fire in Lake County and the Butte fire in Calaveras County.

The service, which allows callers to request the assistance of a lawyer, is a partnership between the State Bar of California, the American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division (ABA YLD), and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

Disaster survivors facing legal issues who are unable to afford a lawyer may call 844-657-0479 or visit the Disaster Recovery Centers, between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and noon to 4 p.m. Sunday, to request assistance.

The Valley fire Disaster Recovery Centers are located at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St., and in the former Apria Healthcare building in the Burns Valley Mall, 14860 Olympic Drive in Clearlake.

 Callers should identify that they are seeking disaster-related legal assistance.

The type of legal assistance available includes:

· Assistance with securing FEMA and other government benefits available to disaster victims;
· Assistance with life, medical and property insurance claims;
· Help with home repair contracts and contractors;
· Replacement of wills and other important legal documents destroyed in the disaster;
· Assisting in consumer protection matters, remedies and procedures;
· Counseling on mortgage-foreclosure problems;
· Counseling on landlord-tenant problems.

 The following organizations have joined forces to establish a toll-free phone line for disaster victims to request free legal assistance and to provide volunteer attorneys to handle cases arising from the devastation.

American Bar Association Young Lawyers Division ( www.americanbar.org ) – The ABA YLD is the largest national organization of young lawyers, provides leadership in serving the public and the profession, and promotes excellence and fulfillment in the practice of law. Its parent organization, the ABA, is the national voice of the legal profession and the largest voluntary professional membership group in the world.

State Bar of California ( www.calbar.org ) – The State Bar of California was created by the state legislature in 1927, as a public corporation within the judicial branch of government. The State Bar regulates admission to the Bar and the professional conduct of California lawyers, and works to provide greater access to legal services.

Northern California Lawyer Access ( www.norcallawyer.org ) – NCLA serves the 20 northernmost counties of California, and refers individuals and businesses to qualified, insured lawyers in their geographic area. Through their Law Practice Academy, they serve clients who need low cost legal help. Academy lawyers also provide some pro bono legal services.

Legal Services of Northern California ( www.lsnc.net ) – Legal Services of Northern California provides legal services to low income residents of the 23 counties that comprise northernmost California, through nine regional offices. Their priority service areas include support for families, housing preservation, enhancing economic stability, family safety and stability, health care, and civil rights.

Bay Area Legal Aid ( www.BayLegal.org ) – Bay Area Legal Aid is the largest provider of free civil legal services to low-income residents of the San Francisco Bay Area, with six regional offices serving seven counties. BayLegal provides legal services in housing preservation, domestic violence and sexual assault prevention, economic security, consumer protection, and healthcare access.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Bike Angels United, the group that has given hundreds of bicycles to children impacted by the Valley fire, is planning to return to Middletown for another giveaway on Saturday, Nov. 14.

The event will take place from noon to 5 p.m. at Minnie Cannon Elementary School, 20932 Big Canyon Road.

The group is seeking donations of funds or bicycles for this giveaway, which will have high school students as its special focus.

Bikes can be purchased through the Clearlake Walmart by calling 707-994-6881. Managers Thomas and Riley will take orders over the phone, assemble and store them until the day of the event.

To donate or to be put on a list for a bike, contact the Bike Angels United Facebook page or call Candy Alcott at 925-525-7682.

HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – A community barbecue for Valley fire evacuees will be held on Sunday, Oct. 18.

The event will begin at 11 a.m. at the Hidden Valley Lake Campground, 19234 Hidden Valley Road.

Organizers are asking for volunteers and donations of beans, corn, cornbread, cold salad, bottled water, ice, juice and the loan of ice chests and other equipment.

For more information visit http://www.perfectpotluck.com/meals.php?t=RRIE7171 or call meal coordinator Brandyn Scott at 707-356-9732.

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.
 
LAKE COUNTY

Highway 20
 
– Guardrail repairs from Blue Lakes Road to Saratoga Springs Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-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 9 a.m., or from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

– Lake County Special Districts has been granted a Caltrans encroachment permit to perform utility work from Paradise Cove to Mitchell Road. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 7 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 7 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.
 
Highway 175

– Caltrans will perform routine maintenance from the county line to Mathews Road through Friday, Oct. 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
 
– 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 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Motorists should anticipate 15-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

– Pavement repairs from the junction of Routes 1/20 to just east of Road 350 will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate 15-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 4 p.m. Sunday afternoon through 3 p.m. Friday afternoon. 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.
 
– Destination Hopland has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit to hold the Hopland Passport event on Saturday, Oct. 17, and Sunday, Oct. 18, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Brief intermittent closures will be in effect to allow for pedestrian crossing.
 
– Highway construction from Sherwood Road to Reynolds Highway will continue. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
 
– Geotechnical drilling from Reynolds Highway to Scow Road will continue through Friday, Oct. 16. Intermittent one-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
 
– Pavement repairs from Harwood Road to Rattlesnake Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.
 
– Bridge rehabilitation at the Jitney Gulch Bridge, Rock Creek Bridge, Dora Creek Bridge, and the Bridges Creek Bridge will continue through Friday, Oct. 16. 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 the South Fork Eel River Bridge will continue through Friday, Oct. 16. 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.
 
– Bridge rehabilitation at the South Fork Eel River Bridge will continue through Friday, Oct. 16. 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 128
 
– Culvert rehabilitation at various locations from the junction of Routes1/128 and the Mendocino/Sonoma County line will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.
 
– Sink repairs from Shearing Creek to Maple Creek will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m., weekdays. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 175
 
– PG&E has been granted a Caltrans encroachment permit to perform utility work near East Side Road on Wednesday, Oct. 21. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

A retaining wall project on Route 128 in Sonoma County will impact Mendocino County traffic. Full nighttime road closures from 11 p.m. to 5 a.m. will be in effect Monday evening through Friday morning. Motorists will need to seek an alternate route such as Route 253 to U.S. Highway 101.

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).

NICE, Calif. – The Nice Watershed Council will hold a cleanup event on Saturday, Oct. 24.

The cleanup will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Pyle Road, off Highway 20, across from Sentry Market. Go a short distance down the road to the large dumpster.

The group will be targeting clean up illegally dumped garbage.

Bring work gloves and, if you have a pickup, it could be helpful getting debris from the dump sites to the dumpster.

The group will provide picker tools, bags and water.

For more information call Jim at 707-274-6694.

COBB, Calif. – Due to the Valley fire and the required evacuation, The Acme Foundation had to cancel its annual “Celebration of Caring” fundraiser, which had been scheduled for Sept. 13.

Included at the fundraiser was a raffle for four Disneyland tickets. 

The raffle drawing took place at the Middletown fire station on Oct. 13, where Battalion Chief Mike Wink was asked to draw the winning ticket.

The winner was Craig Cooper of San Leandro.