LAKEPORT, Calif. – A whole new group of dogs, big and little, are are the county’s animal shelter and ready for adoption.

Mastiff mix pups, Chihuahuas and terriers, an Australian Kelpie, husky and dachshund mixes, and much more can be found for those looking for forever friends.

Thanks to Lake County Animal Care and Control’s new veterinary clinic, many of the animals offered for adoption already are spayed or neutered and ready to go home with their new families.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

‘Carlos’

“Carlos” is a 7-month-old male dachshund-terrier mix.

He has a short tan coat, floppy ears and big brown eyes, weighs just over 11 pounds and has not yet been altered.

He’s in kennel No. 7, ID No. 33433.

‘Brandon’

“Brandon,” like his kennel mate Carlos, is a 7-month-old male dachshund-terrier mix.

He weighs 9 pounds, has a short tan coat, floppy ears and brown eyes, and has not yet been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 7, ID No. 33432.

Female shepherd mix

This female shepherd mix is 1 year old.

She has a short brown and black coat, and weighs 46 pounds.

She’s in kennel No. 12, ID No. 33364.

‘Cali’

“Cali” is a female Chihuahua mix is 8 years old.

She has a short black and brown coat, and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 13, ID No. 33343.

‘Taco’

“Taco” is a 3-year-old male Chihuahua mix.

He has a short white coat, and is not yet neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 16, ID No. 33342.

Chihuahua-terrier mix

This female Chihuahua-terrier mix is 4 years old.

She weighs 9 pounds and has a short tan coat.

Find her in kennel No. 18, ID No. 33273.

‘Boda’

“Boda” is 6-month-old female springer spaniel-border collie mix.

She has a short black and white coat, and is not yet spayed.

She is in kennel No. 19, ID No. 33494.

Boxer mix

This female boxer mix is 4 years old.

She has red and white coloring, a docked tale and weighs 50 pounds.

She’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 33284.

‘Slick’

“Slick” is a 3-year-old male Australian Kelpie mix.

He has a short tricolor coat and weighs just over 42 pounds.

Find him in kennel No. 22, ID No. 33397.

Jack Russell terrier mix

This female Jack Russell terrier mix is 4 years old.

She has a long tricolor coat and weighs just over 16 pounds.

She’s in kennel No. 23, ID No. 33445.

Female dachshund mix

This female dachshund mix is 1 year old.

She has a short black coat, weighs 32 pounds and has not yet been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 24, ID No. 33221.

Male husky mix

This male husky mix is just over 4 years old.

He has a long red and tan coat, gold eyes and erect ears, weighs just over 56 pounds and has been neutered.

Find him in kennel No. 30, ID No. 32738.

Pit bull terrier mix

This male pit bull terrier mix is 8 months old.

He weighs nearly 39 pounds, and has a short brown and brindle coat.

He’s in kennel No. 31, ID No. 33400.

Male mastiff mix pup

This male mastiff mix pup is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black coat with white markings, and has not yet been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 32a, ID No. 33551.

Male mastiff mix pup

This male mastiff mix pup is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black coat with white markings, and has not yet been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 32b, ID No. 33552.

Female mastiff mix pup

This female mastiff mix pup is 14 weeks old.

She has a short black coat with white markings, and has not yet been altered.

Find her in kennel No. 32c, ID No. 33551.

Female mastiff mix pup

This female mastiff mix pup is 14 weeks old.

She has a short black coat with white markings, and has not yet been altered.

Find her in kennel No. 33b, ID No. 33555.

Female mastiff mix pup

This male mastiff mix pup is 14 weeks old.

He has a short black coat with white markings, and has not yet been altered.

Find him in kennel No. 33c, ID No. 33556.

Adoptable dogs also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dogs_and_Puppies.htm or at www.petfinder.com .

Please note: Dogs listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Rat poison used on illegal marijuana farms may be sickening and killing the fisher, a rare forest carnivore that makes its home in some of the most remote areas of California, according to a team of researchers led by University of California, Davis, veterinary scientists.

Researchers discovered commercial rodenticide in dead fishers in Humboldt County near Redwood National Park and in the southern Sierra Nevada in and around Yosemite National Park.

The study, published Friday, July 13, in the journal PLoS ONE, says illegal marijuana farms are a likely source. Some marijuana growers apply the poisons to deter a wide range of animals from encroaching on their crops.

Fishers in California, Oregon and Washington have been declared a candidate species for listing under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Fishers, a member of the weasel family, likely become exposed to the rat poison when eating animals that have ingested it. The fishers also may consume rodenticides directly, drawn by the bacon, cheese and peanut butter “flavorizers” that manufacturers add to the poisons.

Other species, including martens, spotted owls, and Sierra Nevada red foxes, may be at risk from the poison, as well.

In addition to UC Davis, the study involved researchers from the nonprofit Integral Ecology Research Center, UC Berkeley, United States Forest Service, Wildlife Conservation Society, Hoopa Tribal Forestry, and California Department of Fish and Game.

“Our findings were very surprising since non-target poisoning from these chemicals is typically seen in wildlife in urban or agricultural settings,” said lead author Mourad Gabriel, a UC Davis Veterinary Genetics Laboratory researcher and president of the Integral Ecology Research Center. “In California, fishers inhabit mature forests within the national forest, national parks, private industrial and tribal community lands – nowhere near urban or agricultural areas.”

Researchers analyzed 58 fisher carcasses and discovered that 79 percent of them had been exposed to anticoagulant rodenticides. Brodifacoum, a second-generation rodenticide, was found in 96 percent of the exposed fishers.

Second-generation rodenticides are more toxic because they can be lethal after a single ingestion. It can take up to seven days before clinical signs appear, so the poisoned animal can be a significant risk to predators for several days before it dies.

“I am really shocked by the number of fishers that have been exposed to significant levels of multiple second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides,” said pathologist Leslie Woods of the UC Davis California Animal Health and Food Safety Laboratory System, which conducted the necropsies.

Anticoagulant rodenticides inhibit the ability of fishers and other mammals to recycle vitamin K. This creates a series of clotting and coagulation problems, which may lead to uncontrollable bleeding.

Exposure to the poison was high throughout the fisher populations studied, complicating efforts to pinpoint direct sources.

The fishers, many of which had been radio-tracked throughout their lives, did not wander into urban or agricultural environments. However, their habitat did overlap with illegal marijuana farms.

The researchers describe a recent example in which more than 2,000 marijuana plants were removed by law enforcement officials less than 7.5 miles from one of the study areas. Large amounts of rodenticide were observed around the marijuana plants and along plastic irrigation lines.

The fisher deaths occurred between mid-April to mid-May, the optimal time for planting young marijuana plants outdoors – and the time when seedlings are especially vulnerable to pests. This is also when fishers are breeding and raising their young.

Gabriel said fishers may be an “umbrella” species for other forest carnivores. In ecology, an umbrella species is one that, if protected, results in protection of other species, as well.

“If fishers are at risk, these other species are most likely at risk because they share the same prey and the same habitat,” said Gabriel. “Our next steps are to examine whether toxicants used at illegal marijuana grow sites on public lands are also indirectly impacting fisher populations and other forest carnivores through prey depletion.”

A team of astronomers using NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope have discovered another moon orbiting the dwarf planet Pluto.

They say the new moon, Pluto's fifth, is likely irregular in shape and six to 15 miles across. Provisionally designated S/2012 (134340) 1, it was detected in nine separate sets of images taken by Hubble’s Wide Field Camera 3 on June 26, 27, 29, and July 7 and 9. The moon circles Pluto in a 58,000 mile-diameter orbit.

“The moons form a series of neatly nested orbits, a bit like Russian dolls,” said team leader Mark Showalter of the SETI Institute in Mountain View, Calif.

The Pluto team is intrigued that such a small planet can have such a complex collection of satellites.

The new discovery provides additional clues for unraveling how the Pluto system formed and evolved.

The favored theory is that all the moons are relics of a collision between Pluto and another large Kuiper Belt object billions of years ago. The Kuiper Belt is a broad zone of icy Pluto-like bodies orbiting beyond Neptune. Pluto itself is considered to be a Kuiper Belt object.

The new detection will help scientists navigate NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft through the Pluto system in 2015, when it makes an historic and long-awaited high-speed flyby of the distant world.

The team is using Hubble to scour the Pluto system to uncover potential hazards to New Horizons. Moving past the dwarf planet at a speed of 30,000 miles per hour, the spacecraft could be destroyed in a collision with even a BB-shot-size piece of orbital debris.

“The discovery of so many small moons indirectly tells us that there must be lots of small particles lurking unseen in the Pluto system,” says Harold Weaver of the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Md.

“The inventory of the Pluto system we're taking now with Hubble will help the New Horizons team design a safer trajectory for the spacecraft,” adds Alan Stern of the Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colo., the mission’s principal investigator.

Pluto’s largest moon, Charon, was discovered in 1978 in observations made at the United States Naval Observatory in Washington, D.C. Hubble observations in 2006 uncovered two additional small moons, Nix and Hydra. In 2011 another moon, P4, was found in Hubble data.

In the years following the New Horizons Pluto flyby, astronomers plan to use Hubble’s planned successor, NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, for follow-up observations.

The Webb telescope's infrared vision will be able to measure the surface chemistry of Pluto, its moons, and many other bodies that lie in the distant Kuiper Belt along with Pluto.

For more information about New Horizons and its mission to Pluto visit http://pluto.jhuapl.edu/ .

Dr. Tony Phillips works for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A fire burning in a remote area of the Mendocino National Forest continued to grow on Friday as firefighters used burnout operations to fight the blaze.

On Friday night, Mendocino National Forest officials reported that the Mill Fire, burning 10 miles west of Stonyford near Upper Letts Lake, had reached 25,534 acres and was 50-percent contained. Full containment is estimated to take place Friday, July 20.

Five outbuildings have been destroyed already, and the Friday report stated that more than 400 homes are still threatened in the areas of Fouts Springs, Board Camp Spring, Stonyford and Century Ranch.

No cause has yet been reported. “All we know is that it’s under investigation,” Amy Reid, a U.S. Forest Service staffer and public information officer on the incident, told Lake County News.

Over the course of Friday, officials had reported acreage increases totaling more than 6,500 acres.

“A lot of that new acreage has to do with the burning operations that are under way,” said Reid.

She estimated that the fire could still see significant growth due to plans for continued burning operations.

“They’ll burn as long as conditions are favorable,” Reid said.

Reid said the fire’s south flank has been the most active, and burned steadily until about 4 a.m. Friday when a nighttime inversion layer set in, bringing a layer of stable air, higher humidity and cooler temperatures.

“Generally fire behavior will settle down when you get that inversion,” Reid explained.

The fire has proved to be challenging, she said, with a number of factors coming into play.

Reid said the Mill Fire is burning in extremely rugged terrain, with firefighters having to work on steep hillsides.

It’s also slope driven, and given to quick uphill runs. While firefighters are working on building deep trenches on the fire line, Reid said the fire can roll down below them and come up quickly at them.

“That’s a really dangerous situation,” she said, with a lot of potential for injury to firefighters.

The incident team reported that flame lengths on some of those uphill runs in brush have been 20 to 40 feet high.

“Additionally, we’ve been having unseasonably dry conditions for this time of year,” said Reid, which makes it conducive for really extreme fire behavior.

The area where the fire is burning also has wind factors that come into play, influenced by the marine layer and heating of the air from the Sacramento Valley, she said.

Reid said fire restrictions began on Friday in the Mendocino National Forest. More details can be found at http://bit.ly/Lkujwe .

In addition, archery season is beginning on Saturday, which Reid said is a concern for fire officials.

“This particular area of the district is very popular for hunters,” she said.

However, the area is closed because of the fire, so she said hunters must find other areas to go for now.

While the smoke from the fire had filled Lake County’s air basin earlier in the week, air quality has improved, with the Lake County Air Quality Management District forecasting good conditions over the weekend.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Four little orange tabby kittens are awaiting adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control.

The kittens all are male, and about 12 weeks old.

Some have short coats, one has a medium-length coat, and they each weigh about two pounds.

All are friendly and playful.

To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

If you are getting ready to go on vacation but feel uncomfortable because you have planned your vacation better than you have planned your legal affairs then you are not alone.

It’s only natural to have some concern in case something unexpected might happen while away. Underlying this nagging concern are two levels of reality. Why are you holding back from getting your affairs in order? What can and should you do before leaving?

Procrastination and apprehension over one’s mortality are two common reasons why people indefinitely postpone getting their affairs in order.

However, consider the following: It is far easier to get one’s affairs in order when there is no compulsion to do so and when times are easy as opposed to doing so under compulsion in an emergency; and, getting one’s affairs in order gives one an immediate peace of mind to live life more fully.

What one can do varies with one’s own circumstances and needs.

Some people only need a simple will (I.e., those with small estates under $150,000) while most other people need a living trust to avoid probate at death and perhaps for other reasons.

That said, anyone can write a handwritten will prior to going on vacation in order to have some peace of mind that their estate, even if subject to probate, will nonetheless go to their intended death beneficiaries.

This is especially true for unmarried couples who wish to leave some portion of their estate to their partner; otherwise the probate assets will all pass to their heirs.

Using a handwritten will is neither a desirable approach nor a long-term solution. It is not as reliable and helpful as an attorney prepared and executed will.

How is a valid handwritten (holographic ) will executed?

Unlike a regular will a holographic will is handwritten and is not witnessed. The essential requirements are as follows: First, the will must show the testator’s testamentary intentions (I.e., “this is my will”). Second, the will must state the bequests (gifts).

Gifts can be stated in various ways: Specific gifts of items of property to named persons and/or to identifiable classes of people (e.g., my children, my spouse); and/or percentages (that total 100%) of one’s remaining estate allocated to specific persons and/or classes.

Third, a primary and alternative executor(rix) to administer the will should be named. Finally, the will must be signed and dated by the testator.

Also, with retirement and life insurance plans, it is wise to call the administrator and enquire who is named as primary and alternative death beneficiaries.

One may be surprised to learn that no alternative beneficiary is named or that who is named is no longer appropriate. If necessary, request a change in death beneficiary form and instructions.

Next, everyone should have powers of attorney for incapacity planning to control financial, property and health care decisions during the principal’s disability. Incapacity planning can be accomplished most simply by completing California’s Uniform Statutory Power of Attorney and Advance health care declaration forms.

Explanations for each of the individual powers listed in the power of attorney can be obtained by going on-line and searching for “California uniform statutory power of attorney explanation of powers.”

Is the foregoing approach to estate planning ideal or completely sufficient?

Not usually. Laypersons using the above approach will not typically cover all the important issues they need to address.

For example, conferring gifting authority to transfer real and personal property to loved ones, which is often relevant for Medi-Cal planning purposes, requires additional special instructions to be added to the statutory power.

Before leaving on vacation, place all legal documents in a safe location and ensure that the necessary persons have access. Then relax and enjoy your vacation!

Dennis A. Fordham, attorney (LL.M. tax studies), is a State Bar Certified Specialist in Estate Planning, Probate and Trust Law. His office is at 55 First St., Lakeport, California. Dennis can be reached by e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by phone at 707-263-3235. Visit his Web site at www.dennisfordhamlaw.com .

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Officials said Friday that Lake County’s air quality continues to improve after days of clogging wildland fire smoke, with the weekend forecast showing air quality to be in the “good” category.

Lake County Air Quality Management District, which issued the Friday update, also advised that community members should remain cautious due to the ability for conditions to change rapidly.

The district said testing shows that ozone and particulate levels remain below the state and federal health-based standards.

The Mill Fire in the Colusa County portion of the Mendocino National Forest has sent a cloud of smoke high above the horizon, with that smoke filling the air basin earlier this week.

Both Lake County and neighboring Mendocino County issued air quality alerts earlier in the week because of the smoke, and the East Park Reservoir in Colusa County also was closed to recreation activities in part because of air conditions.

The local air district said the improved conditions seen in the latter part of the week resulted from firefighting efforts and sustained westerly transport winds.

Smoke impacts in Lake County are likely through the weekend as east winds are forecast for parts of Saturday and Sunday, the district reported.

While officials don’t anticipate unhealthy air quality throughout Lake County, localized pockets of
heavy smoke are possible.

Strong west winds are predicted for late afternoon through early evening on both Saturday and Sunday, which will help keep Lake County’s air clear of heavy smoke, the district reported.

The Mill Fire is expected to be contained on Friday, July 20, the Mendocino National Forest reported.

Gov. Jerry Brown has directed additional state resources deployed to assist in fighting wildfires burning throughout Northern California.

Significant fires are burning in three Northern California counties – Placer, Trinity and Colusa counties and have burned over 30,630 acres, destroyed at least five structures and displaced hundreds of residents.

A highly trained Cal Fire Incident Management Team is now coordinating the attack on the 1,300-acre “Robbers Fire” in Placer County.

The wildfire is burning three miles northwest of the community of Foresthill and was only 10 percent contained as of early Saturday morning. Officials say 170 residences are threatened and 1,626 personnel are assigned to try and get the upper hand on the fire.

“We’ve had a brief reprieve from large fire activity the last two years,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of Cal Fire. “But the exceptionally dry winter has set the stage for a more active fire season this year and we’re seeing fire activity now that we would typically not see until late August.”

Governor Brown also directed the California National Guard to activate five specially equipped UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters and trained guard personnel to assist state and local firefighters as well as emergency management and mutual aid resources available through the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA).

“The California Military Department is supporting Cal Fire and Cal EMA to provide critical resources and personnel to protect the residents affected by these wildfires,” said Maj. Gen. David S. Baldwin, Adjutant General, California Military Department. “We are prepared to provide additional support and stand ready wherever and whenever we are needed.”

Cal EMA has deployed 23 mutual aid strike teams comprised of firefighting equipment and personnel from around the region.

A total of 150 engines and approximately 469 personnel are deployed as a part of these state-coordinated strike teams. They join hundreds more local firefighters in impacted areas.

“Our hearts go out to those impacted by these wildfires,” said Secretary Mark Ghilarducci of the California Emergency Management Agency. “We know how important it is to have a quick, coordinated response to these disasters and that’s what our team has been focused on around the clock. We’re working closely with the other agencies and keeping a close eye on the rest of the state as the hot weather and winds pose additional challenges.”

Ghilarducci stressed that residents near these wildfires should pay close attention to information and direction from local authorities in case additional evacuations are necessary.

NICE, Calif. – Fast action by firefighters saved several homes clustered on a steep hillside along E. Highway 20 late Friday afternoon.

Shortly before 4 p.m. Northshore Fire personnel were dispatched to 4342 E. State Highway 20 on the report of a vegetation fire with structures threatened.

Northshore Fire Battalion Chief Steve Hart was at the Nice fire station – about a mile away – when the call came in, and he and a crew were able to get on scene within about three minutes of the call.

By the time they arrived, a 16-foot travel trailer on the back of the property was involved and about a quarter-acre of moderate to heavy vegetation, according to Hart and radio reports.

Making matters worse, Hart told Lake County News that the hillside where the fire was located had a 70-percent slope and there were five homes within about 150 to 200 feet of the fire.

He said it looked like a bomb had gone off, and he feared that the fire could take all of the homes. “It was going that good.”

As a result, Hart called for a full strike team of local engines.

He said Lakeport, South Lake County Fire, Cal Fire and Williams Fire – which is in the area helping cover a local fire station – all sent engines, and a total of nearly 50 personnel were on scene.

While firefighters were working the incident the High Rock 1 Cal Fire hand crew – with 20 personnel – happened to pass through the area. They turned around and came back to help, Hart said.

“We really lucked out,” he said.

The first 30 minutes on the incident were particularly harried, with Hart pointing to difficulties accessing the site. Firefighters used the narrow and steep Hutchins Road, located off a stretch of E. Highway 20 lined by homes on both sides, to get to the fire.

It took about 40 minutes to fully contain the fire, Hart said. Mop up continued until the incident was terminated just after 6 p.m. No injuries were reported.

“The apparent cause was an electrical cord in the grass,” Hart said.

Altogether, about a third of an acre of vegetation, a wood pile, the travel trailer and a 10-foot by 20-foot shed were burned, according to Hart.

A portion of the shed was burned and the trailer was destroyed.

Hart estimated damages to be about $4,000.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – The Mill Fire increased by about 4,500 acres by Friday morning, with firefighters continuing firing operations and meeting continuing challenges due to tough terrain.

The fire has been burning north and east of Upper Letts Lake in the Colusa County side of the Mendocino National Forest since Saturday, July 7.

Mendocino National Forest officials said the fire was at 23,414 acres and 45 percent containment, with more than 1,600 personnel assigned to the incident.

The southern flank of the fire burned actively in steep rugged terrain overnight until early Friday morning, officials reported. Fire activity along that flank of the fire is expected to increase as an invasion lifts during the day Friday.

Firefighters are continuing to use burnout operations to try to remove fuel from the fire’s path, according to the report.

Forest officials are anticipating an increase in ridgetop winds as a result of a low-pressure trough that’s approaching the Pacific Northwest, brining slight cooling and increased humidity with it.

The resources on scene Friday included 29 Type 1 crews, 13 Type 2 crews, eight helicopters, 100 engines, 19 dozers and 12 water tenders.

An estimated $6.1 million has gone into fighting the fire thus far, according to forest officials.

Forest officials are still anticipating that the Mill Fire will be fully contained by next Friday, July 20.

The forest reported that archery season for deer hunting opens Saturday, July 14.

A closure order remains in effect for the fire area, which will affect hunters who traditionally visit the recreation area outside Stonyford, on the south central portion of the Grindstone Ranger District, where the fire has impacted 90 miles, or two-thirds, of the trail system.

The Snow Mountain Wilderness Area is still open and accessible from northern trailheads, including West Crockett, the forest said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

LUCERNE, Calif. – Lucerne residents could be looking at more water rate increases beginning in 2014.

On July 5, California Water Service Co. requested approval to increase rates in 2014, beginning an 18-month water rate review process mandated by the independent state agency responsible for setting the utility’s rates, the California Public Utilities Commission.

To lessen the impact on customers, Cal Water is requesting that the necessary increase be phased in over three years, said Cal Water Redwood Valley District Manager Gay Guidotti.

Guidotti said that, typically, the majority of the increase becomes effective in the first year, and smaller inflation-type increases in the second and third years.

If the CPUC agrees with Cal Water’s request, the typical residential customer would see their monthly bill increase by 77.1 percent between 2014 to 2016.

That breaks down to $18.51, or 62 cents per day, for a 29.4-percent increase in 2014; $25.93, or 86 cents per day, for a 31.9-percent increase in 2015; and $16.94, or 56 cents per day, or 15.8 percent in 2016.

Based on those numbers, residential customers would pay at least $226.30 more over the course of 2014, $313.90 more in 2015 and $204.40 in 2016. Water rates would increase by $2.04 a day over those three years.

Supervisor Denise Rushing is concerned by the proposal.

“You would think that by now Cal Water would have learned that it is they who are perpetuating an economic down spiral in the town of Lucerne with some of the highest water rates in the state,” she said. “They should be working with the PUC and legislators to develop alternatives to the standard rate-making procedures for disadvantaged communities. These alternatives might include a market-reality-based cap.”

She added, “In this desperate economy, as people are losing their homes, to propose these kinds of rate increases is wrong. It further perpetuates the difficulty for those that remain on their system. Will the last home and business left standing pay the full cost of the plant?”

Rushing said it’s time for Cal Water to recognize that standard cost-plus ratemaking does not work in this circumstance. She said she was pleading with the company to help turn the Lucerne economy around.

“In our county owned systems, we have seen rising costs of treatment as well and are only increasing rates for the most essential investments and are finding ways to save money,” she said. “Seventy-seven percent is outrageous, especially on top of the increases to date and the high rates already in place.”

Cal Water reported that it is asking to increase the Rate Support Fund benefit for Lucerne customers, which is a subsidy funded by other Cal Water districts to benefit customers in smaller, higher-cost districts.

During the 18-month review process, expense forecasts can be refined and capital projects can be deferred, resulting in a lower increase than initially requested.

In the last three-year rate review process in 2009, Cal Water initially requested an increase of 54.9 percent; a final increase of 41.8 percent became effective in 2011.

In 2005, the company sought a 247-percent increase, receiving approval from the CPUC for a 121-percent rate increase in 2006, as Lake County News has reported.

Company: Water costs rising

Cal Water said a rate increase is needed to cover higher expenses associated with operating and maintaining the water system, including those incurred to meet strict water quality standards and environmental regulations, make safety improvements and inspections, improve preventative maintenance, and make infrastructure improvements.

In addition, water sales revenue, which helps pay fixed operating costs, has declined over the last three years, requiring the rate for each unit of water to increase to cover the same costs, the company said.

“Unfortunately, water costs are rising, not just here, but throughout the country. Many of them – such as costs for materials, water production and water treatment – are increasing faster than the rate of inflation,” said Gay Guidotti.

“Also, water use is going down, and water utilities have a lot of fixed costs that stay the same regardless of how much water customers use,” Guidotti said. “That results in higher per-unit water costs. The good news is, some variable costs decrease when customers use less water, and those cost decreases are factored in. And conservation can save customers money in the long-term by enabling us to avoid having to invest in new sources of supply to meet higher demand.”

Guidotti said that if water usage had not decreased, the typical residential customer would see an even greater increase in his or her total water bill.

The reduction in overall water usage increases the per-unit cost of water, but the combination of variable cost savings and the customer using fewer units of water results in a total bill that will be lower than it would have been without water conservation efforts, she said.
 
Cal Water is proposing a number of water system infrastructure upgrades to increase reliability and fire protection and ensure good water quality, including: new water mains, storage tank maintenance, and enhancements to comply with water quality regulations.

The California Public Utilities Commission will thoroughly audit Cal Water’s expenses, plans and operations during the 18-month review process.

It is responsible for setting rates that reflect the actual, dollar-for-dollar costs of providing water service and allow Cal Water to earn a return only on the funds it invests in water system infrastructure, similar to the interest that would be paid on a loan if the funds were borrowed from a bank.

Customers are invited to submit comments in writing or at public participation hearings, if held by the commission.

“We are very sensitive to the need to operate as efficiently as possible,” Guidotti said. “We watch every penny closely because we know that our operations affect customer rates.”

Cal Water serves about 3,600 people through 1,900 service connections in Lucerne and parts of Duncans Mills, Guerneville, Dillon Beach, Noel Heights and Santa Rosa. The company has provided water service in the area since 2000.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – More smoke rose into a column over the horizon on Thursday as firefighters used burnout operations to thin fuel in the path of the state’s largest wildland fire.

The Mill Fire reached 18,985 acres on Thursday, with 40 percent of the blaze contained, according to the U.S. Forest Service.

Full containment is anticipated next Friday, July 20.

The firefighting effort has cost a reported $5 million so far.

The fire has been burning in brush and timber for nearly a week in the Colusa County side of the Mendocino National Forest, north and east of Upper Letts Lake. The cause remains under investigation.

Firefighters made progress securing fire lines along the east and west flanks of the fire, and the north flank continued to hold well, according to an incident team report.

Forest officials reported that the burnout operations began Thursday afternoon along the southern and eastern flanks of the fire, and were set to continue into the night. Crews used aerial and hand ignition techniques to burn out fuels and strengthen containment lines.

Where slope and wind direction aligned, the fire continued to back down the slope and run uphill, the incident team reported.

The resources and personnel assigned to the incident remain substantial.

Approximately 1,582 firefighting personnel were on scene Thursday, along with 29 Type 1 crews, 13 Type 2 crews, eight helicopters, 100 engines, 19 dozers and 12 water tenders.

A closure order remains in effect for the Mendocino National Forest for all roads and trails in the recreation area outside Stonyford on the south central portion of the Grindstone Ranger District.

Officials said the fire has impacted 90 miles – or two-thirds – of the Grindstone Ranger District’s off-highway vehicle trail system.

On Thursday, the Bureau of Reclamation announced that East Park Reservoir in Colusa County was closed to recreational activities due to safety concerns including air quality and emergency vehicles operating in the area.

Local Forest Service officials and the incident management team are in close communication with local air quality management districts, and also are working with agricultural business operations in nearby areas. In addition, the Forest Service and the California Air Resources Board have set up smoke monitors.

The fire has resulted in air quality alerts in Lake and Mendocino counties, with clearer conditions and slightly cooler temperatures expected Friday.

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