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The public may notice smoke in various parts of the forest during the next few months, forest officials reported this week.
As cooler weather and higher humidity move in, bringing to a close the hot and dry wildfire season, there is an opportunity to bring fire into the forest in a controlled setting.
Prescribed fires are used to clear the forest floor of small fuels and brush without burning or killing large trees.
During prescribed burning season, fire crews also burn piles of wood debris and fuel that are the result of fuel reduction activities in the Forest. This year the Grindstone Ranger District also plans to burn a pile at the Chico Genetic Research Center.
Prescribed burns are conducted when there is a window of opportunity and specific conditions and criteria are met before, and will be sustained during and after the burn. These include temperature, wind conditions, relative humidity and fuel moisture levels. The forest also takes air quality into consideration.
The season traditionally runs from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 as weather permits. The burning operations are monitored and patrolled frequently to ensure public safety.
“Prescribed burning is an important tool for the forest to use for hazardous fuels reduction and forest health improvement, including wildlife habitat,” said Grindstone Fuels Officer Matt Ellis. “The fires are intended to be slow, low-intensity creeping fires on the forest floor. Although there are only a few opportunities for prescribed burns, they produce less smoke and there aren’t the resource impacts typically created by large wildfires.”
In addition to the pile burning in Chico, there are plans to burn additional piles across the Grindstone Ranger District. The district also plans to conduct prescribed burning activities on approximately 1,650 acres, including understory burning in Alder Springs, Oak Ridge and Little Stony, and a combination of pile burning and understory burning for vegetation type conversion maintenance.
On the other side of the Forest, the Upper Lake and Covelo Ranger Districts are also entering the fall prescribed burning season. There are plans to conduct prescribed burning activities in areas including Elk Mountain Road, Howard Mill, Deer Valley, Boardman Ridge, High Valley, Horse Mountain, Tar Flat, Newhouse Ridge, Pine Mountain, Lake Pillsbury, and the vicinity of the 2005 Hunter Fire (Buckhorn and Skidmore Ridge).
Selected campgrounds, guard stations and miscellaneous pile burning also will be included in the prescribed burning operations.
Prescribed burning announcements will be placed at local Ranger Stations prior to ignition.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino National Forest Grindstone Ranger District at 530-934-3316, the Upper Lake Ranger District at 707-275-2361 or visit www.fs.fed.us/r5/mendocino.
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Capt. James Bauman of the Lake County Sheriff's Office said deputies were dispatched to a home on Skyline Drive at about 4:20 p.m. on the report of a suicidal subject.
Bauman said a 64-year-old man who has been very ill for some time – and has reportedly been speaking about suicide for several months – had taken one of his pistols outside of his home and was threatening to kill himself.
Several sheriff's units responded to the address, where deputies found the man sitting in his backyard with the gun, according to Bauman.
Bauman said a perimeter was formed around the property to keep the man confined to his yard while deputies tried to talk the man into surrendering the weapon.
After nearly an hour and a half of negotiations with the man, deputies were able to work their way into a position of advantage. Bauman said they deployed their tasers to neutralize the immediate threat of the situation, and subdued the man without anyone being injured.
The man was subsequently transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, where he was medically cleared and is pending a mental health evaluation, said Bauman.
Bauman added that no criminal charges will be filed against the man as a result of the incident.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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THIS STORY HAS BEEN CORRECTED REGARDING SB 1675.
On Thursday Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed legislation aimed at protecting homeowners and homebuyers in California and helping establish a safe, more accountable lending environment.
The legislation aims to increase accountability in the real estate market, improve transparency standards in order to prevent abusive lending practices and help Californians maintain homeownership in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis.
"All Californians deserve the opportunity to achieve the American dream of homeownership and this legislation will help homebuyers realize that dream in the aftermath of the housing crisis," Schwarzenegger said in a written statement. "I am pleased to sign legislation that protects consumers and creates a responsible and accountable lending environment that will encourage homeownership in our state."
SB 1461 by Sen. Gloria Negrete McLeod (D-Montclair) requires real estate agents to disclose their license number on all first point of contact marketing materials and property purchases beginning July 1, 2009 and SB 1737 by Sen. Michael Machado authorizes the Department of Real Estate to suspend or bar a person who has committed a violation of the Real Estate Law if the suspension or bar is in the best interest of the public.
The governor also signed AB 69 by Assemblymember Ted Lieu (D-Torrance) mandating that all mortgage loan servicers report specific, detailed data to their licensing agency concerning loan modifications and AB 180 by Assembly Speaker Karen Bass (D-Los Angeles) provides a registration and bonding process for foreclosure consultants and prohibits a foreclosure consultant from entering into an agreement to assist an owner in arranging the release of surplus funds after the trustee's sale is conducted.
To help Californians refinancing their mortgages in the aftermath of the foreclosure crisis the governor signed SB 870 by Sen. Mark Ridley-Thomas (D-Los Angeles) which allows the California Housing Finance Agency to more quickly establish a mortgage refinance program and SB 1065 by Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana) that includes the refinancing of home mortgages in the criteria for a city or county-administered home financing program.
The following four housing-related bills have also been signed into law:
SB 1055 by Sen. Michael Machado and co-authored by Sen. Patricia Wiggins (D-Santa Rosa) allows taxpayers to exclude the forgiven mortgage debt from their incomes for state income tax purposes which brings the state in compliance with federal law. “The current housing crisis has many causes, which means we have to address it at many levels,” said Wiggins. “SB 1055 offers state income tax relief to borrowers whose mortgage debt has been forgiven by their lender, debt which is currently taxable to the borrower as ordinary income. In this economy, that can place a heavy burden on borrowers who already are experiencing financial difficulties.”
SB 1604, also by Machado, requires that any private insurance policy maintained by an escrow agent be applied as primary coverage in the event of a loss covered by both the private insurance and the Escrow Agents Fidelity Corporation.
SB 1675 by Sen. Dave Cox (R-Fair Oaks) provides the California Department of Veterans Affairs with the discretion to structure the terms and conditions of any authorized debt issuance.
AB 2454 by Assemblymember Bill Emmerson (R-Redlands) would increase potential recovery for harmed consumers applying for Recovery Account payments filed on or after Jan. 1, 2009, to $50,000 for any one transaction and $250,000 for any one licensee.
In July 2008, Schwarzenegger signed legislation giving Californians one more tool to help them stay in their homes. SB 1137 by Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata (D-Oakland) and co-authored by Wiggins, requires lenders to contact homeowners and explore restructuring options before initiating the foreclosure process. The governor also previously signed SB 1448 by Sen. Jack Scott (D-Pasadena) increasing penalties for acting or advertising as a real estate broker or salesperson without a license.
Additionally last year, the governor signed the following legislation to help homeowners preserve their homeownership, increase protections for Californians who plan to purchase homes and expand affordable housing opportunities:
SB 223 by Machado will make it a crime for licensed appraisers to engage in any appraisal activity that is connected to the purchase, sale, transfer, financing or development of property if their compensation is impacted by the final price generated by the appraisal.
SB 385, also by Machado, permits state agencies involved with residential mortgage lending and brokering to adopt emergency measures and new policies to ensure that all mortgage lenders and brokers are subject to federal guidelines on non-traditional mortgages. This law impacts the Department of Financial Institutions, the Department of Corporations and the Department of Real Estate.
AB 929 by Assemblymember Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster) increases the amount of affordable housing in California by raising the total debt that the California Housing Finance Agency (CalHFA) can carry by $2 billion. CalHFA issues bonds to finance housing for low and moderate-income families.
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The latest financial report on file for District 1 candidates Susanne La Faver and James Comstock is for May 18 through June 30.
La Faver was the top vote getter in the June 3 primary, receiving 811 votes and 31.8 percent of the vote to Comstock's 800 votes, which accounted for 31.4 percent, according to the Registrar of Voters Office. The two candidates far outpaced the rest of the six-person field.
At that time, Comstock had already raised $11,519.19, the largest amount of any candidate in the three supervisorial races. La Faver had raised $5,998.26 during the same time period.
From the beginning of the campaign season through June 30, Comstock leads in money raised, with $13,048.19; La Faver's total through June 30 is $8,017.
The two candidates raised close to the same amount for the May through June reporting period, with Comstock pulling in $2,229 and La Faver $2,047, according to reporting documents.
During the same period, La Faver spent $1,151.19, compared to Comstock's $2,209.90.
For total campaign spending from the start of the year through June 30, Comstock spent $7,983.76, with La Faver reporting $7,009.06 in expenditures.
The following campaign contributions, expenses and donors are included in the recent reports.
JAMES COMSTOCK
Total raised this reporting period: $2,229
Expenditures this reporting period: $2,209.90
Total raised calendar year-to-date: $13,048.19 (including $700 in loans from candidate)
Expenditures for calendar year-to-date: $7,983.76
Payments made:
Middletown Times Star, campaign advertising, $375
Middletown Times Star, campaign advertising, $375
James Comstock, reimbursement for campaign signs, $1,172.21
Political Calling.Com, campaign phone messaging, $102.32
Political Data Inc., campaign phone messaging, $118.25.
Contributions received:
William Throop, Calpine power plant tech, $100 ($200 year-to-date)
North Coast Builders Exchange, political action committee, $1,000
Earnest M. Emery, retired, $100
Joseph P. Keith, building contractor, $250
Herb and Kim Bladel, refrigeration company, $250
Roland Shaul, telecom business, $200
Jessie Head, building contractor, $100
Kellie Risso, homemaker, $100
SUSANNE LA FAVER
Total raised this reporting period: $2,047
Expenditures this reporting period: $1,151.19
Total raised calendar year-to-date: $8,017
Expenditures for calendar year-to-date: $7,009.06
Payments made:
Perfect T's and Screening, yard signs, $134.69
Dr. Don's Buttons, Badges and Magnets, pinback buttons, $249.44
Forand Balloon Imprinters Inc., latex balloons, $166.64
Middletown Times Star, newspaper ad, $100
Voter Guide Slate Mail, voter guide, $200
CDMM, Web and wifi, $79
Contributions received:
Friends of Pat Wiggins, $250
Chuck Lamb, self-employed/Airkayaks.com, $250
Christopher Layton, owner of Pine Grove Resort and Spa, $250 ($500 year-to-date)
Judy Mirbegian, office manager for Dr. Mirbegian, $100 ($150 year-to-date)
Lois M. Moore, University of San Francisco professor, $50 ($100 year-to-date)
R.S. DeVoto, owner of DeVoto Vineyards, $250
William T. Tobin, retired, $200
Campaign expenditures and donations can be expected to grow in the month ahead, as the campaign draws closer to the Nov. 4 election.
The candidates have two upcoming finance reports due, one for the period of July 1 through Sept. 30, which is to be submitted by Oct. 6, followed by another due on Oct. 23, according to the Registrar of Voters Office.
E-mail Elizabeth Larson at
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