During National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra reminds California businesses to post notices informing the public and trafficking victims of resources available to help combat slavery and human trafficking.

Up-to-date digital copies of these notices are available for free on the Attorney General’s Web site.

“Human trafficking is modern-day slavery, and it’s happening right here in our backyard,” said Attorney General Becerra. “These notices help empower Californians to report trafficking and direct survivors towards critical resources.”

Human trafficking is a crime that involves forcing a person to provide labor or services or to engage in commercial sexual acts. It is a form of modern-day slavery that exploits the most vulnerable members of our society.

California law requires certain businesses and establishments to post a notice with information and resources for victims and the public regarding slavery and human trafficking. Notices must be posted in English and Spanish.

Posting in a third language is required in certain counties that are subject to the language assistance provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act. A list of these counties is available here.

Changes to California’s law took effect on January 1, 2019. As of that date, the notice must contain a number where people can send text messages as well as a number to call.

The list of establishments that must post a notice has been updated to include hotels, motels, and bed and breakfast inns. The full list of establishments that are required to post a notice can be found at California Civil Code § 52.6(a).

If your business or establishment is required to post a notice, you do not need to pay for a poster or notice. You can download and print up-to-date model notices for free on the Attorney General’s Web site at https://oag.ca.gov/human-trafficking/model-notice. The notices are available in English, Spanish and 22 other languages.

The California Department of Justice is committed to combatting human trafficking wherever it occurs.

In 2018, Attorney General Becerra brought down the world’s largest online brothel, Backpage.com. DOJ has also fought to protect juvenile victims of trafficking, bringing 54 felony charges against the alleged operators of a statewide sex trafficking ring in 2017, where minors were among the victims.

DOJ’s efforts to fight against human trafficking have included taking on labor exploitation. In particular, DOJ charged the alleged operators of Rainbow Bright, a California adult residential and child care company, with 59 criminal counts for human trafficking and other labor-related violations.

On Wednesday, Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05), who chairs the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, lauded the announcement that a hearing will be held next week on preventing gun violence.

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerold Nadler (NY-10) announced that the committee would hold a hearing entitled “Preventing Gun Violence: A Call to Action” next Wednesday, Feb. 6, at 10 a.m.

This is the first hearing on this topic in nearly a decade and since the Democrats retook the majority in the House of Representatives.

“The U.S. House of Representatives is finally taking action to prevent gun violence – our new majority is answering the call of the American people,” said Thompson. “For six years, our Task Force implored the previous majority to hold hearings and we were denied. This is a new day – we will have a hearing and we will get results. I am deeply grateful to Chairman Nadler for his leadership on this issue. This is just the beginning and I look forward to having a vote on H.R. 8, my Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019, and taking action the American people have been demanding. No longer will Congress be silent on this issue.”

The hearing is expected to be livestreamed online; that link will be published once it’s confirmed.

Thompson is the lead author of H.R. 8, a bipartisan bill that expands background checks on all gun sales.

The bill currently has 229 cosponsors, including five Republicans.

To learn more about H.R. 8, click here.

The Gun Violence Prevention Task Force was established after the tragedy at Sandy Hook and has grown to a membership of more than 165.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – With the Konocti Unified School District’s superintendent planning to retire at the end of the school year, the board is preparing to begin the recruitment to find her successor.

Donna Becnel, now in her seventh year with the district and in the 35th year of her K-12 educational career, told Lake County News that she’s retiring in June.

On Jan. 11, during a special meeting, the district’s board of trustees considered information about three search firms and decided to hire Education Leadership Solutions – a locally based company – to lead the recruitment, Becnel said.

Becnel said the firm charges hourly, and it’s estimated that the maximum cost will be $12,000.

She explained that, once the consulting firm is hired, it will meet with the board to develop goals for the recruitment.

The district will then hold meetings at which Becnel said community members and employees can give input on what they would like to see in a new superintendent. Those meetings should be taking place within the next month.

From that input, Becnel said the board will create a list of final characteristics they’re seeking in a new superintendent, and then will develop an employment advertisement.

Becnel said she will work with the consultant on a recruitment timeline to bring back to the board at its Feb. 6 meeting.

She said the goal is that by the end of May a contract with a new superintendent will go to the board.

Becnel said the district is the biggest in the county by student population, now around 3,550 pupils. It’s also one of the county’s biggest employers, with more than 400 employees. The district has a $40 million annual budget.

During Becnel’s tenure, the district established a magnet medical high school and Konocti Education Center, both of which are doing great, she said. The magnet medical high school, working in conjunction with Woodland Community College, received a middle college grant which allows students to get associate degrees.

In the last seven years, the district also has undertaken major modernization projects, including new buildings and upgrades to existing facilities.

The district is just now in the process of its second issuance of bond funds, according to Becnel.

“We are continuing to grow and so we are continuing add on additional classrooms,” Becnel said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Five dams across California – including one in Lake County that forms Lake Pillsbury – have been listed as key for removal by an advocacy group in the effort to stop the extinction of native salmon and steelhead.

In response to what it calls a “statewide fish extinction crisis,” which indicates 74 percent of California’s native salmon, steelhead and trout species are likely to be extinct in the next century, the fish and watershed conservation nonprofit organization California Trout on Tuesday released its list of the top five dams prime for removal in the golden state.

CalTrout said the dams identified in the report were carefully selected based on scientific criteria. The facilities were chosen provide the least benefit for people and caused the greatest hazards for imperiled native fish rose to the top.

“With the majority of California’s native salmonids at significant risk of extinction in the next 100 years, it’s imperative that we look for low-hanging fruit opportunities to improve conditions for fish, especially when we can do so without compromising public safety or water security for people,” said Curtis Knight, executive director of CalTrout. “The top five dams identified in the report provide only marginal value for people, while their removal would provide significant ecosystem and economic benefits.”

Among the listed dams is the Scott Dam in Lake County, which forms Lake Pillsbury. It’s one of two dams that make up the Potter Valley Hydropower Project, which provides hydroelectricity, water storage and diversions into the Russian River.

The project also includes the Cape Horn dam in Mendocino County, along with two reservoirs – the major one being Lake Pillsbury – and a diversion tunnel that sends water south to the Russian River watershed.

CalTrout said species that would benefit from the dam’s removal including California Coast Chinook salmon, Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, Northern California summer steelhead and Northern California winter steelhead.

The project, licensed through 2022 through the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, has over the last few years been in the midst of a relicensing process. CalTrout that process is likely to call for fish passage over dam, which would be cost prohibitive.

Pacific Gas and Electric owns the project. On Tuesday, the same day that CalTrout released its list of dams to remove, PG&E filed for bankruptcy.

PG&E put the project up for sale in September and last week announced it wouldn’t relicense the project with FERC, as Lake County News has reported.

When PG&E’s decision to not relicense the project went public, CalTrout Executive Director Curtis Knight said that, while PG&E’s withdrawal does affect the process, it will not change CalTrout’s continued efforts to achieve a two-basin solution, and that in recent weeks it has put its resources toward building “a tangible plan that would remove Scott Dam and keep the water interests in the Russian River whole.”

The organization said that for the last several years, it has been conducting studies in the upper Eel River basin, commissioned dam removal and fish passage assessments above Scott Dam, and spent significant resources in analyzing the water rights and water delivery aspects of the Project in preparation for the Project’s FERC relicensing process.

CalTrout said it has worked with several other stakeholders in an ad hoc committee convened by Rep. Jared Huffman, and has assessed the fish passage options and water delivery options that will best meet the needs of water users and endangered native fish.

As a result of PG&E’s decision not to relicense, it’s expected that FERC will initiate its “Orphan Project” process, in which it will allow potential buyers to submit an application for a new project license.

In response to a question from Lake County News about whether PG&E’s decision to sell and not relicense the project had any impact on its listing of the Scott Dam, CalTrout said that the Eel River has long been a priority area for it, but its involvement in the Potter Valley Project started during the license amendment process in 1995. Since then, they have viewed the habitat above Scott Dam as high-quality potential rearing and spawning needed to restore salmonid abundance on the Eel River.

CalTrout’s said its primary goal is to open up the 150 plus miles of habitat above Scott Dam and ensure the release of cold consistent water during the spring and summer months into the Eel River.

“What is promising and what would likely be reflected in a settlement agreement, is that we can achieve those goals while diverting enough water from the Eel to the Russian River in Potter Valley during the high winter flows to satisfy the water users in Potter Valley and Sonoma County,” the organization said in a statement released to Lake County News.

“Simply put, the removal of Scott Dam opens up pristine spawning and cold-water rearing habitat in the headwaters of the Eel River, which we believe holds the greatest opportunity to return salmon and steelhead populations to historical abundance. Combine this with a FERC orphan process and hydro facility that has historically lost between $5 and $10 million a year and you have got a great opportunity for the conservation and water users to both get the type of water security they need,” the organization’s statement said.

CalTrout said it’s studied the dam removal impacts on flow regimes on the Eel and Russian Rivers, salmon and steelhead populations, and is producing a peer-reviewed study of the Scott Dam Decommissioning and Removal study conducted by Sonoma Water. “We expect to make this study available for all interested parties and we will continue to analyze the potential impacts and feasibility of the removal of Scott Dam. Nothing in our research has shown that the removal of Scott Dam is not a real and feasible potential outcome of this FERC process.”

The organization said removing the Scott Dam can have positive impacts on fish, the Eel river watershed as a whole and tribal interests, all the while keeping the necessary flows to the Russian River to support Potter Valley and Sonoma Water interests. “We have yet to analyze the effects of this project on groundwater interests, although we are analyzing the potential for groundwater recharge opportunities in Potter Valley as an opportunity for water storage on the Russian River side of this equation.”

CalTrout said its Top Five California DAMS OUT Report is a natural next step to its 2017 “State of the Salmonids II: Fish in Hot Water” report, which was completed in partnership with UC Davis.

That report detailed the status of 32 types of salmon, steelhead, and trout that are native to California and offered data about the threat of near-term extinction facing each of these fish populations. It also identified opportunities for stabilizing and even recovering many of the state’s native fish species.

Restoring access to upstream habitat through efforts like dam removal is a priority action in the drive to prevent a mass extinction of California’s native fish.

More than 1,400 dams block California rivers, creeks and streams. Many of these structures block access to salmon and steelhead spawning and rearing habitat.

CalTrout said studies have shown access to upstream habitat is critical for promoting self-sustaining populations of migratory fish.

While a great number of the state’s dams provide critical water supply, flood control and hydroelectric power, CalTrout said many others have outlived their functional lifespan and could be removed without impacting human health and safety.

In addition to the Scott Dam, the other four dams in the top 5 that CalTrout suggests for removal are:

Matilija Dam, Ventura River in Ojai: Built in 1947 for water storage and flood control, now essentially defunct due to excessive sedimentation. Widespread support for removal among locals and public agencies. Species to benefit: Southern California California steelhead.

Searsville Dam, Corte Madera Creek/San Francisquito Creek watershed in Redwood City: Built in 1892, has lost more than 90 percent of its original water storage capacity due to sedimentation. The dam does not provide potable water, flood control, or hydropower. Removal would allow steelhead to access historical spawning grounds. Species to benefit: Central California Coast steelhead.

Rindge Dam, Malibu Creek in Malibu: Located in Malibu Creek State Park about three miles upstream from the coastline, the concrete dam was completed in 1926 to provide water for irrigation and household use. The reservoir filled entirely with sediment by the 1940s. Removal would provide access to high-quality steelhead habitat. Species to benefit: Southern California steelhead.

Klamath Dams (Iron Gate Dam, Copco Dam No. 1, Copco Dam No. 2) in Siskiyou County: Four aging hydroelectric dams, three of which are in California, block salmon and steelhead fish from reaching more than 300 miles of spawning and rearing habitat. Dam removal is now expected to proceed in 2021, pending a dam license transfer to the non-profit Klamath River Renewal Corporation. Species to benefit: Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast Chinook salmon, Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers fall-run Chinook salmon, Upper Klamath-Trinity Rivers spring-run Chinook salmon, Southern Oregon/Northern California Coast coho salmon, Chum salmon, Klamath Mountains Province summer steelhead and Klamath Mountains Province winter steelhead.

CalTrout identified the dams as ripe for removal by analyzing information found in several studies to assess the overall benefits that removal would present to native fish, water, and people.

Every dam considered for inclusion in the list blocks access to habitat for salmon and steelhead species listed as critical or of high concern in the State of Salmonids II report.

CalTrout said these dams also no longer serve the purpose for which they were built and, in some cases, may now pose a public safety threat. Dams that currently provide flood control or water supply for people were not considered for inclusion in the list, nor were any dams that are part of the State Water Project or federal Central Valley Project due to their vital role in securing water for residents throughout the state.

“CalTrout’s priority is always to find a middle ground that protects the water needs of people while improving conditions for native salmon, steelhead and trout where possible,” said Knight. “Removing these five dams would be a significant step in the right direction for imperiled native fish without having a significant impact on people. It would also be a step in the right direction for the overall health of our watersheds, which is especially important in this era of climate change.”

Read the full report here.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department said it has arrested a Newark man on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child.

David Anthony Johnson, 31, was arrested on Saturday, the agency reported.

On Jan. 1, Clearlake Police Officer Michael Perreault initiated an investigation into the sexual assault of a child under the age of 10. Police said Johnson was identified as a suspect.

The case was turned over to Det. Ryan Peterson who conducted additional investigation. Police said the case was then sent to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office which requested a warrant for Johnson’s arrest through the Lake County Superior Court.

The Clearlake Police Department requested the assistance of the Newark Police Department with locating and arresting Johnson, police said.

On Saturday, police said Johnson was contacted at his residence, placed under arrest for the warrant and booked into the Santa Rita Jail. On Sunday, Det. Peterson responded to the Santa Rita Jail and transported and booked Johnson at the Lake County Jail.

Jail records show that Johnson remained in custody on Tuesday, with bail set at $1 million. He’s due to appear in Lake County Superior Court on Feb. 5.

The Clearlake Police Department thanked the Newark Police Department for its assistance with the case.

Anyone with information in regard to this case is encouraged to contact Det. Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – New data released by the California Department of Water Resources measure changes in land subsidence in the Sacramento Valley over the past nine years, finding the greatest land surface declines near the city of Arbuckle in Colusa County.

According to the Sacramento Valley GPS Subsidence Network Report and accompanying fact sheet, most of the valley has experienced little to no subsidence, however, land in the Arbuckle area has sunk 2.14 feet compared with baseline measurements recorded in the same location in 2008.

The report was led by the California Department of Water Resources, in coordination with 19 state and local agencies.

“We’ve long known that excessive groundwater pumping causes subsidence, which is one of the many reasons we’ve pushed for sustainable groundwater management and pursued innovative tools to better manage and report subsidence throughout the state,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Data provided by studies like this inform water managers and owners of large infrastructure so they can plan for and prevent against subsidence.”

Land subsidence can damage critical infrastructure, including water delivery systems, levees, roads, and bridges.

In 2017, DWR worked with NASA to release a report on San Joaquin Valley subsidence citing areas along the California Aqueduct that have experienced almost two feet of subsidence over three years.

The Sacramento Valley survey results were collected as groundwater levels were recovering from the severe drought of 2012-16, which saw groundwater levels in much of the state reach historic lows. Compared with 2011 pre-drought groundwater levels, the largest decreases were observed in Glenn and Colusa counties at 58 to 43 feet, respectively.

Field work indicates that groundwater levels have recovered an average of seven feet, but more frequent and more comprehensive monitoring is needed to more accurately detail the impacts of droughts and high-water years on groundwater levels and subsidence.

The Sacramento Valley GPS Subsidence Monitoring Network, launched by DWR in 2008, surveyed 300 measurement locations in 11 counties from Shasta County in the north to Solano and Sacramento counties in the south.

The 2017 resurvey effort was led by DWR’s Division of Integrated Regional Water Management Northern Region Office, with the assistance of 19 state, county and local entities.

“The data provided in this report are an example of the technical assistance we provide and the collaborative effort needed to facilitate successful and sustainable groundwater plans at the local level,” said Taryn Ravazzini, DWR deputy director of Special Initiatives.

DWR offers several tools that assist groundwater agencies and the public assess aquifer conditions and plan for sustainable management, including:

· Land Use Viewer: Allows local agencies and the public to access land use survey datasets for the past 30 years.

· Well Completion Report Viewer: Provides information about wells collected during the drilling and construction of water wells.

· SGMA Data Viewer: Compiles many groundwater related datasets that can be used to look at groundwater levels and subsidence.

The Sacramento Valley subsidence report also concludes that areas of Yolo County experienced the most widespread subsidence, in terms of geographic area affected by subsidence, with 31 survey sites measuring a land surface decline between .3 and 1.1 feet.

Other statistically significant levels of subsidence were observed at three survey sites in Glenn County (between 0.44 and 0.59 feet of subsidence) and five survey sites in Sutter County (between 0.20 and 0.36 feet of subsidence).

LAKEPORT, Calif. – With the Lakeport Unified School District Board of Trustees officially approving his contract, interim Superintendent Patrick Iaccino is getting to work to meet with staff, teachers and students, planning recruitments for teachers and a new superintendent, and looking for ways to bring the divided district together.

The school board voted to hire Iaccino, a veteran educator who retired a year and a half ago as superintendent of the Upper Lake Unified School District, at a special meeting on Jan. 14, as Lake County News has reported.

Five days earlier, the board voted to end the contract of Superintendent April Leiferman, an action which resulted in the resignation of Board member Lori Holmes the following day.

On Wednesday, the board held another special closed session, emerging after about 15 minutes to announce they had approved Iaccino’s contract.

Iaccino told Lake County News this week that the contract runs through June 30, the end of the school year. Because he is a retiree who is limited in how much time he can work, the contract is limited to 75 days of work and can’t exceed $45,000. The district also has agreed to pay for his benefits.

Already, Iaccino has gotten to work on a lengthy list of priorities needed to stabilize the district and move it forward.

At Wednesday’s meeting, both certificated and classified employees said they had spoken to Iaccino and they were ready to start – or resume – negotiations with the district.

Rob Alves, the representative for the teachers union, said he hopes the district can look through its budget and find the money for raises. He said they have a long way to go together and a lot to learn as they try to find solutions for students.

Iaccino said he is looking at making amendments to the district’s Local Control and Accountability Plan as part of finding that funding.

He said he’d had a cordial meeting with both unions the previous day, and he’s optimistic and very hopeful about working with them. He added that they would do everything they could to resolve all of the issues so the district can move forward, and energy can be put where it belongs – on students.

Iaccino’s plans include meeting in small groups with teachers and classified staff at each of the school sites. He said he wants to go over what’s in front of them in terms of the major tasks to be accomplished in a very short period of time.

Iaccino told Lake County News that he has upcoming meetings in February with the elementary, middle and high schools, where he wants to have candid conversations about the situation. “Let’s see what we can accomplish.”

He said he believes the district is having growing pains, not unlike what happened when he led the effort to consolidate the Upper Lake elementary and high school districts into Upper Lake Unified School District.

Moving forward, Iaccino told Lake County News that the list of major tasks in front of him includes, first and foremost, the hiring of a new chief business officer as Lynn Thomasson, Lakeport Unified’s current chief business officer, is set to depart in February.

He said he’s working on a contract with a consultant who could fill that position. She assists a number of districts in similar situations and comes highly recommended. Iaccino said the consultant also knows how to go through district budgets and is aware Lakeport Unified is about to start employee negotiations.

Iaccino said this week that the other big item on his docket includes the hiring of a new superintendent.

The timeline he has so far includes advertising the job in early to mid February. He proposes to do the job search in-house, rather than hiring a search firm.

The process will include putting together a committee with numerous stakeholders, from union representatives to parents, students, board members and community interest groups, he said.

That large group will then help do paper screenings of applicants to arrive at the final group of candidates who they will interview. Iaccino said he hopes interviews will take place from mid to late March, with an announcement of a new superintendent to be made in April and that individual joining the district in May or by the end of the year.

With Holmes leaving the board, Iaccino said he also needs to recruit for a new board member, a process that must be completed within 60 days of her resignation.

There also is the need to recruit for credentialed teachers, who are now at a premium. Iaccino said at last week’s meeting that Lakeport Unified isn’t the only district in dire straights, noting that California is short 21,000 credentialed teachers.

Clear Lake High School Principal Jill Falconer recounted going to job fairs and having a table next to districts that were handing out $5,000 signing bonuses to new teachers.

Iaccino agreed with Falconer that it’s hard to compete with big districts for teachers. That’s why he said the district needs to sit down with county leaders to find ways to entice teachers to come to Lake County.

Board Chair Dan Buffalo said they need to be aggressive with recruitment, especially in this year’s tight labor market. He suggested borrowing the city of Lakeport’s recruitment flier as a model.

Buffalo said at Wednesday’s meeting that he wanted placed on a future agenda a proposal for an ad hoc committee to address the loss of teachers. It was an idea he and fellow board members Carly Alvord and Jen Hanson discussed during their run in the fall election.

Iaccino told Lake County News this week that he hopes to get to 10 recruitment fairs ahead of the new school year.

Other priorities for Iaccino include addressing and turning around declining enrollment.

Twenty six students have left Lakeport Unified since the start of the year. That equates to lost revenue for the district totaling between $7,000 and $9,000 per student, a number that Iaccino said he won’t be able to refine until he sits down with a chief business officer to understand how the district structures its financing.

“It’s critical that kids go to school,” he said, adding that the district doesn’t receive any funding if children are absent for any reason. Previously, they had been paid if students were sick.

On Wednesday, Clear Lake High School Assistant Principal Jennifer Scheel said they needed to heal the community, and Iaccino agreed that the healing process needed to start.

Iaccino said this week that he is planning to put together a “state of the district” report for an upcoming meeting.

The board next meets on Feb. 13.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

More California drivers are using their cell phone behind the wheel, but less than previous years, a 2018 observational study by the California Office of Traffic Safety, or OTS, and California State University, Fresno found.

The study, which was done between August and September of 2018, revealed fewer than five percent (4.52 percent) of California drivers were seen picking up and using their cellphones, compared to less than four percent (3.58 percent) in 2017. As part of the study, surveyors examined driver behavior at 204 locations across 17 counties statewide.

The 2018 numbers are three percent less than 2016 (7.6 percent), a year before the most recent cell phone law went into effect.

“Our goal is to end distracted driving, and there’s still work to be done,” OTS Director Rhonda Craft said. “This observational survey gives us an idea on where we stand getting drivers’ attention away from their phones and where we still have work to do.”

Other key findings from the study include:

• Cell phone use was more than 8 times higher (5.55 percent) among drivers with no passengers versus with at least one passenger (less than one percent).

• Cell phone use was higher on local roads than on freeways or highways.

• The most common cell phone use by drivers was to perform a function on the phone. This could be anything from texting, email, GPS, using an app or social media.

• Less than two percent of drivers were observed using their phone with a child passenger.

Under the 2017 hands-free cell phone law, drivers are not allowed to hold their phone for any reason. The phones must be mounted on the dashboard, windshield or center console.

The mounted phone can only be touched once with the swipe or tap of a finger to activate or deactivate a function.

If cited, drivers face a $162 fine for a first offense and at least $285 for a second offense.

Since the first cell phone laws went into effect more than 10 years ago, the OTS has been urging people to put down their phones and focus on the road.

California’s insurance commissioner said Monday that the reported losses from the November wildfires have jumped.

Just two months ago, California experienced the most devastating wildfires in the last 100 years, destroying nearly an entire town and leaving 89 people dead and thousands homeless.

Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara today announced that to date more than $11.4 billion in insured losses have been reported from the November 2018 fires.

That number is up more than $2.3 billion from losses the Department of Insurance reported in December – a 25 percent increase.

More than 13,000 insured homes and businesses suffered a total loss out of more than 46,000 claims reported by insurers.

“Today, we have a clearer picture of the loss from the devastating Camp and Woolsey fires,” said Commissioner Lara. “The Department of Insurance is here to help. To date we have assisted more than 5,000 survivors of the November fires. To the residents of Paradise, Butte, Malibu, Los Angeles and the other communities who have lost so much—we stand with you on the long road to recovery.”

Department of Insurance staff have been onsite in all affected areas providing expertise and counsel to wildfire survivors and at Local Assistance and Disaster Recovery Centers in Northern and Southern California.

The department also has intensive workshops planned in the coming weeks to help the survivors of the November fires with their insurance needs.

The department deployed its law enforcement personnel to devastated communities in the aftermath of the fires to deter scam artists who might otherwise prey on vulnerable wildfire survivors.

The Department of Insurance’s enforcement team escorted homeowners and insurance claims adjusters through blocked roads and hazards to allow them to inspect more than 1,200 properties and expedite claims for property and auto losses—so people can get paid faster.

“We have a lot to do to get ready for the next fire season,” said Commissioner Lara. “The Department of Insurance is committed to working tirelessly with our fellow agencies to ensure that we have a system in place that protects wildfire survivors, prevents wildfires, and preserves our state.”

The news Thursday that state investigators found Pacific Gas & Electric Co. is not responsible for the 2017 Tubbs fire in Santa Rosa shows why the beleaguered utility shouldn’t rush into bankruptcy protection, says Steven Weissman, a lecturer at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

Weissman, who served for 15 years as an administrative law judge for California’s top utility regulator and also was an adviser to both the regulators and the state legislature, said it was too soon to say that PG&E is truly insolvent.

“PG&E needs to take a step back, take a deep breath and put off its efforts to file in bankruptcy court,” he said, referring to PG&E’s announcement last week that it intended to seek bankruptcy protection by the end of January. “The concern comes from the threat of wildfire and potential future wildfire liabilities. But why not let that process play out?”

A bankrupt PG&E would leave regulators distracted and company executives focused on financial and legal maneuvers when they should instead be focused on preparing the company – and California – for the threat of wildfires made more destructive by a warming climate.

“PG&E is maybe one of the most dramatic examples of a company that has not adapted adequately to the new realities that are brought on by climate change,” he said.

Berkeley News spoke with Weissman about his experience with the state’s Public Utilities Commission, the threat of wildfire and what he’d do if he were in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s shoes.

Berkeley News: CalFire said Thursday that PG&E wasn’t responsible for the Tubbs fire. I think many thought they were and that, as a result, they’d have to pay out millions of dollars in penalties. Are they still going to declare bankruptcy?

Steven Weissman: This doesn’t let PG&E off the hook for Tubbs. Undoubtedly, some litigators will offer private investigations that might reach different conclusions. And even if it cannot be proven with clarity that PG&E triggered the fire, plaintiffs could try to make a case that negligence on PG&E’s part contributed to the initial blaze or contributed to the intensity of the fire. But this does put in doubt PG&E’s liability for the biggest 2017 fire, and there has been no finding yet related to the Camp fire in 2018.

So they might continue with the bankruptcy process. What does that mean for the state of California?

There are a number of issues. One is, will the lights go out? The short answer is no. It won’t change the rates in the short run, and it won’t make the service less reliable.

But you asked about the state. One thing that it’s going to do, unfortunately, is capture a tremendous amount of the attention of the state legislature and the governor’s office. They are going to be very concerned about the implications of having the biggest utility in the state in bankruptcy. They’re going to do everything in their power to soften the blow or convince PG&E to avoid bankruptcy.

Why does the state want to do that?

One of the benefits of having strong, large, centralized energy utilities in the state is that they’re available to implement a number of environmental and social programs that we seem to care about.

For instance, there is a requirement that 60 percent of all electricity provided by the utility has to come from renewable sources by 2030, and then by 2045 it can only provide a combination of renewables or other sources that would qualify as ‘clean energy.’ They also run very ambitious programs to encourage people to use energy more efficiently.

If the utility is not able to focus its attention on implementing those programs, then the programs and the ability to meet California’s climate goals will suffer. This is a matter of great concern for the state. It might prompt the state to take over PG&E’s operations.

So, could it be harder to reach our goals when it comes to climate change or clean energy – the things that will make fires less present in the future?

PG&E has been a national leader in terms of its energy efficiency and renewable energy programs. We don’t want to lose that enthusiasm.

Remember, too, that this concern is being triggered by the catastrophic fires that we now seem to be having on an annual basis. The concern is that PG&E’s equipment may have sparked some or most of the fires.

If all the attention goes to making sure PG&E is financially viable, that distracts attention from the more fundamental question about how we go about reducing the intensity of these wildfires.

Some people have said that if PG&E goes bankrupt, it could be the first major company to fall victim to climate change. Do you think that’s the case? Is this a sign of what’s to come, in terms of economic instability in the energy sector?

I don’t know if you can say that it’s the first company to be a victim of climate change, but PG&E provides one of the most dramatic examples of a company that has not adapted adequately to the new realities that are brought on by climate change.

Based on your experience at the Public Utilities Commission, and watching PG&E’s 2001 bankruptcy, what’s the ideal outcome here?

PG&E needs to take a step back, take a deep breath and put off its efforts to file in bankruptcy court. I’m actually surprised that the company wants to go down that path. It seems premature. Bankruptcy usually is something that is used as a remedy when a company cannot pay its bills. PG&E is not in that position right now. It has plenty of cash and can plan to pay all its bills.

The concern comes from the threat of wildfire and potential future wildfire liabilities. But why not let that process play out? We can see with the results of the Tubbs Fire investigation that it might not turn out the way we expect.

What would you do if you were the governor?

I would want to do everything I could to focus the conversation on how we deal with the more fundamental challenge: reducing the intensity of fires. We’ve had devastating fires two years in a row, and there’s no reason to think they’re not going to happen again. Wildfires are inevitable. It is going to take an extraordinary effort to reduce the fuel load in areas of high fire risk to keep those fires from becoming catastrophic.

Will Kane writes for the UC Berkeley News Center.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is set this week to discuss a proposed administrative reorganization at the sheriff’s office and consider establishing zones of benefit for wildland fire prevention in the Kelseyville area.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 29, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

Tuesday’s meeting actually is a special meeting; the board usually has the fifth Tuesday of the month off, but is gathering after having not met last week due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday.

In an untimed item, Sheriff Brian Martin will ask the board to request for his agency “a management level reorganization as part of a restructuring and to significantly change its business practices due to a long history of vacancies in particular classifications and is requesting to reorganize in order to meet the demand in another way.”

Martin is proposing to eliminate two vacant sheriff’s lieutenant positions and one vacant captain’s spot and change the titles to chief deputy. He also wants to eliminate the vacant Central Dispatch manager and correctional captain positions, which have been held by civilian employees, and change them to chief deputy as well.

All of Martin’s proposed changes are estimated to cost $2,312 a month.

Also on Tuesday, in another untimed item, the board will discuss and consider resolutions of intention to create zones of benefit in Buckingham, Clear Lake Riviera and Riviera Heights ”to establish a proactive approach for enhanced road maintenance in the form of preventative measures to protect the roads from the ravages of wildfire damage, the consequent impacts of that damage, and the extraordinary costs associated with road replacement and disaster-related repairs,” according to a memo from Supervisor Rob Brown.

Brown said that, ultimately, forming the benefit zones will be up to voters in a Proposition 218 process.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve agreement with the county of Lake and the Lake County Arts Council for the display of art in the county courthouse and authorize the chair to sign.

5.2: Adopt a resolution to “opt-in” to outreach agreement with the California Complete Count Census 2020.

5.3: Adopt Resolution approving Agreement No. 18-0250 with the State of California, Department of Food and Agriculture and authorizing execution of the contractor certification clause and signatures for insect trapping activities for the FY 2018-19.

5.4: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Paragons LLC for the coordination of activities involved with the No Place Like Home Grant for Fiscal Year 2018-19.

5.5: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a new contract maximum of $250,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.6: Adopt resolution approving Amendment A01 to the standard agreement for the multi-year contract between the county of Lake and the Department of Health Care Services for Substance Abuse Block Grant for Fiscal Year 2017-18 through Fiscal Year 2019-20, and authorizing the Behavioral Health administrator to sign the amendment.

5.7: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Vista Pacifica Enterprises Inc. for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 in the amount of $105,700 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

5.8: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Mountain Valley Child and Family Services for specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 in the amount of $75,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

5.9: Adopt the resolution approving the sales order and services agreement between the county of Lake and Cerner Corporation for the purchase and maintenance of the Cerner Integrated Behavioral Health System known as Millennium for the term of Jan. 1, 2019, through June 30, 2026, and authorizing the Behavioral Health Services administrator to sign the sales order and services agreement.

5.10: Adopt resolution to amend the budget for FY 2018-2019 by appropriating unanticipated revenue for Public Health services.

5.11: Approve long distance travel for Program Coordinator Elise Jones to Philadelphia PA from March 26 through March 29, 2019 to attend the NNPHI Open Forum for Quality Improvement and Innovation in Public Health.

5.12: Sitting as Kelseyville County Waterworks District #3, Board of Directors, adopt resolution accepting the installation of solar energy facility at KCWWD#3 Waste Water Treatment Plant as complete and authorize the Special Districts administrator to sign the notice of completion.

5.13: Approve the plans and specifications for the Southshore Behavioral Health Roof Project, Bid No. 18-14, and authorize the Public Services director / assistant purchasing agent to advertise for bids.

5.14: Approve plans and specifications for the Upper Lake Pedestrian Improvements for Upper Lake High, Middle and Elementary Schools Project; Bid No. 18-11, State Project no.: ATPL-5914 (103) and authorize the Public Works director / assistant purchasing agent to advertise for bids once authorization to proceed with construction phase is received from Caltrans.

5.15: Approve Amendment No. 1 to agreement between the county of Lake and Hanford ARC for Oak Mitigation Services for the Cole Creek at Soda Bay Rd and the Highland Creek at Highland Springs Road Bridge Replacement Projects in Lake County for an increase of $8,587.26 and a revised amount not to exceed$351,034.23 and authorize the chair to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:15 a.m.: Report and update of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Certified Tourism Ambassador Program.

6.3, 9:30 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $4,464.81, for 24980 Morgan Valley Road, Lower Lake, CA (APN 012-014-15 - Terry Alan Rucks, Frederick G. Hosier and Wolter Bijleveld.

6.4, 9:35 a.m.: Hearing, nuisance abatement assessment confirmation and proposed recordation of notice of lien in the amount of $1,749.85, for 16560 Rose Street, Lower Lake, CA (APN 024-342-16; previously APNs 024-342-12 & 13 - Steven M. Gerstmann).

6.5, 9:45 a.m.: Consideration of the future of Local Emergency Medical Services Agency for Lake County and status of North Coast Emergency Medical Services.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Discussion and consideration of resolutions of intention to create (a) Zone of Benefit Clearlake Riviera within CSA No. 23; (b) Zone of Benefit Buckingham within CSA No. 23; (c) Zone of Benefit Riviera West within CSA No. 23; and (d) Zone of Benefit Riviera Heights within CSA No. 23.

7.3: Consideration of the following appointments: Animal Control Advisory Board, First 5 Lake County, Fish and Wildlife Advisory Board, Lucerne Area Town Hall, Middletown Cemetery District Spring Valley CSA No. 2.

7.4: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Linda Shields Appeal AB 18-02 - telecommunication tower and variance applicant: Verizon Wireless (c/o Epic Wireless) .

7.5: Consideration of proposed findings of fact and decision in the appeal of Liyu Shen Appeal AB 18-03 - variance for a use permit for indoor cannabis cultivation within 1000 Feet of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation facility.

7.6: Consideration of new policy entitled employee referral program, as a pilot for the period, Feb. 1 to June 30, 2019.

7.7: Consideration of (a) proposal to restructure the sheriff's department; and (b) resolution amending Resolution No. 2018-132 establishing position allocations for fiscal year 2018-2019.

7.8: Consideration of (a) purchase of seven 2019 Chevy Tahoe Police pursuit vehicles from Matt Mazzei Chevrolet in the amount of $289,662.87 from the Sheriff/Pursuit Replacement Budget Unit 2217, Object Code 62.72; and (b) purchase of four Chevy Malibu unmarked vehicles from Matt Mazzei Chevrolet in the amount of $81,978.76 from the Sheriff/Pool Replacement Budget Unit 2216, Object Code 62.72; and (c) waiving the County Purchasing Ordinance section 41.3(b) allowing the 10 percent local vendor preference to exceed $10,000; and (d) purchase of vehicle equipment from Precision Wireless in the amount of $58,631.81 from the Sheriff/Pursuit Replacement Budget Unit 2217, Object Code 28.30; and (e) authorizing the sheriff/coroner or his designee to issue purchase orders for said purchases.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): County of Lake, et al. v. PG&E, et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several high schools are planning to face off this weekend in the Lake County Academic Decathlon competition.

The 38th annual California Academic Decathlon’s topic is “The 1960s: A Transformational Decade.”

Upper Lake High School, Clear Lake High School and Willits High School will compete this year, according to Erika Barrish of the Lake County Office of Education.

Students will compete in art, economics, music, language and literature, mathematics, science and social science, will give planned and impromptu speeches, participate in an interview and write an expository essay. The interview portion took place on Saturday.

The remainder of the competition, including the public portions of the event – the Super Quiz and awards – will take place beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 2, at Upper Lake High School. The awards will take place from 4 to 5 p.m.

Upper Lake High School is the returning champion.

Lake County’s Academic Decathlon students also are invited to compete in a poster and poetry competition that’s conducted in partnership with the Lake County Arts Council. Students can win cash prizes and have their work displayed at the Lake County Office of Education.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.