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- Written by: Lake County News reports
WILLOWS, Calif. – The Mendocino National Forest will be hosting two open houses later this week for community members to meet Forest Supervisor Sherry Tune.
The first open house will be held Thursday, May 10, from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the Upper Lake Ranger District Office, located at 10025 Elk Mountain Road in Upper Lake.
The second open house will be Friday, May 11 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Covelo Ranger District Office, located at 78150 Covelo Road in Covelo.
Tune, who previously was the Monterey District ranger on the Los Padres National Forest, has been on the Mendocino National Forest for less than three months.
Her early months on the forest have been spent getting oriented, meeting employees and touring the forest.
She succeeded former Forest Supervisor Tom Contreras, who is now assigned to the Angeles National Forest.
Tune has the distinction of being the first woman selected to serve as forest supervisor for the Mendocino in its 103-year history.
“I am very excited to be here and look forward to working with our partners and public who enjoy the many benefits from this remarkable forest,” Tune said. “The open house is just the first step for me to begin engaging local communities to improve the overall health and sustainability of the resources on the Mendocino National Forest.”
Prior to her experience on the Los Padres, Tune served as a deputy district ranger for the Coronado National Forest in Arizona.
Her career started as a clerk-typist in 1978 before transitioning to fire where she has extensive experience, including working on hotshot crews, leading a handcrew, serving as assistant forest fire management officer, an emergency center manager, fire planner, fuels program manager and fire ecologist.
Tune’s Forest Service experience also includes work as a certified timber cruiser, law enforcement officer, national training coordinator, and union steward.
Her educational background includes studying landscape ecology at the University of Arizona.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
SACRAMENTO — The Assembly Revenue & Taxation Committee on Monday gave unanimous, bipartisan support to legislation authored by Assemblymembers Jared Huffman (D-San Rafael) and Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) that offers several creative funding opportunities to help prevent state parks from being closed.
Assembly Bill 1589, also known as the California State Parks Stewardship Act of 2012, addresses short and long-term needs for California State Parks in order to achieve substantial budget savings without wide-scale park closures.
The bill includes an option for taxpayers to designate all or a portion of their state income tax refund towards purchase of an annual state parks pass.
“Today, our bipartisan effort to save state parks took an important step forward,” said Huffman, who represents the 6th Assembly District, which encompasses southern Sonoma County and all of Marin County. “It’s important that as we continue to make technical improvements to the bill, we are getting unanimous votes in committee, and members of both parties continue asking to be added as co-authors. I’m also grateful that State Controller John Chiang registered his support and is working with us to make sure key revenue elements of the bill are administratively feasible.”
“The parks closures disproportionately impact rural California, and nowhere is that more true than on the North Coast,” said Chesbro, who represents the First Assembly District. “One of the key elements I wanted included in AB 1589 is the opportunity for Californians to purchase an annual parks pass with their tax refunds. This tool will increase revenue for the parks system with no impact to the general fund and more California families will get out and enjoy our state parks.”
AB 1589 includes the following additional provisions:
- Encourages formation of a state compact that guarantees an ongoing level of state funding for operations and maintenance of state parks.
- Creates a State Park Enterprise Fund to be used for construction and installation of modern revenue and fee collection equipment and technologies to increase park visitation and revenues.
- Produces a California State Park environmental license plate which individual vehicle owners could purchase and have the fees go towards support of state parks.
- Requires the Department of Parks and Recreation to be more transparent on how it evaluates and selects specific parks for closure, and places a cap of 25 state park units on the number of park closures allowed from 2012 to 2016 without legislative approval.
AB 1589 is also joint-authored by Assemblymembers Roger Dickinson, Mike Gatto and Kevin Jeffries.
The bill proceeds to the Assembly Appropriations Committee for further consideration.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
Devastating wildfires threaten California every year, and to ensure Californians are ready, Gov. Jerry Brown declared May 6-12, 2012, as “Wildfire Awareness Week.”
Cal Fire is taking advantage of Wildfire Awareness Week to remind residents of the dangers from wildfires and the simple steps they can take to prepare for them.
“Despite a rainy March, this year’s overall precipitation is below average,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “As a result of the dry winter, the number of wildfires that Cal Fire firefighters have responded to is nearly three times that of last year.”
According to the state’s final snow survey on May 1, the statewide snowpack water content is only 40 percent of normal.
From January to April, Cal Fire crews have responded to over 800 wildfires, nearly two and half times the number in 2011 when there were approximately 300. This year’s number of wildfires is above the five-year average as well, where the average is over 600 wildfires.
During Wildfire Awareness Week, Cal Fire is reminding Californians that when it comes to wildfires, remember “Ready, Set, Go!” Being ready for a wildfire starts by maintaining 100 feet of defensible space and hardening homes with fire resistant building materials.
“Before we get into the peak of fire season, residents should prepare themselves, their families and their homes for wildfires,” said Chief Pimlott. “Defensible Space and fire resistant building materials really gives a home the best chance of surviving a wildfire.”
Cal Fire relaunched its wildfire preparedness Web site, www.ReadyForWildfire.org , with added features and steps to assist homeowners in preparing for wildfires.
The site offers tips for residents to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their families are ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Two county residents were injured on Monday when they were involved in a crash near Kelseyville.
Amber Erickson, 25, of Kelseyville and Robert Quammen, 52, of Lucerne, were involved in the wreck, which occurred on Highway 281 east of Inca Way, according to the California Highway Patrol. A time for the crash was not given.
Quammen, driving a Ford van, and Erickson, who was driving a Nissan Frontier, were both traveling eastbound on Highway 281, or Soda Bay Road, the CHP said.
Quammen, who was ahead of Erickson, drove through some cardboard box debris in the eastbound lane and pulled to the right shoulder and stopped. The CHP said Quammen's van was partially blocking the eastbound lane by about 4 to 5 feet.
Erickson also had driven through the debris, but the CHP report said she didn't see Quammen stopped on the shoulder and partially blocking the lane.
Erickson struck the left rear of Quammen's van, according to the report.
The CHP said Erickson suffered moderate injuries and was transported to St. Helena Hospital Clearlake. Quammen sustained minor injuries and was not transported.
The collision is still under investigation, according to the CHP, which said that alcohol and drugs did not appear to have been contributing factors.
The CHP said both Erickson and Quammen were wearing their seatbelts at the time of the crash.
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