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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The American Red Cross has helped people in 16 states whose lives were disrupted by severe spring weather so far this year.
Most recently, the Red Cross responded to tornadoes in Oklahoma, Kansas and Iowa by opening shelters, serving meals, providing emotional support and handing out relief supplies.
As of April 20, the Red Cross has deployed 2,700 workers who have helped people affected by floods and tornadoes by serving more than 239,000 meals and snacks; handing out more than 111,000 relief items such as comfort kits and cleaning supplies like shovels, rakes, gloves and trash bags; opening 47 shelters and providing more than 1,300 overnight stays; and providing more than 9,000 health and mental health contacts.
American Red Cross, Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake Counties is involved with the effort.
In Santa Rosa, Friedman’s Home Improvement has donated $10,000 to help support Red Cross relief throughout the Midwest. In addition to the funds donated through the local Red Cross chapter, Friedman's is accepting customer donations for the victims of the storms in their stores in Santa Rosa, Sonoma and Ukiah.
“The Red Cross is grateful for Friedman’s donation and their effort to collect funds for those affected by the spring tornadoes,” said Red Cross Regional CEO Tim Miller.
Friends and family outside the disaster area can learn the status of their loved ones by using a pre-disaster phone number or complete address on the Red Cross “Safe and Well” Web site.
The Red Cross encourages people to register on the Red Cross “Safe and Well” Web site to let loved ones know they are safe by visiting www.redcross.org or calling 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).
“Safe and Well” also enables disaster survivors to update their Facebook and Twitter status through the Web site.
People can help those affected by disasters like the Midwest tornadoes and storms, as well as countless crises at home and around the world, by making a donation to support American Red Cross Disaster Relief at www.arcsm.org (Red Cross Web site for Sonoma, Mendocino and Lake counties); at www.redcross.org (national Red Cross Web site); calling 1-800-REDCROSS (1-800-733-2767); texting the word REDCROSS to 90999 to make a $10 donation; U.S. mail: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa, CA 95403; at the Red Cross: 5297 Aero Drive, Santa Rosa (Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.).
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
HIDDEN VALLEY LAKE, Calif. – The Hidden Valley Lake Community Services District reported on Tuesday that it has appointed an interim general manager.
On Friday, April 20, the district board unanimously appointed Roland Sanford of Santa Rosa as interim general manager, the district said.
“We are delighted to have Mr. Sanford on board,” said HVLCSD Board Chairperson Linda Herndon. “His consensus building and technical expertise will be invaluable as we move forward as an organization.”
“I’m pleased to be here and to get to know the Hidden Valley Lake community, and I want to thank the HVLCSD for this opportunity,” said Sanford.
Sanford has 27 years of technical and managerial experience with local, state and federal water projects in California – seven years in the private sector and 20 years with public water agencies, 13 years with the Solano County Water Agency and, more recently, seven years as the general manager of Mendocino County Water Agency.
While with the Solano County Water Agency, Sanford served six years as the agency’s assistant general manager and was instrumental in the settlement negotiations that resolved the Putah Creek water cases of the 1990s.
As the general manager of the Mendocino County Water Agency, Sanford led Mendocino County’s participation in the highly successful seven-county North Coast Integrated Regional Water Management Plan and associated grant proposals that secured over $10,000,000 for infrastructure and habitat restoration projects in Mendocino County.
Sanford’s appointment as the interim general manager is expected to last three to six months, the district reported.
On May 1, the district board will meet to discuss recruitment of a permanent general manager.
The board let go its previous general manager, Mel Aust, at its March 20 meeting, as Lake County News has reported.
The district provides sewer and water to an estimated 7,000 residents of Hidden Valley Lake.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The U.S. Department of Agriculture reported Tuesday that the fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy – known more commonly as “mad cow disease” – has been confirmed in a California dairy cow.
"As part of our targeted surveillance system, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has confirmed the nation's fourth case of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) in a dairy cow from central California,” said USDA Chief Veterinary Officer John Clifford.
Clifford said the animal's carcass is being held under state authority at a rendering facility in California and will be destroyed. It was never presented for slaughter for human consumption, so at no time presented a risk to the food supply or human health. Additionally, milk does not transmit BSE.
Samples from the animal in question were tested at USDA's National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
Confirmatory results using immunohistochemistry and western blot tests confirmed the animal was positive for atypical BSE, a very rare form of the disease not generally associated with an animal consuming infected feed.
California Department of Food and Agriculture Secretary Karen Ross said the detection of the BSE in the cow showed that the surveillance program in place in California and around the country is working.
“Milk and beef remain safe to consume,” she said. “The disease is not transmitted through milk. Because of the strength of the food protection system, the cow did not enter the food or feed supply. There are numerous safeguards in place to prevent BSE from entering the food chain.”
Ross said the atypical BSE designation was an important aspect of the case.
“CDFA veterinarians are working with the USDA to investigate this case and to identify whether additional cows are at risk,” she said. Feed restrictions in place in California and around the country for the last 15 years minimize that risk to the greatest degree possible. We will provide additional information about this case as it becomes available.”
California Department of Public Health Director and Public Health Officer Dr. Ron Chapman said there is no public health threat due to the discovery of BSE in the dairy cow, and his agency is continuing to monitor the situation.
“The food supply in California has not been affected by this discovery, and residents do not need to take any specific precautions,” he said.
Clifford said the United States has had longstanding interlocking safeguards to protect human and animal health against BSE. For public health, those measures include the USDA ban on specified risk materials, or SRMs, from the food supply.
SRMs are parts of the animal that are most likely to contain the BSE agent if it is present in an animal. USDA also bans all nonambulatory (sometimes called "downer") cattle from entering the human food chain.
For animal health, the Food and Drug Administration ban on ruminant material in cattle feed prevents the spread of the disease in the cattle herd.
"Evidence shows that our systems and safeguards to prevent BSE are working, as are similar actions taken by countries around the world,” Clifford said.
In 2011, there were only 29 worldwide cases of BSE, a dramatic decline and 99 percent reduction since the peak in 1992 of 37,311 cases. Clifford attributed that decline to the impact and effectiveness of feed bans as a primary control measure for the disease.
"We are sharing our laboratory results with international animal health reference laboratories in Canada and England, which have official World Animal Health (OIE) reference labs,” Clifford said. “These labs have extensive experience diagnosing atypical BSE and will review our confirmation of this form of the disease. In addition, we will be conducting a comprehensive epidemiological investigation in conjunction with California animal and public health officials and the FDA.”
BSE is a progressive neurological disease among cattle that is always fatal. It belongs to a family of diseases known as transmissible spongiform encephalopathies.
Affected animals may display nervousness or aggression, abnormal posture, difficulty in coordination and rising, decreased milk production, or loss of body weight despite continued appetite.
"This detection in no way affects the United States' BSE status as determined by the OIE,” said Clifford. “The United States has in place all of the elements of a system that OIE has determined ensures that beef and beef products are safe for human consumption: a mammalian feed ban, removal of specified risk materials, and vigorous surveillance. Consequently, this detection should not affect U.S. trade.”
He added, “USDA remains confident in the health of the national herd and the safety of beef and dairy products. As the epidemiological investigation progresses, USDA will continue to communicate findings in a timely and transparent manner.”
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – CVS/pharmacy has settled a civil suit with agencies in 45 counties and two cities – Los Angeles and San Diego – over allegations that it failed to properly dispose of hazardous materials.
The company will pay a total of $13.75 million in the suit, with $2 million going toward environmental enforcement and prosecution training, and environmental projects, under the terms of the final judgement signed by Ventura County Superior Court Judge Barbara Lane.
In addition, CVS will be bound by a permanent injunction prohibiting similar future alleged violations of of Business and Professions Code and Health and Safety Code.
Lake County District Attorney Don Anderson confirmed to Lake County News that his office was one of several dozen district attorneys’ offices across the state that took part in the suit, filed by Ventura County District Attorney Gregory Totten.
The suit alleged that over a seven-year period hundreds of California CVS stores, pharmacies and distribution stores – including Long’s Drug Stores that CVS acquired and converted to its brand – violated California laws for handling, storage and disposal of sharps, pharmaceuticals and pharmacy waste.
In addition, CVS is alleged to have failed to properly handle photo waste that contained silver from its film processing labs, hazardous waste generated from spills and customer returns of hazardous products, according to the suit.
Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch’s office reported that California’s investigation into CVS’ operations followed an investigation by environmental enforcement officials with the state of Connecticut.
Ravitch reported that Ventura County Environmental Health Division inspectors subsequently conducted a compliance review at CVS stores in that county and found evidence of improper storage, handling and disposal of hazardous waste and pharmaceutical waste products.
That led to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office teaming up with California Department of Toxic Substances Control and other district attorney investigators from around the state to work on the case, according to Ravitch.
Lake County has only one CVS, located on 11th Street in Lakeport. That store converted from a Longs Drug Store to CVS following CVS’ acquisition.
The Lake County District Attorney’s Office will receive $10,000 in civil penalties for violations of Business and Professions Code, and Lake County Environmental Health will receive $5,000 in civil penalties for violations of Health and Safety Code, according to case documents. The agencies also will receive an additional $1,250 to cover their costs in the case.
Sonoma County will receive $84,625; Glenn, $16,250; Mendocino, $21,250; Napa, $32,000; and Yolo, $370,375.
Ventura County will receive the most from the settlement, $1,573,250.
In addition to paying civil penalties to counties’ district attorneys’ offices, environmental health departments and other agencies, CVS has agreed to pay $625,000 to the Craig Thompson Environmental Protection Prosecution Fund; $600,000 to the CUPA Forum Environmental Protection Trust Fund; $400,000 to fund scholarships and attendance for the annual CUPA Conference; $125,000 to the California District Attorneys Association Environmental Project to provide environmental training; $125,000 to the California District Attorneys Association Environmental Circuit Prosecutor Project to provide training consistent with the Environmental Circuit Prosecutor Project; and $125,000 to the Western States Project for training.
The total civil penalties and cost reimbursements for the counties and cities represented in the suit are listed below.
Alameda County – $351,000
Amador County – $16,250
Butte County – $46,750
Calaveras County – $21,250
Contra Costa County – $95,500
El Dorado County – $52,750
Fresno County – $217,000
Glenn County – $16,250
Humboldt County – $61,125
Kern County – $67,500
Kings County – $21,250
Lake County – $16,250
Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office – $47,500
Los Angeles County – $1,452,500
Madera County – $41,750
Marin County – $36,500
Mendocino County – $21,250
Merced County – $31,750
Monterey County – $133,625
Napa County – $32,000
Nevada County – $31,750
Orange County – $266,625
Placer County – $63,750
Riverside County – $498,750
Sacramento County – $352,500
San Bernardino County – $230,500
San Diego City Attorney’s Office – $63,750
San Diego County – $1,507,625
San Francisco County – $37,000
San Joaquin County – $1,572,500
San Luis Obispo County – $114,500
San Mateo County – $100,000
Santa Barbara County – $15,000
Santa Clara County – $211,000
Santa Cruz County – $52,000
Shasta County – $21,250
Solano County – $295,000
Sonoma County – $84,625
Stanislaus County – $63,750
Sutter County – $16,250
Tehama County – $16,250
Trinity County – $16,250
Tulare County – $151,875
Tuolumne County – $16,250
Ventura County – $1,573,250
Yolo County – $370,375
Yuba County – $16,250
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