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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LOWER LAKE, Calif. – In a positive step toward keeping Anderson Marsh State Historic Park open, the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association has received preliminary approval from the California Parks Department to take over the park's operation.
Anderson Marsh is one of 70 state parks slated for closure July 1. AMIA has been working for several months to negotiate an agreement with the state to operate the park, and is postponing its September bluegrass festival until 2013 to devote its energies to the negotiations.
The group reported Tuesday that it's excited about the development, which it called “a big step forward on the path” to keeping the park open.
AMIA reported that the next steps are to negotiate the actual contract terms and to get the final approval for the agreement from the state.
Under the terms of the proposed operating agreement, AMIA would operate the Anderson Marsh for the next three years.
The group said the hope is that by then the state will be able to figure out a way to properly fund the state parks so that these stop-gap nonprofit operating agreements no longer will be needed.
Under the proposed agreement, AMIA will continue to perform the tasks that it currently does, including opening the park gates during daylight hours on Saturday and Sunday, interpretive nature walks and ranch house tours led by AMIA volunteer docents, hosting senior and student field trips to the park and conducting other interpretive events led by AMIA volunteers.
In addition, AMIA will take over responsibility for maintaining the trail system for use by the public, for contracting for refuse, toilet and utility services and for performing grounds-keeping, housekeeping and maintenance as required. Plans also include offering kayak tours of Anderson Marsh.
The California Parks Department will continue to maintain authority and responsibility for the stewardship and management of natural, cultural and historic resources, including American Indian artifacts found at the park.
State Parks also will continue to be responsible for law enforcement at the park, with periodic patrols and response to calls for assistance as required.
AMIA is in the middle of its fundraising drive to raise the money necessary to operate the parks for the next three years. The group reported that many generous individuals and groups have donated to the cause, some of them also pledging to make the same donation for the second and third year of operations.
In addition to monetary support, AMIA needs volunteers to help with running the park, including trail clearing, maintenance and many other activities. They also need help with staffing tables and booths at various county events so they can get the word out about their efforts to keep Anderson Marsh open.
To help visit AMIA's Web site at www.andersonmarsh.org .
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
CLEARLAKE OAKS, Calif. – A Wednesday night fire damaged a home in the Keys area of Clearlake Oaks.
The home, located in the 13000 block of Flying Jib Court, was reported to be on fire shortly before 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, according to radio reports.
Northshore Fire Protection District responded, as did Lake County Fire Protection on mutual aid, Battalion Chief Steve Hart told Lake County News.
The fire was contained just before 9:45 p.m., with minimal damage to the nearby homes, according to radio reports.
Hart said the fire damaged about 50 percent of the Flying Jib Court home.
Neither the home’s residents nor any firefighters were injured, said Hart.
Hart had called for Red Cross to assist the residents, who were displaced from the home, but they said they didn’t need the group’s assistance.
The last firefighters reported clearing the scene after midnight Thursday morning.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
In 2010, traffic fatalities in California declined to their lowest level since 1944, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
From a peak of 5,504 in 1987, fatalities fell to 2,715 in 2010, the agency reported.
Caltrans is attributing part of the success in lowering the fatality rate to safety improvements it has implemented on highways statewide along with safety programs such as Slow for the Cone Zone and Safe Routes to Schools.
“We are committed to saving lives along the state’s highways and roads,” said acting Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Safety is our top priority and an essential component of every one of our projects.”
A focal point of California’s highway safety efforts is the Strategic Highway Safety Plan (SHSP), created in 2006 to address a broad range of important traffic safety issues.
Caltrans partnered with the California Highway Patrol, the California Office of Traffic Safety (OTS), the Department of Motor Vehicles, and other federal, state and local agencies to develop the plan.
In 2009, Caltrans received a National Roadway Safety Award from the U.S. Department of Transportation for its outstanding work on the SHSP.
Continuing its commitment to SHSP goals, in 2011 Caltrans awarded 80 safety improvement projects worth about $140 million – upgrades such as installing left turn lanes, improving traffic signal timing, realigning roads, and paving highways with permeable asphalt to absorb rain water to reduce crashes on slickened highways.
Last year, Caltrans awarded $66 million to cities, counties and regional agencies for 139 Safe Routes to School (SRTS) projects to improve safety for students in grades K-8 who walk and bicycle to and from school.
In addition to the federal SRTS program, the state Safe Routes to School Program funded 85 projects for $24 million in October 2010. Since 2000, the state and federal programs have awarded more than 1,200 projects for approximately $420 million.
Caltrans also made strides toward making highways and local streets safer through its Slow for the Cone Zone public awareness campaign launched in 1999. California work zone fatalities declined 63.4 percent from 1999 to 2010, compared to a drop of just 37.4 percent nationally.
In addition, Caltrans developed the Highway Safety Improvement Program Application and Evaluation Tool for Local Roadways that allowed local transportation agencies to set priorities for safety projects.
The application identifies projects that offer the greatest potential of reducing fatalities and injuries on California’s local roads. These projects will save lives and provide a projected $743 million in safety
benefits as a result of fewer vehicle crashes, injuries, and fatalities on local roads, according to the Caltrans Division of Local Assistance, which used the evaluation tool to project future savings.
Last year, Caltrans and its partners launched a campaign to educate the public about the importance of moving over a lane or slowing down for Caltrans, law enforcement, tow trucks and other emergency vehicles displaying flashing lights.
A 2011 traffic survey conducted after the campaign by the OTS found that 92.5 percent of drivers surveyed said they were aware of the Move Over law.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Tall, dark and handsome, industrious, loves the outdoors.
That describes “Ike,” a 6-year-old male German Shepherd mix who is up for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control.
Ike is personable, gets along with other dogs and has lived around horses. He weighs about 79 pounds.
He plays a mean game of fetch – he even catches tennis balls in mid air – and shelter staff believes he would make a great family pet.
Find Ike in kennel No. 11, ID No. 32187.
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 .
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 .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.