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- Written by: Lake County News reports
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Updated results from water quality testing at numerous locations on Clear Lake have confirmed several sites are at the “danger” level for cyanotoxins.
Clear Lake is a national treasure, and was recently named Best Bass Lake of the past decade by Bassmaster Magazine, as Lake County News has reported.
“It is also a large and biologically diverse natural body of water, and therefore dynamic in water quality,” said Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace.
“Given the warm weather and the long hours of sunlight this time of year, we are seeing large cyanobacteria/blue-green algae blooms at various places around the lake. In some locations, cyanotoxin has been detected at ‘danger’ levels,” Pace said.
Lake water monitoring is regularly conducted by the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians and Elem Indian Colony at approximately 30 Clear Lake sites.
During June 23 sampling, Pace said worrisome levels of cyanotoxin were detected at 10 sites, which are shown on the map above. Based on lab testing results, four sites reached the “danger” level.
Those sites at the danger level are:
· Austin Park (AP01, Lower Arm);
· Buckingham (BP, Lower Arm);
· Jago Bay (JB, Lower Arm);
· Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine shoreline (SBMMEL01, Oaks Arm).
Other sites of concern are:
· Lily Cove (LC01, Lower Arm): Warning.
· CL-4 (Oaks arm, center of arm): Caution.
· CLV7: Caution.
· Elem Indian Colony shoreline (ELEM01, Oaks Arm): Caution.
· Keeling Park (KP01, Upper Arm): Caution
· Lucerne (LUC01, Upper Arm): Caution.
While much of the aquatic plant growth visible in the lake right now is harmless, cyanobacteria, when present in sufficient abundance, can produce cyanotoxins, which pose health hazards to humans, livestock and pets, said Pace.
“Varying levels of the toxin can be detected at different locations, so there is no need to be overly concerned about activities in areas of the lake where algae blooms are not present,” Pace said.
At the “danger” and “warning” levels, Pace said toxins from algae in the water can harm people and kill animals.
“Everyone should stay out of the water in those areas and not touch scum in the water or on the shore. Pets should stay out of the water, not drink the water, and avoid the scum. Fish and shellfish should not be eaten from those areas,” Pace said.
Symptoms of exposure include skin rashes, eye irritation, diarrhea, and vomiting. Pace said pets who contact the toxin can experience seizures and death.
Pace said to contact a medical provider or veterinarian if symptoms due to exposure are suspected.
For current cyanotoxin lab results, please visit the Clear Lake Water Quality Facebook page and Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians’ cyanotoxin monitoring website.
Further resources are available at the county’s pages on cyanobacteria and cyanohealth.
CDC guidance regarding harmful algal blooms can be found here.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
“Our state, federal and local land management and fire agencies are outstanding partners,” said District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown. “Right now, they are working to remain prepared and prepositioned for future wildfire events throughout the state. We all have to do our part to help them out.”
Nearly 95 percent of wildfires in California are human-caused. Many result from events like equipment malfunctions, neglected heat sources, electrical or heating system issues and accidents of neglect, like improperly discarded cigarettes and metal objects (such as chains) left dangling from moving vehicles.
Particularly with the July 4 holiday on Saturday, it is critical all Lake County residents are vigilant in protecting against the threat of wildfire. Resources on topics including firework safety are available here.
“Resources are limited or uncertain for every public agency right now,” noted Brown, “and that includes some with responsibilities for fire suppression and mitigation. Inmate crews also do a lot of fire mitigation work, and we normally have four to five crews in Lake County, alone. Because of the early release of inmates, due to COVID-19, we will probably be down to one crew.”
Cleared brush visible from roadsides
The Bureau of Land Management is responsible for 200,000 square miles of federal land in Lake County, including areas near Buckingham (the Black Forest) and the Rivieras.
Recently, they contracted with Cal Fire to clear brush from areas visible from Lake County roadsides. While the vegetation was abated, a significant amount of brush has been piled and left in place. There is also some brush remaining from 2019’s 1,000 Hands Project.
Some county residents have expressed concern these piles may be hazardous, and asked that they be removed. Officials reassured the public that Cal Fire, BLM and the county are satisfied no significant fire hazard is present that warrants pulling Cal Fire personnel from their usual and customary duties during the active fire season.
BLM does not have vegetation management personnel available to remove the brush, and it is generally agreed to pose relatively limited fire risk in place.
Seeking an alternative contractor, one perhaps less familiar than Cal Fire with vehicle and equipment maintenance practices that limit the probability of sparks, may bring greater fire risk than leaving the brush in place, the county reported.
“Our local, state and federal partners are working collaboratively to prepare for this fire season but we can’t do it alone,” said Congressman Mike Thompson. “It is imperative that each of us as individuals remain vigilant and do our part to prevent devastating wildfires and help save lives.”
Tips for reducing many types of residential and other fire risk are also available from the National Wildfire Protection Association’s Firewise USA program.
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- Written by: DENNIS FORDHAM
Probate and trust administration are not the same. There are important differences and similarities between administering a decedent’s probate estate and administering a decedent’s trust estate.
Let’s begin with the differences.
Probate is court-supervised whereas trust administration is private. To commence probate one publishes notice in a newspaper and appears at a court hearing. To commence trust administration, however, one simply mails a notice letter – stating required information – to the decedent’s heirs and beneficiaries.
In probate, the decedent’s will, if any, and all other documents in the court file are available to the public to see.
Probate can also apply in the absence of any written will, i.e., intestacy (the heirs inherit). In trust administration, the decedent’s trust is only available to the decedent’s heirs and beneficiaries.
The expenses involved with a probate and trust administration also differ. A probate requires paying a court filing fee for each petition – there are at least two petitions from commencing to ending a probate – and a newspaper publication fee. Such expenses combined are often almost $1,500.
Then there are the attorney’s and personal representative’s fees, which are computed as a sliding scale percentage of the value of the estate under management: each is paid 4 percent of the first $100,000, 3 percent of the next $100,000 and 2 percent of any excess value of the estate under management.
Sometimes, at the court’s discretion, they may also be entitled to additional extraordinary fees for extraordinary work.
With a private trust administration there is no newspaper publication and no court petitions; except if such steps become necessary. The trustee and his or her attorney are typically paid on an hourly basis times a pay rate. Often, not always, the expenses associated with a probate significantly exceed those of a trust administration.
Next, there are also similarities between a probate and trust administration. There is a myth that if a person dies with their assets in a trust that nothing needs to be done; this is untrue.
Both probate and trust administration require the following: First, the decedent’s assets be collected, safeguarded, inventoried and appraised for tax and/or distribution purposes; second, that the decedent’s creditors be notified and all just debts be paid; third, that the decedent’s taxes obligations be settled; fourth, that the decedent’s debts and the expenses of administration be paid or guaranteed payment ahead of beneficiaries and heirs; and fifth, that the decedent’s beneficiaries be informed about the estate and its administration, including an accounting.
In California, there is a clear preference to avoid probate and to use a trust. Presently, if a decedent dies with an estate with a gross value over $166,250 then the estate is required to be probated, unless it is held in a trust or passes to surviving joint tenants or to designated transfer on death beneficiaries.
Sometimes, however, a trust is not a viable option. That is, a person must possess greater competency (mental understanding and comprehension) to execute a trust than to execute a will. If someone has borderline competency – such as may be due to dementia or senility – then that mental condition may be reason enough to use a will.
Other factors must also be considered. Such as, did the decedent receive Medi-Cal? Since January 1, 2017, a decedent whose estate is not subject to probate is also not subject to Medi-Cal estate recovery. Thus, holding one’s residence in trust avoids probate and Medi-Cal estate recovery claims.
The foregoing is a generalized discussion only, and is not legal counsel. Anyone confronting these issues should discuss their particular needs and circumstances with a qualified attorney and obtain guidance.
Dennis A. Fordham, attorney, is a State Bar-Certified Specialist in estate planning, probate and trust law. His office is at 870 S. Main St., Lakeport, Calif. He can be reached at
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- Written by: Preston Dyches
What's up for July? How about some moons with those giant planets? Mars after midnight. And are the stars of Mars the same as ours?
In the first week of July, enjoy Jupiter, Saturn and the moon late into the night. The trio rises in the couple of hours after sunset, and is well placed for viewing between about 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. They form their closest grouping over the July 4 weekend.
And as you're marveling at this celestial celebration, remember, you're not looking at just one moon, but well over a hundred. At present count, Jupiter and Saturn have 161 moons between them.
You can see Jupiter's four largest moons with a basic pair of binoculars, and at least one of Saturn's moons with a basic telescope. Up close, these moons are richly varied worlds in their own right – with ice-covered oceans, volcanoes, deep chasms and one with an atmosphere and seas of liquid hydrocarbons.
NASA's Mars 2020 mission is planned to launch this summer, sending the Perseverance rover and the first-ever Mars helicopter to the Red Planet. So if you're a Mars exploration fan, this month is a great time to spot Mars yourself.
In July, Mars rises just before midnight and is visible until dawn. It's rising earlier now than it was a few months ago, making it easier for those who are more night owls than early birds. Just look low in the east after midnight for a relatively bright object with a distinct reddish hue. And for an extra treat, take a look on July 11 to find the Moon very close by.
You might not have considered it before, but would it surprise you that the night sky on Mars is quite similar to Earth's in many ways?
Sure, there's sometimes a lot of dust in the thin air, and there are two little moons rather than one big one. But the stars we see from Earth are so very distant that they appear the same as seen from Mars, and you'd have no trouble finding your favorite constellations and asterisms like the Big Dipper.
Plus, with no humans there (yet), there's absolutely zero light pollution to interfere with your view of the Milky Way!
One big difference would be the positions of the planets in the sky. And instead of a ruddy red planet, there would be a dazzling bluish-white one to try and spot while stargazing.
To see noticeable changes in the positions of the stars, you'd have to travel much farther than Mars, Jupiter, even Pluto. In fact, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft, speeding through the outskirts of the solar system, has only seen the slightest shift in the positions of a couple of nearby stars, despite being more than 4 billion miles away from Earth.
You can catch up on all of NASA's missions to explore the solar system and beyond at www.nasa.gov .
Preston Dyches works for NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.