ST HELENA
CAL FIRE lifts burn permit suspension effective Friday
Effective Friday Nov. 1 at 8 a.m., the burn permit suspension will be lifted. Cooler temperatures, higher humidities and the chance of winter weather have helped to dimish the threat of wildfires.
Property owners and residents are asked to use caution while conducting debris or agriculture burns, follow all guidelines provided and maintain control of the fire at all times. Individuals can be held civilly and/or criminally liable for allowing a fire to escape their control and/or burn onto neighboring property.
Residents wishing to burn MUST verify it is a permissive burn day prior to burning.
• Bay Area Air Quality Management District for southern Sonoma and Napa counties: 1-877-466-2876
• Northern Sonoma County Air Pollution Control District: 707-565-2876
• Lake County Air Quality Management District: 707-994-4444
Pile Burning Requirements
• Only dry, natural vegetative material such as leaves, pine needles and tree trimmings may be burned.
• The burning of trash, painted wood or other debris is not allowed.
• Do NOT burn on windy days.
• Piles should be no larger than four feet in diameter and in height.
• Clear a 10-foot diameter down to bare soil around your piles.
• Have a shovel and a water source nearby.
• An adult is required to be in attendance of the fire at all times.
For more information on burning, visit the CAL FIRE website at www.fire.ca.gov
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CLEARLAKE
Wings of Hope One-Day Camp available on Saturday
Families with children 6 years of age and older who have experienced the death of an important person in their lives are invited to learn more about attending the next one-day overnight camp scheduled for Saturday, November 2 at a Clearlake location from 10 am to 2pm. Lunch and snacks will be served. Space is limited and pre-registration is required.
Hospice Services of Lake County staff and volunteers provide multiple services in compassionate response to the unique ways children and families grieve and heal from the death of loved ones. Wings of Hope camp has been limited to families for over 24 years.
Camp activities at camp are designed for healing from loss and grief in a fun and positive environment.
Participants will enjoy music, art, and games. These vibrant activities are designed to assist participants in learning new coping skills by providing opportunities to learn new healthy tools for coping with loss. A $25 refundable deposit will be required to reserve space.
For more information about family support groups or to register for camp, contact Kathleen or Michelle at Hospice Services of Lake County, (707) 263-6222, or send an email to kbradley@lakecountyhospice.org or melola@lakecountyhospice.org.
Hospice Services of Lake County’s mission is to support people by providing the highest quality palliative, emotional and spiritual care that helps patients and their families who are navigating end-of-life’s journey. For more information, call Hospice Services of Lake County, (707) 263-6222. Find us on Facebook or visit the organization’s website at www.lakecountyhospice.org.
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SACRAMENTO
State investments to combat retail theft lead to arrest of over 10,000
California’s largest-ever single investment to fund local law enforcement efforts to combat retail and property crime continues to pay off. Today, the state reported that law enforcement agencies that received Organized Retail Theft grants have used the Governor’s investments totaling more than $267 million to make 10,138 arrests and to hire additional law enforcement officers and staff.
The Organized Retail Theft (ORT) Prevention Grant is a competitive funding initiative for city police, county sheriffs, and probation departments to combat retail, motor vehicle, and property theft. Through a $242 million state investment, 31 city police departments and seven sheriffs’ offices have increased arrests by 46% in the recent quarter, bringing total arrests to 10,138 suspects, including nearly 8,000 for organized retail theft. The ORT Vertical Prosecution Grant, providing $24.8 million to 13 district attorneys’ offices, has led to charges against 1,643 organized crime suspects, with 467 people convicted so far.
Local support to fight organized retail crime
Governor Newsom has invested $1.1 billion since 2019 to fight crime, hire more police, and improve public safety. action builds on the Governor’s Real Public Safety Plan — which focuses on strengthening local law enforcement response, ensuring perpetrators are held accountable, and getting guns and drugs off our streets, including by deployment of California Highway Patrol to hot spots throughout the state.
As part of Governor Newsom’s strategy to improve public safety, in 2022, CHP launched a multiyear recruitment campaign to fill 1,000 officer positions by hiring qualified individuals from California’s diverse communities. CHP is well on its way to meeting its goal. In the first six months of 2024, the CHP received more than 11,700 cadet applications – a 58% increase from the same period in 2022. The next CHP graduation is in November.
Last year, the California Highway Patrol reported an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety. And since January 2024, CHP’s Organized Retail Crime Task Force is on track to surpass the work in 2023, making 1,123 arrests and recovering more than $8 million worth of stolen goods.
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