SACRAMENTO – Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones today issued new Auto Collision Repair Labor Rate Survey Regulations that increase consumer protections when a damaged vehicle is repaired.
 
Over the past several years, the Department of Insurance has worked on regulations protecting consumers who have filed automobile collision repair claims with insurance companies.

The regulations went through a formal public review process required by state law, which included taking and responding to public input on the regulations at public workshops, public hearings, and through written public comments. The regulations were drafted and revised with input from consumers, insurers, and repair shops.
 
Insurers limit payments for auto collision repairs based on labor rates derived from insurer created labor rate surveys which did not fairly measure labor rates.

Consumers are left having to pay the difference between the actual labor cost of the repair and what the insurer was willing to pay based on its labor rate survey.

The new regulation sets forth voluntary standards for insurers to accurately and reliably survey auto body repair labor rates to ensure they are paying the reasonable and proper amount.
 
"Accurate and reliable labor rate surveys ensure that consumers are not left paying out-of-pocket for collision repairs, which should be covered by insurance, or worse, forced to leave the vehicle in disrepair creating a potential safety concern," said Commissioner Jones.
 
The Office of Administrative Law (OAL), which independently reviews all new regulations, approved the Commissioner's regulation yesterday. The regulation goes into effect by operation of law on Jan. 1, 2017.

However, these newly adopted regulations are part of the Fair Claims Settlement Practices Regulations, which contain a delayed compliance date in order to give insurers, who choose to use these voluntary regulations, additional time to comply. The earliest compliance date is Feb. 28, 2017.

NICE, Calif. – Thurman Dennis Hennessee went to be with the Lord early on the morning of Monday, Nov. 28, 2016, in his home in Nice at the age of 84.

A funeral service will be held at Chapel of The Lakes Mortuary on Saturday, Dec. 10, at 11 a.m. with visitation prior to the service starting at 9 a.m.

Dennis was born March 14, 1932, in Dunlap, Tenn., to Alexander Hennessee and Roberta White.

He spent 33 years with Lockheed Martin, where he once saved the company millions by stopping a doomed launch in the nick of time. As a thank you for this catch, Dennis was given an "Outstanding Achievement Award" by the head of the company in 1966.

Dennis enjoyed his retirement playing golf, poker, bingo, crushing it at pool and fishing at Blue Lake. Dennis split his time between his Nice, Calif., home and winters in Mesa, Ariz. In Mesa, he was honored with a plaque attesting to his pool-playing skills. He loved dancing, participating in plays and taking cruises.

Dennis is survived by his wife, Leona Hennessee; son, David Hennessee; six grandchildren; and two great grandchildren. Dennis was preceded in death by his daughter, Pamela Jean Crooks, and son, Richard Allen Hennessee.

Flowers can be sent to Chapel of The Lakes Mortuary at 1625 N. High St., Lakeport.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

John M. Puccetti
Nov. 15, 1950 – Nov. 27, 2016

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lord has called home another gentle soul. Johnny was born in Lakeport, California to parents John and Lea Puccetti, and resided in Kelseyville for most of his life. He is survived by many friends and family.

Johnny was blessed with a lively spirit and a warm heart and he was a generous person who aided those who called upon him for help. With a fun-loving smile and a wry sense of humor, he never failed to light up a room or put people at ease.

As an active resident of Kelseyville, he embraced the town and its people. Johnny was a successful entrepreneur (Affordable Travel, Lucca, Country Clothing, The Shoe Closet and John’s Market) and was involved in many civic associations including the Kelseyville Lions Club, the Kelseyville Business Association, and was a treasured member of the Kelseyville Pear Festival.

Even though he rarely spoke about his involvements, he was privately very pleased to be one of the many people who were instrumental in the development and growth of Kelseyville.

Johnny’s personal deeds to his family and friends were unmatched. He was a good friend to many and was friendly to all. He will be dearly missed.

A Funeral Mass celebrating Johnny’s life will be held at St. Peter's Catholic Church in Kelseyville on Monday, Dec. 5, at noon.

For those wishing to attend, a rosary will be performed at Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary in Lakeport on Sunday, Dec. 4, at 4 p.m.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

Harvey Fisher
April 14, 1929 – Nov. 24, 2016

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Harvey was a World War II veteran serving in the Marine Corps and a Lake County Shriner.

He is survived by his son, Randy (Theresa) Fisher; two sisters-in-law, Peggy Bronson of Illinois and Linda Barnes of New Jersey; and many nieces and nephews.

He is predeceased by his wife, Shirley.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Frank Davis (Lee Franklin Davis) was born Dec. 16, 1933, in Olney, Texas. He left this world Nov. 23, 2016, in Lakeport.

On Jan. 24, 1951, Frank entered the U.S. Army at the age of 17 years old serving in Germany and in Korea. Frank enjoyed and was very proud of his military service. During his three years of service he received the Korean Service Medal with two bronze service stars, the United Nations Service Medal, National Defense Service Medal,  and the Army Occupation Medal for Service in Germany. Frank was honorably discharged on Jan. 8, 1954.

After the Army Frank got on with life. He was a hard worker, always providing for his family. He could do most anything. He worked in sawmills, gas stations, worked for a plumber until he had his own plumbing business and spent almost 20 years working at Mount Konocti Growers until he retired.

Retirement was really just a word as he never stopped working. He loved his work and could work most men into the ground. He loved to work around the ranch, built and repaired all sorts of things, helped friends and family and loved cutting firewood.

Frank wasn't much of a conversationalist, and he had a dry sense of humor. He loved to fish, and liked walking with his dogs that he loved dearly. Most of all he liked being with his kids and grandkids and helping them; all you had to do was ask Frank, Dad, Grandpa or Papa.

Frank was loved and will be dearly missed.

Frank is survived by his wife, Anne; two daughters, Cindy and Sandy; two sons, Darrell and Brian; 11 grandchildren; four great-grandchildren; and four siblings. He is predeceased by four siblings.

He dearly loved his kids and their kids, was a good husband and provider and would do anything for his family.  

A celebration of life will be held at the American Legion Hall at 5005 Second St, Kelseyville, on Dec. 16. All friends and family are welcome and encouraged to attend. They will be gathering at noon with the Lake County Military Funeral Honors at 12:30 p.m. and lunch to follow after the service.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – While we enjoy family, friends and holiday meals, many are far from all of those and in harm’s way.

America’s troops serve and sacrifice every day, but feel the separation from home even more during the holidays.

Operation Tango Mike ships care packages to deployed service members every month. Requests for care packages increase during the holiday season as buddies ask to add friends to the list and self-referrals rise as troops make personal requests for support.

Monthly shipping fees average more than $1,000 and the cost to fill care packages is even more.

You can support the troops on Sunday, Dec. 4, at a special event, Pictures with Santa.

Operation Tango Mike will host the festivities at AAA Welding, 637 Bevins St. in Lakeport.

Children, adults and pets are welcome for the photo session from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. All dogs must be leashed, current on vaccinations, socialized and well-mannered. Please do not bring an aggressive animal to this event.

A professional will photographer using digital backgrounds will provide holiday cheer to every photo. Visitors will leave with prints in hand. A $15 donation is suggested.

Get in the holiday spirit with warm apple cider, candy canes and of course, Santa Claus.

Craft items will be available and donations of items for troop care packages will gladly be accepted.

For more information please call 707-349-2838 or e-mail This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Also, visit Operation Tango Mike at www.operationtangomike.org or on Facebook.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – John Dale Wright, 77, of Kelseyville, “JD” Wright, son of John and Ruby Wright, loving husband and father, passed away peacefully on Nov. 20, 2016.

JD was born in Porterville, Calif., on May 21, 1939. His family soon moved to Kelseyville and he graduated from Kelseyville High School.

He served his country in the Army Reserves. 

JD and Carol were married on September 24, 2016 and were married for 48 years when she passed away in 2014.
 
JD is survived by his son, Charlie Wright and wife Jessica; daughter, Suzanne Emerson and husband Chris; grandchildren, Logan, Chase and London; as well as his sister, Evadene Kirkpatrick; brother, James Wright; sister-in-law Joan Turner; brother-in-law Carl Alford; and many loving nieces and nephews.  

The family would like to express its gratitude to the staff at Rocky Point Care Center for their kindness and care during Papa’s time with them. 

A memorial service will be held at Chapel of the Lake Mortuary, 1625 N. High St., Lakeport, on Monday, Dec. 12, at 11 a.m. Rev. Steve Nesheim of Kelseyville Presbyterian Church will be officiating.

For further information please contact Chapel of the Lakes Mortuary at 707-263-0357 or 707-994-5611, or visit www.chapelofthelakes.com .

NORTH COAST, Calif. – An approximately 50-mile portion of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery between Point Reyes, Marin County and near Salt Point, Sonoma County that has been closed due to elevated domoic acid levels will open on Dec. 3 at the recommendation of state health agencies, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced Thursday.

However, the fishery will remain closed north of Salt Point to the Humboldt Bay entrance. The closed portions of the coast may open once testing by state agencies shows that the area is safe with regard to domoic acid levels.

On Dec. 3 at 12:01 a.m., the commercial Dungeness crab season will open from Point Reyes (38° 00' N. lat.) to near Salt Point (38° 34.5'N. Lat.).

The opener will be preceded by an 18-hour pre-soak period commencing at 6 a.m. on Dec. 2.  The area between Salt Point and the north jetty at the Humboldt Bay entrance south will remain closed until the CDFW director receives a recommendation from the state health agencies that levels of domoic acid - a naturally occurring toxin – do not pose a public health risk.

Last fall and winter, domoic acid along the West Coast interrupted Dungeness and rock crab fisheries from Santa Barbara to the Oregon state line.

At the recommendation of the state Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA), CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham submitted to the Office of Administrative Law an emergency rulemaking to keep the commercial Dungeness crab fishery closed north of Point Reyes (38° 00' N. lat.) and to close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point (37° 11' N. lat.).

State and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products that contain domoic acid levels above the federal action level of 30 parts per million in the viscera, or guts.

Because of this, on Nov. 8, OEHHA in consultation with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) recommended to CDFW to close or delay the start of the commercial Dungeness crab season north of Point Reyes and close the commercial rock crab fishery north of Pigeon Point.

On Nov. 23, OEHHA, in consultation with CDPH, recommended that CDFW open the commercial fishery from the north jetty at the Humboldt Bay entrance to the California/Oregon state line at its normal opening date of Dec. 1, and is now recommending the commercial fishery be opened from Point Reyes to near Salt Point.

The recreational season for Dungeness crab opened on Nov. 5 and remains open with a warning from CDPH to recreational anglers to avoid consuming the internal organs of Dungeness crab caught between Salt Point and the north jetty at the Humboldt Bay entrance.

Closure of the above-referenced commercial fisheries shall remain in effect until the Director of OEHHA, in consultation with the Director of CDPH, determines that domoic acid levels no longer pose a significant risk to public health and recommends the fisheries be open, and the director of CDFW provides notification to the commercial fisheries. Recreational fisheries will remain open under a warning to anglers not to eat the guts of crab caught in the affected areas.

CDFW will continue to coordinate with CDPH and OEHHA to test domoic acid levels in crab along the coast to determine when the fisheries can safely be opened. CDPH, in conjunction with CDFW, has been actively testing crabs since early September and results from the most recent tests showed that select crabs from the closed areas had elevated levels of domoic acid in their viscera.

Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin that can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates and sometimes fish. It causes illness and sometimes death in a variety of birds and marine mammals that consume affected organisms.

At low levels, domoic acid exposure can cause nausea, diarrhea and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures and can in some cases be fatal.