QUAKE QUIRK: WATER FLOWING IN CREEKS: NAPA (AP) — Last month’s earthquake in California’s wine country has residents marveling at the sight and sound of water running in some local creeks again.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports that last week’s 6.0-magnitude quake near Napa had the side effect of pushing groundwater up out of the bedrock and into previously dry streams.
Three creeks in the Sonoma Valley and two more in Napa and Solano counties now have dramatically increased flows. U.S. Geological Survey geologist Tom Holzer says the forces at work are basically the same as squeezing toothpaste out of a tube.
Scientists say the water will subside as more time elapses after the quake.
HOMES KEPT SAFE AMID NORTHERN CALIFORNIA WILDFIRE: HAPPY CAMP (AP) — Firefighters kept a huge blaze at bay in Northern California despite extremely dry conditions and moderate winds that are expected to last until the weekend.
The U.S. Forest Service says a red flag warning marking dangerous conditions was set to expire Thursday night but has been extended until 11 p.m. Friday.
The fire has yet to burn any structures despite growing to some 120 square miles since it started Aug. 11. It is 19 percent contained.
Mandatory evacuation orders were lifted for some of the 270 homes they affected by the wildfire in the Klamath National Forest as most of the fire’s activity was greatest in non-populated areas. The fire is threatening about 750 homes.
FRESNO COUNTY SETS RECORD WITH $3B IN EXPORTS: FRESNO (AP) — Fresno County’s farmers, producers and manufacturers exported $3 billion in goods during 2013 — an increase of 17 percent over the previous year and a record for the county.
The Fresno Bee reports (the exports were led by agricultural crops, to the tune of some $1.5 billion.
Food processing accounted for another $1 billion. Both signify the highest export totals ever in the county for those commodities.
The numbers were released this week by the U.S. Department of Commerce.
Within California, the Fresno region ranked ninth among 25 metropolitan statistical areas in the Commerce Department figures.
CAMPUS SHOOTING RUMORS CLOSE CALIFORNIA SCHOOL: FRESNO (AP) — Authorities say they released students from a Central California high school early after it received a bomb threat and rumors circulated of an imminent campus shooting.
Fresno Police Chief Jerry Dyer said two brothers were arrested in connection with Thursday’s bomb threat against Bullard High School, and police are seeking an additional suspect.
According to The Fresno Bee, the bomb threat was emailed to the school’s principal in the morning. It came after rumors of a shooting at the school circulated on social media and the school was tagged with ominous graffiti.
Police sent 10 officers to the campus as a precaution, and classes were excused at lunchtime.
Police say they don’t believe the threat was real. What motivated it is under investigation.
