Less than one-fifth of Napa’s New Year’s Eve flood victims who sought federal disaster assistance were properly prepared for the event, according to state and federal officials.

On a chilly Saturday afternoon in early March, 19-year-old Gabriel Tagatac stands on the corner of Imola and Soscol avenues, breathing in car fumes and wildly waving a sign urging motorists to visit Sheveland Ranch in south Napa.

Ten schools in the Napa Valley Unified School District showed significant improvement in state academic ratings released Tuesday. Among the district’s most improved schools is the Napa Valley Language Academy, which went up 55 points from last year, scoring 702 out of a possible 1,000. The state Board of Education has set a target score of 800.

The Register is looking for readers' favorite summer camps for children. Please send a brief description of your favorite camp to Natalie Hoffman, c/o Napa Valley Register, 1615 Second St., Napa, CA 94559 or e-mail nhoffman@napanews.com. Deadline is April 3./Register

Napa, St. Helena and Calistoga will hold underage drinking prevention town hall meetings this month to discuss and raise awareness about the issue. The first will be at Vintage Hall in St. Helena on Monday at 7 p.m. The next meeting will be in Napa on March 29 at 6:30 p.m. at the Napa City-County Library and the Calistoga meeting will be March 30, at 7 p.m. at the Calistoga Elementary School cafeteria.

Fans of the cartoon strips "Farley" and "The Elderberries" can meet Phil Frank, the creator of these strips, on Sunday at 2:15 p.m. at the Napa City-County Library, 580 Coombs St. Frank will discuss his inspirations and will illustrate how an idea grows into a cartoon. His books will be available for sale and signing. The event is free to members of Friends of the Library, $25 for non-members. For reservations call 252-0708./Register

Residents along Napa Creek whose homes flooded on New Year's Eve are asking to be protected before more defenses are built on the Napa River.

A group of nearly two dozen immigrants appeared at Tuesday's Napa City Council meeting to denounce proposed federal legislation to toughen enforcement of immigration laws.

The city of Napa and Napa Valley Exposition will be asking PG&E about scaling back or eliminating its Burnell Street facility.

Less than one-fifth of Napa's New Year's Eve flood victims who sought federal disaster assistance were properly prepared for the event, according to state and federal officials.

The city of Napa is hiring a consultant to do the spade work for a new redevelopment project in the Soscol Gateway.

A former Napa resident has been charged with felony accessory to murder in the stabbing death of a Edwin Njuguna more than eight years ago.

Ten schools in the Napa Valley Unified School District showed significant improvement in state academic ratings released Tuesday. Among the district's most improved schools is the Napa Valley Language Academy, which went up 55 points from last year, scoring 702 out of a possible 1,000. The state Board of Education has set a target score of 800.

Firefighters believe a faulty portable electric heater caused a fast-moving house fire in the 3800 block of rural Jamieson Canyon Road that left 10 people homeless -- but uninjured -- Wednesday.

NVUSD API scores

Dear President Bush:

From the Associated Press

WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that police cannot search a home when one resident invites them in but another tells them to go away, provoking a strong objection from the new chief justice about the possible impact on battered women.

WASHINGTON -- Federal health advisers said Wednesday that Ritalin and other drugs for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder should not carry strong "black-box" warnings about potential cardiovascular and psychiatric risks.

McKEESPORT, Pa. -- A woman who disappeared as a teen 10 years ago had been living with a middle school security guard who didn't allow her to leave his home for several years, police said Wednesday.

LAS VEGAS -- Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid called President Bush "dangerously incompetent" on Wednesday and said the administration ought to be doing more to prevent increasing sectarian violence in Iraq.

OAKLAND -- A bomb scare shut down a commuter train station during rush hour Wednesday, causing major delays throughout the East Bay, authorities said.

WASHINGTON -- When it comes to dirty, cancer-causing air, California is second only to New York among states with the dirtiest air, according to data from the Environmental Protection Agency.

RENO, Nev. -- The sparkling brooks and glistening alpine lakes in the Sierra may not be as pristine as they look, but an environmental group says a lack of specific data makes it difficult to determine just how serious the problem is.

SACRAMENTO -- State officials have received a low bid of $1.43 billion to build the 1,800-foot-long suspension portion of the new eastern span of the San-Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge.