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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A jury has convicted a Clearlake woman of first-degree murder in the shotgun killing of her boyfriend in their home.
On Friday, following a three-week trial, jurors returned the guilty verdict in the case of Dominique Irene Molina-Dominguez, 34.
Molina-Dominguez was arrested on July 10, 2024, on a charge of murder for shooting 38-year-old DeAndre Grinner to death at the 16th Street home they shared in Clearlake.
Police said Molina-Dominguez called in the shooting.
Authorities said at the time of her arrest that they believed Molina-Dominguez was lying in wait for Grinner, who she killed by shooting him once with a shotgun.
She’s remained in custody since the killing.
Chief Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson said jury selection started Jan. 14 and closing arguments for both the prosecution and defense took place on Feb. 4, with deliberations starting the next day.
Watson said the jury had a verdict by 11 a.m. Friday.
In addition to finding Molina-Dominguez guilty of first-degree murder, Watson said the jury also found to be true three enhancements or special allegations.
Those special allegations are causing great bodily injury with a shotgun, personally discharging a shotgun and use of a firearm in connection with a felony.
Judge Michael Lunas is scheduled to sentence Molina-Dominguez on March 3 in Lake County Superior Court’s Department 1.
Watson said it is difficult to know her potential sentence until after the Probation Department completes a sentencing report.
By statute, first degree murder is a 25-years-to-life on conviction, while the special allegation of use of a firearm in connection with a felony could add an additional and consecutive term of 25 years to life to the first degree murder term, Watson said.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Planning Commission will meet this week to discuss the latest on important city planning documents.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 11, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda is available here.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 814 1135 4347, pass code is 847985.
To join by phone, dial 1-669-444-9171; for one tap mobile, +16694449171,,81411354347#,,,,*847985#.
Comments can be submitted by email to
The commission’s main items of business involve key city planning documents.
Staff will give a presentation and the commission will discuss the city’s annual progress report on the general plan for the 2025 reporting year.
The commission also will discuss a staff presentation on the city’s 2025 housing element annual progress report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, is urging Californians to check their immunization status and get vaccinated against measles after local health departments have notified the state of multiple recent cases of measles.
This includes an outbreak of eight related cases in Shasta County, the state’s first measles outbreak since 2020. All of these individuals were either unvaccinated or had an unknown history of vaccination.
Last week, CDPH issued a health alert notifying health care providers to be on the lookout for measles in patients presenting with a fever, rash and other symptoms consistent with measles.
“As a pediatrician and parent, I encourage families to make sure everyone gets up to date on their MMR vaccine, if they haven’t already,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and State Public Health officer. “CDPH continues to coordinate with, and support, local health departments in their responses to stop measles from spreading further in our communities. The United States is experiencing the highest numbers of measles cases, outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths in more than 30 years, driven by populations with low vaccination rates. We all need to work together to share the medical evidence, benefits, and safety of vaccines to provide families the information they need to protect children and our communities."
Cases have been reported in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside and Shasta counties.
Two recent cases visited Disneyland on Jan. 22 and 28 while infectious. Local health officials are working with Disneyland Resort to notify potentially exposed employees, and members of the public that visited Disneyland on either date should contact their health care provider if they develop measles symptoms.
As of Feb. 9, a total of 17 measles cases have been reported statewide.
Elsewhere in the United States, one of the largest outbreaks in over 30 years is happening in South Carolina with 920 associated cases.
California reported more than 95% measles, mumps, and rubella, or MMR, coverage among kindergarteners for the 2024-2025 school year – the level of immunity needed to reduce the risk of community spread.
To continue achieving this level of protection from measles and other preventable diseases, CDPH and the West Coast Health Alliance, or WCHA, recently endorsed the 2026 American Academy of Pediatrics Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule, ensuring all Californians receive access to evidence-based guidance on life-saving vaccines. For more information on California’s immunization guidance, visit the CDPH Vaccines for All web page.
Get vaccinated
The MMR vaccine provides the best protection against disease and serious illness. It is important Californians check to see that they and their family members are up to date as the number of measles cases has increased.
In particular, it’s important that families are up to date on all vaccines before traveling, including international travel and travel to domestic areas where there are measles outbreaks.
It is also important to be up to date before visiting places or events where there are many people from other countries or regions of the United States, such as large sporting events, theme parks or airports.
Before traveling internationally, everyone 12 months and older should receive two MMR doses, and babies 6 to 11 months are recommended to get one dose of MMR vaccine. Families with children traveling to regions in the United States with ongoing outbreaks should consult with a health care provider about following immunization recommendations for international travel.
Families can check their vaccination status with the California Digital Vaccine Record, or DVR, and schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting MyTurn.ca.gov, or contacting their local pharmacy or health care provider.
MMR vaccines are covered for most people through their health insurance plans, including Medi-Cal and regular health care providers.
People having difficulty obtaining vaccines can contact their health care provider or local health department for help finding a place to get immunized.
About measles
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. Unvaccinated individuals, particularly young children and pregnant people, face the highest risk of severe illness and even death. Roughly 90% of those unvaccinated and exposed to measles will contract the disease.
Symptoms include a fever that lasts a couple of days followed by a cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (pink eye) and rash. Those infected can spread measles about four days before their rash starts to four days afterwards.
Measles remains common globally, including in Europe, Africa and Asia. There are also ongoing outbreaks in Canada and Mexico.
Although the United States eliminated measles in 2000, cases have risen, with major outbreaks in Texas and South Carolina in 2025. California experienced a notable outbreak linked to Disneyland from December 2014 to April 2015, infecting 131 residents and others in six additional states, Mexico and Canada.
Due to California’s currently high levels of immunization, the state is less likely to see sustained transmissions as has been seen in other states in recent years.
However, transmission of measles is still possible, particularly in communities with lower immunization coverage.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will review the Community Development Department’s ongoing budget deficit and loan repayment plan, consider an additional $1 million funding for sewage spill recovery and discuss Behavioral Health contracts of more than $25 million.
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 10, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 865 3354 4962, pass code 726865. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,86533544962#,,,,*726865#. The meeting can also be accessed via phone at 669 900 6833.
At 1:30 p.m., the Community Development Department will return to the board to report on its historical revenue, department expenses including salaries and benefits, and to discuss department operations and a plan to pay back a loan.
This is the fourth time the item has come back since the department first reported a deficit in November – just two months after a “balanced” final budget was approved – and requested a $390,000 loan to make payroll.
Director Mireya Turner at the time attributed the shortfall to a “significant drop in building permits.”
It was later revealed in Dec. 9’s board meeting that the department’s Building Division – funded primarily by building permit fees – had effectively used its reserve to subsidize the Planning and Code Enforcement divisions for multiple years, until the reserve was depleted.
Deputy County Administrative Officer Casey Moreno said more than $1 million had been internally transferred to cover salaries in the receiving divisions.
Over the past three meetings, questions about the legality of the internal fund transfers and the use of future permitting fees to repay past loans have remained unanswered, despite being raised multiple times.
The proposed loan repayment period was also extended from one fiscal year to three as discussions progressed.
In untimed items, the board will consider adding an additional $1 million for cleanup and recovery efforts following a massive sewage spill that began Sunday, Jan. 11, after the rupture of a 16-inch force main on Robin Lane.
The force main is operated by the Lake County Sanitation District, which is overseen by Lake County Special Districts.
A local emergency was declared by the city of Clearlake on Jan. 12 and by the county on Jan. 13.
With $750,000 approved at the board’s special meeting on Jan. 21 to assist with response efforts, total appropriations to Lake County Special Districts would reach $1,750,000 if the board approves the additional funding to support “mid- and long-term solutions to ensure community members have access to safe water,” according to the staff memo.
The Board of Supervisors will also consider three Behavioral Health items totaling approximately $25.1 million in contracts and amendments, focused on homelessness and specialty mental health services, according to the staff memos.
The first is a $527,625.96, 27-month agreement with North Coast Opportunities to provide Housing First rapid rehousing services through June 30, 2027, serving at least 40 people using state and federal homelessness grants.
The second is Amendment No. 5 to the county’s contract with Community Behavioral Health, shifting from a flat-rate compensation structure to a fee-for-service Medi-Cal reimbursement model effective Sept. 1, 2025, and increasing the contract maximum by $9 million to $24.6 million to reflect current demand.
The third is approval of a Transitional Rent Provider Agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California, effective Jan. 1, 2026, allowing Lake County Behavioral Health Services to provide up to six months of Medi-Cal-funded rental assistance for eligible residents experiencing or at risk of homelessness, with no impact to the county’s general fund.
On Jun. 17, the board approved authorizing a $2 million loan to Behavioral Health requiring repayment within 90 days – a deadline the department ultimately missed.
County documents showed that it was due to cash flow constraints tied to the Medi-Cal intergovernmental transfer process and timing of reimbursements.
On Sep. 16, Behavioral Health Director Elise Jones requested a 180-day extension for their repayment. The board approved it 4-1 with Supervisor Sabatier the sole dissenting vote.
In the closed session, the board will conduct public employee evaluations of County Administrative Officer Susan Parker and Water Resources Director Pawan Upadhyay.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1, Approve letter of support for Northern Rural Energy Network business plan application to expand energy efficiency programs.
5.2, Adopt proclamation designating February 2026 as Black History Month and celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
5.3, Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the County of Lake.
5.4, Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.5, Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake Hitch emergency.
5.6, Approve continuation of proclamation of a local health emergency for the Clearlake sewage spill.
5.7, Approve continuation of local emergency due to the 2026 Robin Lane sewer spill (City of Clearlake).
5.8, Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 25-0557-000-SA with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for the Apiary Protection Program, Jan. 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027, for $6,831.36.
5.9, Approve travel exceeding 1,500 miles for Assistant Auditor-Controller Dakhota Hockett to attend annual comprehensive financial reporting training in Chicago, Illinois.
5.10, Approve amendment No. 2 to agreement with Redwood Community Services, Inc., Phoenix House Residential Treatment Facility for FY 2025–26, with no change to contract maximum, and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.11, Approve amendment No. 1 to agreement with Redwood Community Services Inc. for WRAP, Foster Care and ISFC programs for FY 2025–26, revising Medi-Cal reimbursement terms effective Jan. 1, 2026, and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.12, Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes of Jan. 6, 2026, and Feb. 3, 2026.
5.13, Approve Health Care Program for Children in Foster Care certification statement and authorize the Chair to sign.
5.14, Award bid for the Live Oak Drive water main replacement project.
TIMED ITEMS
6.1, 9:02 a.m.: Public input.
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the week.
6.3, 9:05 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating February 2026 as Black History Month and celebrating Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.
6.4, 9:30 a.m.: Presentation on update and relaunch of 211 Lake County.
6.5, 1:30 p.m.: (a) Presentation of Community Development Department historical revenue and expense analysis; and (b) request for board direction regarding department operations and loan repayment plan.
NON-TIMED ITEMS
7.1, Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
7.2, Consideration of agreement with North Coast Opportunities, Inc. for rapid rehousing services for FYs 2025–26 and 2026–27.
7.3, Consideration of amendment No. 5 to agreement with Community Behavioral Health for specialty mental health services for FYs 2023–24 through 2025–26.
7.4, Consideration of transitional rent provider agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California effective Jan. 1, 2026, with no impact to the county General Fund.
7.5, Consideration of advisory board appointments: Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee; Middletown Area Town Hall.
7.6, Consideration of request for board direction regarding regulations for short-term rentals and low-impact camping.
7.7, Consideration of request to close Health Services offices April 9, Aug. 13 and Oct. 15, 2026, for all-staff training.
7.8, Consideration of resolution increasing reserve cancellation related to the Robin Lane sewage release response.
7.9, Addendum—Consideration of authorization to use the county seal for a plaque celebrating 250 years of America.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1, 10 a.m.: Conference with legal counsel—Significant exposure to litigation, three potential cases.
8.2, Public employee evaluation: County Administrative Officer.
8.3, Public employee evaluation: Water Resources Director.
8.4, Conference with labor negotiator: Deputy County Counsel Association.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office said the nomination and filing period is now open for county, state and federal offices that will be on the ballot for the June 2 Statewide Direct Primary Election.
The filing period is Feb. 9 through March 6.
If an incumbent fails to file during this period, candidate filing will extend for any candidate except the incumbent until March 11 by 5 p.m.
All candidates for elective office must file nomination papers and declaration of candidacy, as well as pay a nonrefundable filing fee to have their name printed on the ballot. Judicial candidates pay when filing the declaration of intention.
Eligible voters can file for candidacy for the following offices:
Federal/state offices:
• Governor;
• Lieutenant governor;
• Secretary of state;
• Controller;
• Treasurer;
• Attorney general;
• Insurance commissioner;
• Member, State Board of Equalization, District 2;
• State Superintendent of Public Instruction;
• U.S. Representative in Congress, Districts 1 and 4;
• State Senate, District 2;
• State Assembly, District 4.
County offices:
• Judge of the Superior Court, Department 2;
• County Superintendent of Schools;
• County Supervisor (Districts 2 and 3);
• Assessor-Recorder;
• County Clerk-Auditor;
• Treasurer-Tax Collector.
Voters desiring information regarding any of the offices listed above may contact the Registrar of Voters Office.
The Registrar of Voters Office is open Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., excluding county holidays, to assist both candidates and voters.
The Registrar of Voter’s office will be closed Feb. 16 in observance of Presidents Day.
For additional Information call the elections office at 707-263-2372, toll-free at 888-235-6730, or email
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council has approved a construction contract for the sodium hypochlorite upgrade project at the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant, an infrastructure improvement focused on enhancing employee safety and strengthening day-to-day operational reliability.
The approved project replaces the facility’s existing chlorine gas disinfection system with a liquid sodium hypochlorite system, reducing the risks associated with storing and handling pressurized chemicals.
Liquid systems also allow for more consistent and reliable disinfection operations and reduce operational constraints associated with gas-based systems.
The city awarded the construction contract to Piazza Construction, the lowest responsible bidder, in an amount not to exceed $970,200, which includes a contingency for unforeseen conditions.
Construction is expected to begin in March and conclude by August.
“This upgrade represents an important investment in employee safety and essential infrastructure,” said Utilities Director Paul Harris. “Transitioning to a liquid disinfection system improves operational reliability while reducing potential hazards at the treatment facility.”
The project is fully budgeted within the city’s sewer operations and maintenance fund.
Officials said it qualifies for a California Environmental Quality Act categorical exemption as a minor alteration and replacement of an existing public utility system with no expansion of treatment capacity.
The city’s announcement on the project said it supports City Council priorities related to public safety, fiscal stability and capital infrastructure maintenance.