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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — Clear Lake State Park’s Visitor Center will reopen to all visitors on Saturday, July 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For the first time in over a year the Visitor Center at Clear Lake State Park will be open for people to enjoy.

See exhibits that illustrate the natural habitats of the Clear Lake Basin both terrestrial and aquatic.

See a vanished way of life, make Mount Konocti erupt and see some of the residents of the lake up close.

The park staff and volunteers are eager to welcome visitors back to the information hub of the park.

Here you can find all about the wildlife, flora, and recreational opportunities that await you in this beautiful 500-acre state park.

Mark your calendar for Saturday, July 17, to be at Clear Lake State Park for the Visitor Center’s “grand reopening.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office said the filing period is now open for community members who want to run for the Scotts Valley Water Conservation District Board in November.

A general district election is scheduled to be held on Nov. 2, 2021, to fill the offices of director (for a term of four-four years unless otherwise indicated) on the Scotts Valley Water Conservation District Board for seats that shall become vacant on the first Friday in December, 2021, or until a successor is elected and qualifies for office.

Available seats are:

— Division I: One vacancy, two-year unexpired term.
— Division II: One vacancy, full term.
— Division III: One vacancy, two-year unexpired term.

Official declaration of candidacy forms for eligible candidates desiring to file for any of the offices enumerated above may be obtained from the Lake County Registrar of Voters office, 707-263-2372, Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Room 209 in Lakeport during regular business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

The filing period, which began on Monday, July 12, ends on Friday, Aug. 6, at 5 p.m.
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NORTH‌‌ ‌‌COAST, ‌‌ ‌‌Calif.‌‌ ‌‌ — ‌ ‌Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌reports‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌following‌‌ ‌‌road‌‌ ‌‌projects‌‌ ‌‌will‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌taking‌‌ ‌‌place‌‌ ‌‌‌around‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌North‌‌ ‌‌Coast‌‌ ‌‌during‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌coming‌‌ ‌‌week. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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Included‌‌ ‌‌are‌‌ ‌‌Mendocino‌‌ ‌‌County‌‌ ‌‌projects‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌may‌‌ ‌‌impact‌‌ ‌‌Lake‌‌ ‌‌County‌‌ ‌‌commuters. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌advises‌‌ ‌‌motorists‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌drive‌‌ ‌‌with‌‌ ‌‌caution‌‌ ‌‌when‌‌ ‌‌approaching‌‌ ‌‌work‌‌ ‌‌areas‌‌ ‌‌and‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌‌prepared‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌stop‌‌ ‌‌at‌‌ ‌‌traffic‌‌ ‌‌control‌‌ ‌‌stations. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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The‌‌ ‌‌Caltrans‌‌ ‌‌Traffic‌‌ ‌‌Operations‌‌ ‌‌Office‌‌ ‌‌has‌‌ ‌‌reviewed‌‌ ‌‌each‌‌ ‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌and‌‌ ‌‌determined‌‌ ‌‌that‌‌ ‌‌individual‌‌ ‌‌‌project‌‌ ‌‌delays‌‌ ‌‌are‌‌ ‌‌expected‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌be‌‌ ‌‌less‌‌ ‌‌than‌‌ ‌‌the‌‌ ‌‌statewide‌‌ ‌‌policy‌‌ ‌‌maximum‌‌ ‌‌of‌‌ ‌‌30‌‌ ‌‌minutes‌‌ ‌‌unless‌‌ ‌‌‌noted‌‌ ‌‌otherwise. ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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For‌‌ ‌‌updates‌‌ ‌‌to‌‌ ‌‌this‌‌ ‌‌list‌‌ ‌‌check‌‌ ‌‌QuickMap‌‌ ‌‌at‌‌ ‌‌‌www.dot.ca.gov‌‌‌ or‌‌ ‌‌1-800-GAS-ROAD‌‌ ‌‌‌(1-800-427-7623). ‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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LAKE‌‌ ‌‌COUNTY‌‌ ‌‌‌ ‌
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Highway‌‌ ‌‌20

— Construction near Saratoga Spring Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

Highway‌‌ ‌‌29

— Construction from Spruce Grove Road to Hofacker Lane will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

— Construction from Route 281 to Private Road will begin on Sunday, July 18. One-way traffic control will be in effect overnight from 8 p.m. to 7 a.m. Motorists should anticipate 15-minute delays.

MENDOCINO COUNTY

Highway 20

— Slide removal two miles west of Three Chop Road will continue. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate 10-minute delays.

— PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work near Two Rock Lookout on Friday, July 23. One-way traffic control will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

— PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work from Walnut Street to Hazel Street on Friday, July 16. Lane closures will be in effect from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 101

— Pavement repair from Comminsky Station Road to Pieta Creek Bridge will continue. Lane closures will be in effect weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

— Work south of Ridgewood Ranch Road will continue. Lane closures will be in effect in both directions. Motorists should anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

— Moss Cove Safety Rest Area will be closed through fall 2021.

— Empire Camp Safety Rest Area will be closed through fall 2021.

— Drainage work from Piercy to the Humboldt County Line will begin on Friday, July 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect weekdays. Motorists can anticipate minor traffic slowdowns.

Highway 128

— PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work from Mountain View Road to Hutsell Road on Friday, July 23. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 253

— PG&E has been granted a Caltrans Encroachment Permit for utility work near the Cattle Pass. One-way traffic control will be in effect. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.

Highway 271

— Drainage work from Old Route 101 to South Fork Eel River will begin on Friday, July 16. One-way traffic control will be in effect on Fridays from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Motorists should anticipate five-minute delays.
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Available firewood near the Pine Mountain Lookout in the Mendocino National Forest near Upper Lake, California. Courtesy photo.

UPPER LAKE, Calif. — Cut firewood is available to members of the public with a valid firewood permit.

Mendocino National Forest staff recently felled about 100 trees killed by western pine beetle and drought for public safety near the Pine Mountain Lookout rental cabin about 20 miles northwest of Upper Lake.

The trees were cut into firewood-sized pieces and stacked along Forest Road 18N69 at the junction of Forest Road 18NO5. Firewood mainly consists of seasoned Douglas-fir and sugar or ponderosa pine.

Firewood is only available for personal use. Personal use firewood permits cost $5 a cord with a four-cord minimum and a maximum of 12 cords purchased within a calendar year.

Firewood permits can be purchased in person from 8:30 a.m. to noon and 1 to 4 p.m. weekdays from the district offices in Covelo and Upper Lake. Otherwise, a mail-in order form is available online.

Only the cut and stacked wood is available for gathering. Because this particular area is within a designated late successional forest reserve, no other wood cutting or gathering is allowed beyond what’s been stacked along the roadsides. No trees may be cut in the area.

To access cut wood behind the gate on the lookout entrance road, contact the Upper Lake district office to obtain the lock combination at 707-275-2361.

For more information about permits for firewood or other forest products, visit the Mendocino National Forest’s “Passes and Permits” webpage at www.fs.usda.gov/mendocino.
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An illegal cannabis grow site. Photo courtesy of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife, in conjunction with their state and county partners, are preparing for the 2021 cannabis enforcement season.

As authorized by Fish & Game Code section 12029, CDFW, in coordination with the State Water Resources Control Board, or SWRCB, and the state licensing authority, established a watershed enforcement program to address environmental violations associated with unlicensed cannabis cultivation.

The environmental impacts associated with illegal cannabis cultivation can have a detrimental effect on fish and wildlife and their habitats, which are held in trust by the state for the benefit of the people.

“CDFW fully supports the regulated cannabis market and those taking steps to be compliant,” said Jeremy Valverde, CDFW’s Cannabis Program director. “CDFW’s permitting process is designed to reduce environmental impacts, which is more critical than ever, given the drought-like conditions throughout the state.”

County approval and an active state license are required before planting, growing, harvesting, drying, curing, grading or trimming of cannabis. An applicant that may have received local approval but has not received an active license from the state licensing authority is not authorized to begin cultivation.

“Now in our fourth year of legalization amid drought conditions, CDFW and our allied agency partners find our mission more urgent than ever,” said David Bess, CDFW deputy director and chief of the Law Enforcement Division. “No one should be engaging in commercial cannabis cultivation and associated construction activities unless they have a state license, otherwise they may face enforcement actions.”

This year, the multiagency task force is focusing on priority watersheds and areas with sensitive habitat and/or threatened or endangered species. Local partners are also playing a pivotal role in ensuring the success of these objectives.

In Humboldt County, CDFW is closely coordinating with the state licensing authority, State and Regional Water Boards, Humboldt County Planning and Building Department, and Sheriff’s Office to address illegal grows and unpermitted construction activity, all of which can have detrimental impacts to the environment.

“A county permit alone does not allow a cultivator to initiate growing commercial cannabis,” said Humboldt County Sheriff Billy Honsal. “A state license is also required, otherwise one is subject to enforcement by the Sheriff’s Office and its state agency partners. Protecting Humboldt County’s fish and wildlife resources from unregulated cannabis cultivation is a priority for all of us, and the drought makes our work all the more vital.”

In Mendocino County where Gov. Newsom declared a drought emergency, CDFW is also closely coordinating with state and local authorities to address illegal cannabis grows in and around several priority watersheds with historically low flows, which are highly vulnerable to any added pressures.

“Given the extreme drought conditions in Mendocino County’s watersheds, compliance with state and county laws will be a big priority,” said Kristin Nevedal, County of Mendocino Cannabis Program Manager. “There is a zero-tolerance policy for those not following the laws. Numerous state resources are available to those seeking to enter the regulated market.”

For more information about current regulatory requirements, interested parties can view presentations from a recent online permitting workshop at wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis/permitting.

“We will continue to assist cultivators who want to comply with regulatory requirements, while focusing our enforcement efforts on illegal cultivation activity,” said Yvonne West, Director, Office of Enforcement for the State Water Resources Control Board. “With current drought conditions exacerbating the adverse impacts that can result from unregulated cultivation, the State Water Boards will utilize all available resources and authority to address those impacts.“

To learn more about CDFW’s cannabis program, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/cannabis or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To report environmental crimes, such as water diversions, pollution and poaching, call the CalTIP hotline at (888) 334-2258 or text information to “TIP411” (847411).

View more details on fines, fees and administrative penalties from the state licensing authority, CDFW and SWRCB.

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