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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council voted unanimously on Tuesday night to approve a budget adjustment to pay for a fiscal analysis that’s a key part of moving forward with the proposed annexation of the South Main Street corridor.

The corridor – the most lucrative commercial area in county jurisdiction – has been in the city’s sphere of influence since at least the 1980s, and the city’s more recent attempts to move toward annexing it has led to clashes with the county, which has been loath to part with the area for financial reasons.

The county remains unwilling to give up the corridor, according to county Supervisor Tina Scott, and based on Tuesday’s meeting it appears that the city and county are headed into another struggle over the area, with officials on both sides giving divergent versions of previous negotiation attempts.

Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said one of the council’s stated goals is the completion of the annexation this year.

In addition to giving an overall update on the annexation plans on Tuesday night, Ingram said staff also was asking for a $17,980 budget adjustment to do the fiscal analysis.

He said the proposed annexation area is 125 acres south of the city limits, consisting of 52 parcels.

In 2016, the Lake Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCo, the agency responsible for the review and approval of spheres of influence and annexations within Lake County, reviewed and approved the city’s sphere of influence, he said.

“It would be an understatement to say that this annexation is controversial,” said Ingram.

He said the city has attempted to meet with the county regarding the matter, but the county has said they are not interested. The county also has threatened to cancel encroachments in the area and asked LAFCo to remove the area from the city’s sphere of influence in 2016, according to Ingram.

The importance of moving forward is due to needing to provide public drinking water, fire prevention through hydrants and water laterals, and other water infrastructure because a large road widening project is slated to constructed in the area in 2021 and that water system work needs to be done ahead of, or in concert with, the road project, he said.

Ingram said there also have been several notices of violation by the California Department of Water Resources for water systems in the area due to inadequate infrastructure or poor water quality. Some of those properties have been told that they need to hook into a public water system or make serious improvements.

He said staff has been working diligently on the LAFCo application, which they intend to submit this spring.

The LAFCo submission includes the application, statement of justification, plan of services, legal description, property tax sharing agreement between city and county, California Environmental Quality Act environmental documentation and a resolution of application from the city council, according to Ingram’s written report. Due to the history and controversy associated with the matter, the LAFCo executive director recommended the city conduct a fiscal analysis that looks at the annexation’s impact on both the county and city.

Ingram said the controversy over a tax sharing agreement between the city and county has been a problem.

He said the city plans to move forward with agreements established with the county in 2001 and 2002, in which the city agreed not to annex the South Main Street area for a period of 10 years unless it entered into a new revenue sharing agreement for property tax.

Ingram gave a brief outline of the steps involved in the annexation process, including the council passing a resolution of application and filing the application with LAFCo; the LAFCo executive officer reviewing the city’s application documents and the resolutions effecting the property tax exchange and, if all is in order, issuing a certificate of filing and providing written notice to all affected local agencies; Lake LAFCo conducting the first public hearing and adopting a resolution making determinations either approving, denying or modifying the annexation proposal, and if the application is approved, LAFCo will establish the date for the second public hearing also called the “protest hearing.”

During the protest hearing, written and oral testimony is received. Ingram’s report said that, depending on the number of written protests received from registered voters and landowners, the commission orders the annexation, orders the annexation subject to an election or terminates the annexation.

Should LAFCo order the annexation, the executive officer issues a certificate of completion after receipt and review of the required documents, records the certificate with the county recorder, and files a statement of boundary change with the State Board of Equalization.

Supervisor, business owners speak against annexation

During public comment, Supervisor Scott told the council, “I inherited this situation.”

Scott offered a different version of events than Ingram’s. “The county did sit down with the city many times.”

She said they thought they had a tax sharing agreement, but when she and County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson returned later for a followup meeting, she said Councilwoman Stacey Mattina explained what the city was offering, and Scott said it wasn’t what they had agreed to previously.

“The county is in no position to give up any tax revenue,” said Scott.

She said she had many phone calls from people demanding that she go to city hall and fight for them. “They have no interest in being annexed with the city.”

Scott said the county has been working diligently to figure out a proper water source for South Main Street in order to get the pipes in the ground before the road project. She said they have some money set aside and also have submitted an application to the US Department of Agriculture.

“We have every intention to bring water to South Main,” said Scott.

Scott added that they had many property owners there who wanted to speak.

In all, five people spoke; two of them asked questions about the process, two property owners spoke against it and another man who doesn’t live in the annexation area but worked for the county said he didn’t support it.

Suzanne Lyons, LAFCo’s alternate public representative, said it gets very confusing when they’re talking about tax sharing.

“It's a big project that’s being taken on down there,” she said. She added that the cost benefits to the different agencies aren’t clear, and she questioned if anyone actually had done the short- and long-term analysis.

City Manager Margaret Silveira said that’s what was on the agenda, working with a consultant to conduct that fiscal analysis.

Lyons said she had been waiting for that a long time, then returned to her seat in the audience and said, “There’s no meat on the bone.” To which Scott, sitting near her, replied, “There’s meat, that’s why they want it.”

Business owners Paul Breunig and Ron Rose said they were against the annexation, and Rose said the property owners would go to former Supervisor Anthony Farrington – who had been meeting with property owners to rally against the annexation – and have him file a class action lawsuit on their behalf.

John DelSignore, a retired county well expert, said the annexation “has been an ongoing problem,” and said he’s opposed to it, calling it a money grab. DelSignore does not live in the annexation area.

Council members defend city plans

Councilman Kenny Parlet said Farrington previously was responsible for an extremely aggressive campaign to give a one-sided depiction of what was going on with the annexation. “He's the go-to guy if you're against annexation.”

Parlet said the city now has a necessity and obligation to grow, noting the sphere of influence and the water problems.

“The county, they love it the way it is,” he said, accusing the county of taking the money from the corridor’s tax base and doing nothing with it for that area, while the city has plans to improve the water line. “I don't think today is the time we talk about that because we've kind of been hornswoggled.”

He disputed Scott’s portrayal of the city and county having many meetings. He said there were maybe two, and by the third meeting – which city officials later clarified happened last year – county officials refused to discuss the matter further after Mattina told the county what the city was offering.

“We were prepared to do whatever was necessary to get this done,” said Parlet, who explained that Supervisor Rob Brown told the city at that final meeting that the county was done talking about the matter.

“They're worried about losing their revenue, that's all they cared about,” Parlet said, adding that the city had been willing to offer the county much of the property tax income.

“There's two sides, and you've only been given one side,” he said.

He said it’s an extremely complicated issue, but he maintained that citizens would see more benefits if they were in city jurisdiction. “This will be our town and we will take care of it better than the county ever did.”

Councilwoman Mireya Turner said the council will have plenty of opportunities in the future to discuss the benefits of annexation, but that what was before them on Tuesday night was the opportunity to gain more solid data to help them and the public in moving forward.

“It's unfortunate how much misinformation is still out there. It's mind-boggling,” said Mattina.

Mayor Tim Barnes asked if the fiscal analysis would be a comprehensive study on the financial consequences for the city and county. Silveira said yes.

Mattina moved to approve the budget adjustment for the fiscal analysis, with Parlet seconding and the council approving it 4-0. Councilman George Spurr was absent for the meeting.

Following the vote – which occurred about two-thirds of the way through the meeting – Scott, who usually remains throughout the council meetings she attends, left the chambers along with the others who had come to speak against the annexation and didn’t return.

Supervisor Brown explains his role in negotiations

Lake County News later contacted Supervisor Brown to ask him about the statements made about city-county negotiations.

Brown denied calling off the negotiations, as Parlet had claimed, and said that last year when they went to discuss the matter, it was the city who said they wouldn’t negotiate as they already had an agreement that would allow them to move forward. That agreement is likely one of those from 2001 or 2002 mentioned by city staff at the meeting.

“Whatever the agreement was in 2001 really doesn’t make any difference now,” said Brown.

He said at that last meeting involving city and county officials last year, Mattina and Parlet were present, and by that time the county “had already agreed on what it was that we needed and we couldn’t take anything less.”

Brown added, “They weren’t willing to negotiate so I asked if we can hold off until we did a little more research as to what it was we could, or would be willing to do.”

He said at one point city officials told the county that they could sue them over the annexation, which he said he told them changed the situation.

He said Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger is working on designing a system for the area and, like Scott, he related that Coppinger is working on grant funding through the USDA, which was slowed by the shutdown.

Brown said the city taking over the area would be a “big loss” of much-needed revenue for the county, which is already facing major fiscal challenges.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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Image courtesy of the National Weather Service.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As forecasters had predicted, snow came to Lake County on Monday, dusting mountaintops, covering cars and making mountain roads more precarious.

The National Weather Service has Lake County and other parts of Northern California under a winter storm warning that continues through 7 a.m. Tuesday. That warning noted the possibility of rain and snow down to elevations of 750 feet, with snowfall accumulations expected from the 1,000 foot elevation and above.

On Monday, there were reports of snow throughout the county, as well as rain and brief periods of hail.

By early evening, Mount Konocti and the hills along the Northshore were adorned with a bright white layer of powder.

Throughout the afternoon there were snow flurries. As the snow fell steadily in Lakeport, it didn’t stick to the ground but left a cold white layer over vehicles. Readers in Clearlake reported snow falling off and on, and on the Northshore there also was intermittent snowfall into the night.

The National Weather Service had predicted less than an inch of snow in low-lying areas of Lake County, with the possibility of 6 inches or more in the mountains.

On Monday night, the California Highway Patrol reported that chains were needed on Highway 175 into Cobb due to increasing snowfall.

More snow is forecast to fall before 10 a.m. Tuesday, forecasters said.

Conditions from Tuesday on are predicted to be mostly sunny through Thursday, before rain returns to the forecast through early next week. Daytime temperatures will range from the mid 40s to low 50s and fall as low as 30 degree mark at night through the weekend. Light winds also are in the forecast.

Ahead of the snow, in Lake County overnight Sunday and into early Monday there was several hours of steady rain. Total precipitation totals for the 24-hour period from 12 a.m. Monday through 12 a.m. Tuesday are as follows, in inches:

– Bartlett Springs: 0.88.
– Boggs Mountain: 0.83.
– Colusa County line: 0.56.
– Hidden Valley Lake: 0.57.
– Indian Valley Reservoir: 0.51.
– Kelseyville: 0.45.
– Knoxville Creek: 0.73.
– Lakeport: 0.49.
– Lower Lake: 0.62.
– Soda Creek (near Lake Pillsbury): 0.65.
– Upper Lake: 0.78.
– Whispering Pines: 0.64.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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At right, Dr. Tracey Huang, DVM, operates on one of the many animal patients at the February Big Fix in Nice, Calif., on Sunday, February 3, 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

NICE, Calif. – A spay-neuter clinic held this weekend offered free or low-cost surgeries for more than 100 cats and dogs with a view to preventing the birth of more unwanted pets, which is part of a local rescue group’s plan for solving Lake County’s pet overpopulation problem.

Orphan Dog Rescue held its second “Big Fix” event at the Robinson Rancheria gym in Nice. The event ran from 8 p.m. Friday until Sunday night.

Orphan Dog Rescue, a 15-year-old rescue organization based in Lake County, has rescued and rehomed 3,000 animals, and counting.

However, the group also has a mission of tackling the pet overpopulation problem by stopping it before it can start – in this case, holding spay-neuter clinics.

If anyone would know the impossibility of stopping pet overpopulation simply by adoptions, its Orphan Dog Rescue Executive Director Karen Schaver, who has been personally involved with each of the animals her organization has rescued.

A teacher by day and an animal rescuer just about every other waking hour, she’s pulled animals from desperate situations – either homes where they can’t be cared for or even from shelters – and found them new homes through her group’s Web site and adoption events, many of them in the Bay Area.

Based on her personal experience, Schaver is firm in believing that Lake County’s pet overpopulation problem can’t be solved by adoption alone. She’s tried it for a decade and a half, and it hasn’t worked.

Her conclusion is borne out by statistics offered by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

The ASPCA reported that female cats can breed three times a year and have an average of 4 kittens per litter; in seven years, one unspayed female cat and her offspring can produce 420,000 kittens.

Dogs can breed twice a year and produce litters of up to 10 puppies each. As a result, the ASPCA said one unspayed female dog and her offspring can produce as many as 97,000 puppies.

That leads to other heartbreaking statistics, including ASPCA’s estimate that 6.5 million animals enter shelters across the United States each year. Of those, 3.2 million are adopted and 710,000 are returned to their owners.

That leaves 1.5 million companion animals that are euthanized annually across the country, according to the ASPCA’s numbers.

And those numbers don’t take into account feral animals that live on the margins and don’t have basic food or protection.

In Lake County, while pet euthanasia rates have mostly gone down over the past decade, they are still high. In the 2016-17 fiscal year, Lake County Animal Care and Control said it had a 27-percent euthanasia rate, most of them cats. That was up 2 percentage points from the previous fiscal year. It’s also important to note that those numbers don’t include the city of Clearlake, which has its own separate animal control program.

So Schaver’s answer is bringing no-cost/low-cost spay and neuter clinics to Lake County, like the one that took place this weekend.

“It’s a cool event for a lot of reasons,” said Diane Davis, one of Orphan Dog’s stalwart volunteers and an event organizer.

Orphan Dog had previously organized a spay-neuter clinic in 2017 in Clearlake, where about 120 animals had surgeries.

The group is aiming at spaying and neutering a total of 20,000 animals by 2020. “It’s a big goal,” said Davis, and one that they acknowledge is going to require a lot of work and a great deal of support from the community.

Schaver said 56 animals went through the spay-neuter clinic on Saturday and 52 on Sunday.

Both days were furiously busy, as volunteers – all told, about 36 between medical and Orphan Dog – worked on intake, filled out forms, helped with animals recovering from surgery, did cleanup, contacted owners to let them know when to pick up their pets and gave them post-operation instruction.

The total cost for the event was about $13,000, which Schaver said broke down to about $120 per animal.

Altogether, Orphan Dog received 286 applications for 399 animals. They were hoping to do 160 spay-neuter surgeries, but one volunteer veterinarian didn’t come, which caused them to need to scale back.

Schaver said 90 percent of the people whose pets were serviced in the free clinic have annual incomes of up to $10,000, with the income for the remaining 10 percent ranging up to $15,000.

The expertise that made the two-day clinic possible came with Dr. Tracy Huang, DVM, and a group of volunteers she formed.

Huang, a veterinarian based at the East Bay SPCA, said her main goal is to address pet overpopulation, as well as service areas like Lake County that do not have as much access to veterinarian care, and to help low-income and indigenous populations.

Joining Huang and the veterinarians operating both days were several students from UC Davis Veterinary School. They were able to get important clinical experience under the close supervision of the seasoned vets.

Several operating tables were set up at the opposite end of the gym from where intake took place. There, vets were at work with students, and volunteers did prep and cleanup.

The surgeries continued until Sunday night. Several students looked on as Huang performed one of the event’s final operations.

With a methodical and deft touch, Huang showed how to perform a procedure, moving the surgical tools with precise movements and explaining her techniques.

As it looks ahead to trying to meet its ambitious spay-neuter goal, Orphan Dog Rescue said scheduling future events will depend on the dedicated group made up of Huang and her fellow volunteers. They decide which weekends they can devote to the clinics and Orphan Dog schedules them.

Orphan Dog’s leadership said the group can’t do these kinds of events without volunteers and donations, and they said the community has heavily supported them both in terms of donations and volunteering.

Donations for future events and Orphan Dog’s ongoing operations can be made online at www.OrphanDog.org or by mail to Orphan Dog, P.O. Box 662, Lakeport, CA 95453. You can also follow the group on its Facebook page.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Veterinarians and veterinary students work at the February Big Fix spay-neuter clinic in Nice, Calif., on Sunday, February 3, 2019. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.
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A field trip to Trailside Park in Middletown, Calif., with Cathy Koehler in 2018. Photo courtesy of Middletown Art Center staff.

MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Art Center is pleased to announce that the EcoArts Sculpture Walk, formerly held annually at the Middletown Trailside Park, will reopen with a reception June 1.

The 107-acre park, a county preserve, was burned in the Valley fire. Nine of 10 directors and half of the members of EcoArts and Middletown Art Center lost their homes. This means the 14th year of the EcoArts Sculpture Walk will be exceptionally challenging but also a unique opportunity to revitalize a local cultural and recreational gem.

On Feb. 9 from noon to 2 p.m, Cathy Koehler, ecologist and resident director at UC Davis McLaughlin Reserve, will lead a group tour of the park with focus on the 2019 Sculpture Walk location. Artists are encouraged to join the tour to gain firsthand exposure to the changed environment.

For those who can’t be there, a video of the tour will be available on the Web site. Everyone is welcome. Please RSVP to the Middletown Art Center if you plan to join.

They will meet at the center at 11:50 a.m. Call 707-809-8118, for further information or to confirm the trip due to weather.

“Recovery is the word we use when we refer to what happens after an ecosystem is disturbed like the park, which is part of a valley oak woodland ecosystem,” said Koehler. “What we hope to see is the native plants and animals returning. Thoughtful intervention on our part can assist the natural recovery.”

Artworks will address the park environment in its current state through thoughtful artistry and/or restoration including animal habitat, vegetation and our place in nature. Healing is helped through creation.

Middletown Trailside Park is located off Dry Creek Cutoff on Highway 175 approximately a mile north of Middletown. The Sculpture Walk exhibit will be located along a small portion of the south side trail of the park, encompassing about five acres once dotted with trees, shrubs and meadows.

“We are so pleased that this piece of Middletown’s cultural heritage will return,” said Middletown Art Center Director Lisa Kaplan. “Fire has informed life in Lake County for far too long. We have an exceptional opportunity to help reinvigorate the park through creative action. Projects will integrate the spirit and materials of the park and the sense of place that is Lake County.”

This year’s Sculpture Walk will exhibit art in response to an ecosystem in distress. A team of experts in ecology, land management and art has been assembled. With the return of the annual exhibit, EcoArts will focus on a more disciplined approach to ecological stewardship and the environmental part of our mission.

A call for proposals for this years’ EcoArts Sculpture Walk is available at www.middletownartcenter.org/artists. Submissions are due March 1. Installation will begin mid-May and a free public reception will be held on June 1.

The 2019 Walk is a collaboration between artists, ecologists, Lake County Public Services and the community.

Community members interested in working with exhibiting artists in fabrication and installation are invited to visit the MAC website for further details, or contact the MAC at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

A sculpture at Trailside Park in Middletown, Calif. Photo courtesy of Middletown Art Center staff.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council has selected a local businesswoman to join the Clearlake Planning Commission.

At its Jan. 24 meeting, the council voted unanimously to choose Lisa Wilson, owner and general manager of Clear Lake Campground, to fill an open commission seat that resulted when Dirk Slooten was elected to the City Council in the fall.

City Clerk Melissa Swanson’s report to the council explained that the city received applications from Wilson, as well as Steve Gibson and Erin McCarrick for the four-year term, ending in March 2023.

“This is an extremely important position to our community,” Mayor Nick Bennett told the three applicants as the council began its interview and selection process, which lasted under an hour. “Many things go through the planning commission before it ever comes to the council.”

Each of the applicants was interviewed while the others were out of the room. All of them offered enthusiasm and a love for Clearlake, as well as a desire and a commitment to improving the community.

Wilson, who also serves on the city’s marketing committee, said her parents bought the resort she now owns in 1980. She went off to school and a career in e-commerce, living in both the Bay Area and New York, before eventually returning due to illness in the family.

She decided to keep the resort and invest in the community, adding she feels good about that investment.

Wilson also told them that, thanks to her work in the community, she knows what is going on in the county, not just the city.

She said she’s a critical thinker, curious, open-minded and fair, and has good communication skills. “I think those characteristics would be of value to you on the planning commission.”

During her interview, she also demonstrated her knowledge of current city projects and planning priorities.

Councilman Phil Harris asked her about her future vision for the city.

“What I would like to see here is an engaged community, happy and proud to live in the city of Clearlake, living the lake life,” she said.

As the council deliberated on its choice, Councilwoman Joyce Overton thanked all three applicants for stepping forward, noting that she can tell their care about the city and have heart.

Both Councilman Russ Cremer and Bennett encouraged them to apply for other committees as well, with Bennett also suggesting they attend council meetings.

In tallying up the council members’ rankings, City Clerk Melissa Swanson said they ranked the candidates with Wilson first, followed by McCarrick and Gibson.

Slooten moved to appoint Wilson, which was seconded by Harris and approved unanimously.

The Clearlake Planning Commission meets the first and third Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. in the City Council Chambers at City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The commission’s Feb. 5 meeting was canceled, so Wilson’s first meeting as a commissioner is expected to take place on Feb. 19.

She joins commissioners Richard Bean, Kathryn Fitts, Nathalie Antus and Robert Coker.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will hear from staff on the plans to move forward on the annexation of the South Main Street corridor and the next steps that need to be taken, including a fiscal analysis.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Community Development Director Kevin Ingram will present the annexation update to the council, along with a requested budget adjustment in the amount of $17,980 for the completion of an annexation fiscal analysis study.

The council also will be asked to direct staff to finalize the required application for annexation with the Local Area Formation Commission, or LAFCO, and prepare a resolution of application for the city council’s approval.

That commercial corridor is reported to be the most lucrative in county jurisdiction, and nearly a decade ago was the source of a clash between the city and county when the city had previously moved forward with an attempt to annex the area, as Lake County News has reported.

Ingram’s report explains that the proposed annexation area includes approximately 125 acres and consists of 52 individual properties along South Main Street and Soda Bay Road south of the existing city limits.

He said the area has been within the city’s recognized sphere of influence – a planning boundary outside of the city’s limits – since at least the mid-1980s.

“There are number of reasons that this area of unincorporated South Lakeport is recognized as an area of logical expansion for the City but perhaps the greatest reason is the fact that Lakeport’s municipal sewer district already provides service to these properties,” Ingram wrote. “The need to annex this area into the City in the near future exists for two primary reasons: 1) the need to provide public drinking water and adequate fire suppression (fire hydrants) to this highly developed commercial and industrial area, and 2) the need to install necessary public water system infrastructure (water main, individual service laterals and fire hydrants) prior to the completion of a planned road widening project in this area.’

He continued, “Additionally, it should be noted that the current out of district provision of sewer service to this area creates a precarious situation whereby the City of Lakeport does not have
control over land use development decisions that have direct impacts upon the City’s municipal sewer service district.

Ingram’s report explains that city staffers have been working “over the past several months on the necessary studies and documents to formally submit an annexation application for this area of South Lakeport.”

He said the city intends to submit this formal application this spring to LAFCO.

Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Doug Grider will present to the council a request to approve the concept of a “black box”theater in Westside Community Park Phase III, to be developed by the Lake County Theater Co.

In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will give the council an update on the department’s calls for service, response times, arrest numbers and investigations data, and Finance Director Nick Walker will present the city’s quarterly financial statement and mid-year report.

The council also will consider adopting a resolution accepting grant funds from the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Office of Spill Prevention and Response, for oil spill response
equipment, and authorize the city manager to sign a purchase order with Global Diving & Salvage Inc. for the construction and delivery of the oil spill response trailer.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the council’s regular Jan. 15 meeting and its special meeting of Jan. 22; the Jan. 29 warrant register; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency in the city of Lakeport; receipt and filing of the draft minutes of the Jan.16 Measure Z Advisory Committee meeting; introduction of an ordinance amending Chapter 9.80 of Title 9 of the Lakeport Municipal Code regarding the hours of use of city parklands, and set a public hearing for Feb. 19.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for soon to-be-licensed, newly licensed, and teenage drivers and their parents or guardians on Thursday, Feb. 28.

The class will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at the Clear Lake Area CHP office, located at 5700 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville.

The CHP said a teenager is killed in a traffic collision every four hours nationwide. That equates to more than 1,870 teenagers killed each year. Another 184,000 teenagers are injured in traffic collisions.

These deaths and injuries can be substantially reduced or prevented by eliminating high-risk driving behaviors through education, and the CHP said its “Start Smart” program can help prevent these tragedies.

The Start Smart program focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teenagers and their parents.

Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience.

The curriculum includes information on collision statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver’s license laws, cultural changes in today’s society and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager’s driving experience.

Space is limited for this class. For more information or reservations, call Officer Joel Skeen at the CHP office, 707-279-0103, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Assemblymember Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, the California Optometric Association and VSP Global Eyes of Hope are partnering to provide no-cost eye exams and, if prescribed, glasses to Clearlake’s low-income seniors, people experiencing homelessness, veterans and recently displaced Camp fire residents in need of eye care.

The clinic will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9, in the rear parking lot at the Clearlake Senior Community Center, 3245 Bowers Ave.

In addition to helping members of the Clearlake community gain the clear vision they need to read, work and drive safely, the comprehensive eye examinations offered are an important window into overall health – including detecting signs of diabetes, hypertension, eye cancers and other diseases that can cause vision loss.

Annual comprehensive eye exams are essential for seniors and diabetic patients in particular to preserve their vision, because catching these complications early on can save patients’ lives and sight.

“Horrible health impacts like diabetes-related deaths, amputations and vision loss are completely avoidable,” said Aguiar-Curry (D-Winters). “I want our Clearlake community to know that these consequences are preventable and manageable through routine care. I’m proud to work with VSP Global Eyes of Hope and the California Optometric Association to help our most vulnerable people access exams that will foster greater awareness of prevention, lower their risk of serious complications and improve their overall health.”

“A comprehensive eye exam is often where diseases like diabetes are first detected, making eye care particularly crucial among the population of Californians who are underserved by our health system,” said Brian Park, O.D. “Optometrists are seeing more vision impairment, blindness and worse health outcomes for our patients as eye care is often put off until absolutely necessary. Optometrists are determined to change this deadly trend by diagnosing diseases early on to save our patients’ lives and sight.”

Appointments are open to the public and will be taken on a first-come, first-served basis until filled.

Patients need to call 707-994-3051 to make an appointment.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will discuss possible action to take regarding expired permits for temporary Valley fire dwellings, get an update on the Mendocino Complex recovery and consider continuing several local emergency proclamations.

The board will meet beginning at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, 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 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

At 9:20 a.m., the board will discuss possible action to take regarding Valley fire temporary dwellings.

A memo to the board from Community Development Director Michalyn DelValle explains that, pursuant to a gubernatorial executive order, county staff issued permits for temporary dwellings for a period of three years for Valley fire survivors.

“The Valley Fire Temporary Dwelling permits expired October 1, 2018. Recently, staff conducted an audit of those records and approximately 19 of those temporary dwellings are still being occupied. Those occupants have not applied for a building permit to rebuild a home,” DelValle wrote.

She added, “Staff is seeking direction from the Board of Supervisors concerning notification of the expiration of the Temporary Dwelling Permits and initiation of Code Enforcement action, if applicable.”

In other timed items, at 9:10 a.m., the board will consider an amended declaration of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transportation and disposal of fire debris before getting an update on the Mendocino Complex recovery.

That item will be followed by the board’s consideration of continuing proclamations of local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex, as well as the Pawnee, Sulphur and Clayton fires, and the atmospheric river storm of 2017.

In an untimed item continued from Jan. 29, the board will consider the future of Local Emergency Medical Services Agency for Lake County and status of North Coast Emergency Medical Services.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Adopt Resolution expressing support for Lower Lake Parade and Barbecue on May 26, 2019.

5.2: Approve Amendment 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Paragons LLC. for the coordination of activities involved with the No Place Like Home grant for Fiscal Year 2018-19.

5.3: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC for acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services and professional services associated with acute inpatient psychiatric hospital services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a new contract maximum of $250,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: Adopt resolution approving Amendment A01 to the standard agreement for the multi-year contract between the county of Lake and the Department of Health Care Services for Substance Abuse Block Grant for Fiscal Year 2017-18 through Fiscal Year 2019-20, and authorizing the Behavioral Health administrator to sign the amendment.

5.5: Approve Amendment 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Vista Pacifica Enterprises Inc. for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 in the amount of $105,700 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

5.6: Approve Amendment 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Mountain Valley Child and Family Services for specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 in the amount of $75,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment. not available.

5.7: Adopt the resolution approving the sales order and services agreement between the county of Lake and Cerner Corp. for the purchase and maintenance of the Cerner Integrated Behavioral Health System Known as Millennium for the term of Jan. 1, 2019 through June 30, 202, and Authorizing the Behavioral Health Services administrator to sign the sales order and services agreement.

5.8: Authorize long distance travel for Chief Building Official Mary Jane Montana and Plans Examiner Jack Smalley to attend the International Code Council Educode Training in Las Vegas, Nev. from March 11 through March 15, 2019.

5.9: Approve reimbursement to extra-help grading and stormwater Inspector Ron Yoder for Erosion, Sediment and Stormwater Inspection, and Stormwater Pollution Prevention Certificate reinstatement, late and renewal fees, in the amount of $551; and authorize the auditor-controller to pay.

5.10: (a) Adopt resolution approving the Lake County Sheriff's Office to apply for state of California, Department of Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Vehicle Grant funds and (b) authorize the sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the project agreement .

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:10 A.M. - (a) Consideration of amended declaration of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transportation, and disposal of fire debris; and (b) update on the Mendocino Complex - River and Ranch Fires Recovery.

6.3, 9:11 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex fire incident (River and Ranch fires).

6.4, 9:12 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire incident.

6.5, 9:13 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the Sulphur fire incident.

6.6, 9:14 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to Clayton fire.

6.7, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local emergency due to the atmospheric river storm.

6.8, 9:20 a.m.: Discussion and consideration of Valley fire temporary dwellings.

6.9, 10 a.m.: Consideration of report from Bruce Wilson, executive director of the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of the following appointments: Animal Care and Control, Fish and Wildlife Advisory Board.

7.3: Continued from Jan. 29 consideration of the future of Local Emergency Medical Services Agency for Lake County and status of North Coast Emergency Medical Services.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Public employee evaluations: Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik.

8.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): County of Lake, et al. v. PG&E, et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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One of Lake County’s members of Congress was critical of President Donald Trump’s State of the Union speech on Wednesday night, faulting the president for not mentioning key national concerns.

Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) was present for the address, and took as his guest Dr. Joseph V. Sakran, assistant professor of surgery, associate chief of the division of acute care surgery, and director of emergency general surgery at The Johns Hopkins Hospital.

Dr. Sakran was nearly killed by a gunshot wound as a teenager and has spent his life working to care for trauma victims, including those injured by gun violence.

Thompson is chaif of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, and said Sakran’s presence “will send a message that Congress will act to help prevent gun violence and to honor those victims like Dr. Sakran and his patients.”

In response to the address, Thompson said Tuesday night, “Tonight’s address was what we have come to expect from this president – empty rhetoric aimed at fulfilling useless campaign promises and calls for unity that are not reflected with action. I was disappointed the president did not even mention gun violence prevention or efforts to combat climate change. I was also disappointed with continued discussion of the wall on our southern border. I have said before and will say again – there is no need for a border wall that is just a seventh century solution to a 21st century problem. Democrats are ready to work to fund smart, effective and technologically-advanced security solutions to keep our nation safe, just not a useless wall.

“The president discussed several areas where he would like to work in a bipartisan manner – including health care, infrastructure and growing our middle class – issues I have long worked on in Congress. While I welcome his ideas and participation, our new majority is not waiting around. In fact, we have already started, and we will continue to work to make health care more affordable and accessible, and modernize our infrastructure for the 21st century, no matter what the president tweets about tomorrow,” he said.

“As with anything this president does, the proof is in his action and not just his words. It remains to be seen what action he will take. I said after the election and I say again tonight – I will always work with anyone, regardless of party, who has ideas to help our district and our nation. Regardless of what was said tonight, I will keep working to advance policies that put our community first and help our district move forward,” Thompson said.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
Posted On

Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chairman Mike Thompson (CA-05) announced that the Task Force will have two new Vice Chairs and four new Whips for the 116th Congress.

Thompson also released the full membership of the Task Force for the current Congress, including new members.

“After last year’s historic election and with our new majority ready to hold hearings and cast votes, I am honored to announce the leadership for the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force in this 116th Congress. These members hail from across our country, bring a diverse skillset and have already shown dedication and conviction on this issue. They have what it takes to combat gun violence,” said Chairman Thompson. “Together, I know we can take the action the American people have been demanding.”

New Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Vice Chairs are Representative Jason Crow (CO-06) and Representative Lucy McBath (GA-06).

"I have long said our leaders need to lead from the front. As a country, we can no longer afford to allow the gun manufacturers and special interests to dictate our policy on gun violence prevention. My community knows the horror of gun violence all too well and it is my goal that we never see what happened in Aurora, what happened in Columbine occur ever again.” said Vice Chair Crow. “As Vice Chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, I look forward to advocating for the thousands of families nationwide who have been impacted by gun violence and pushing Congress to take long-awaited action."

“The pain of losing a child to gun violence never ends. That pain drives me to fight for common-sense gun reform every single day. Thank you to Congressman Thompson for his leadership, and for the opportunity to serve as a vice chair of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force, where I will continue to work to keep families like mine from experiencing the horror and heartbreak brought on by gun violence,” said Vice Chair McBath. “I look forward to working with my colleagues on the Task Force to ensure the safety of our communities. Our nation deserves common-sense solutions for every student who has ever been afraid to go to school, for the parents who have ever worried if their child would come home, and for all who know that our country can do better.”

New Gun Violence Prevention Task Force Chief Whip is Representative Ted Deutch (FL-22) and Deputy Whips include Representative Madeleine Dean (PA-04), Representative Jahana Hayes (CT-05) and Representative Mark A. Veasey (TX-33).

“Last November, the American people sent to Washington a historic gun safety majority in the House of Representatives,” said Chief Whip Deutch. “With this mandate, we will pursue sensible and effective policies to reduce gun violence plaguing every part of our nation. We have a responsibility to pass laws that will make all Americans safer from gun violence, whether they’re our children in schools or our law enforcement officers patrolling the streets. Through this Task Force we will work to guarantee gun violence prevention remains a top priority for Congress.”

“It’s unconscionable that so many of our fellow Americans are killed and wounded by gunfire every year – especially when we have the tools to stop this violence,” said Deputy Whip Madeleine Dean. “We can save lives right now by requiring universal background checks and other commonsense gun safety measures.”

“Thank you to everyone for their consideration in selecting me to serve as Whip for the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force,” said Deputy Whip Hayes. “I am committed to working with my colleagues on common sense gun reform legislation that will keep our communities safer and protect the rights of responsible gun owners. It has been a generation since Congress passed any major legislation to address this growing concern and we owe it to our children to no longer remain silent on this issue.”

“I look forward to working with Chairman Thompson as a Whip for the Gun Violence Prevention Taskforce,” said Deputy Whip Veasey. “It’s critical that we work across the aisle to pass common sense firearm safety in the 116th Congress to end the cycle of violence from mass shootings that are haunting this country.”

Returning Vice Chairs include Representatives David Cicilline (RI-01), Val Demings (FL-10), Robin Kelly (IL-02), Sheila Jackson Lee (TX-18), Grace Napolitano (CA-32), Ed Perlmutter (CO-07), David Price (NC-04), Kathleen Rice (NY-04), Bobby Scott (VA-03), José E. Serrano (NY-15) and Jackie Speier (CA-14).

Full membership of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force for the 116th Congress includes Representatives Alma S. Adams (NC-12), Pete Aguilar (CA-31), Nanette Diaz Barragan (CA-44), Ami Bera (CA-07), Donald S. Beyer, Jr. (VA-08), Earl Blumenauer (OR-03), Lisa Blunt Rochester (DE-AL), Suzanne Bonamici (OR-01), Brendan F. Boyle (PA-13), Anthony G. Brown (MD-04), Julia Brownley (CA-26), G.K. Butterfield (NC-01), Salud Carbajal (CA-24), Tony Cardenas (CA-29), André Carson (IN-07), Matt Cartwright (PA-17), Kathy Castor (FL-14), Judy Chu (CA-27), Gil Cisneros (CA-39), Katherine M. Clark (MA-05), Yvette Clarke (NY-09), Wm. Lacy Clay (MO-01), Steve Cohen (TN-09), Gerald Connolly (VA-11), J. Luis Correa (CA-46), Joe Courtney (CT-02), Angie Craig (MN-02), Jason Crow (CO-06), Elijah Cummings (MD-07), Danny Davis (IL-07), Susan Davis (CA-53), Diana DeGette (CO-01), Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11), Debbie Dingell (MI-12), Lloyd Doggett (TX-35), Michael F. Doyle (PA-14), Elliot Engel (NY-16), Anna Eshoo (CA-18), Dwight Evans (PA-02), Bill Foster (IL-11), Lois Frankel (FL-22), Marcia Fudge (OH-11), Chuy Garcia (IL-4), Sylvia Garcia (TX-29), Jimmy Gomez (CA-34), Ruben Gallego (AZ-07), Al Green (TX-09), Raul Grijalva (AZ-03), Deb Haaland (NM-01), Alcee L. Hastings (FL-20), Denny Heck (WA-10), Brian Higgins (NY-04), Katie Hill (CA-25), Jim Himes (CT-04), Steven Horsford (NV-04), Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Jared Huffman (CA-02), Pramila Jayapal (WA-07), Eddie Bernice Johnson (TX-30), Henry “Hank” Johnson (GA-04), William Keating (MA-09), Joseph P. Kennedy III (MA-09), Daniel Kildee (MI-05), Andy Kim (NJ-03), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), James Langevin (RI-02), John Larson (CT-01), Brenda Lawrence (MI-14), Barbara Lee (CA-13), Susie Lee (NV-03), Andy Levin (MI-09), Mike Levin (CA-49), John Lewis (GA-05), Al Lawson, Jr. (FL-05), Ted Lieu (CA-33), Zoe Lofgren (CA-19), Alan Lowenthal (CA-47), Nita Lowey (NY-17), Elaine Luria (VA-02), Stephen Lynch (MA-08), Tom Malinowski (NJ-07), Carolyn Maloney (NY-12), Sean Patrick Maloney (NY-18), Doris Matsui (CA-06), Lucia McBath (GA-06), Betty McCollum (MN-04), A. Donald McEachin (VA-04), James McGovern (MA-02), Jerry McNerney (CA-09), Gregory Meeks (NY-05), Grace Meng (NY-06), Gwen Moore (WI-04), Joe Morelle (NY-25), Seth Moulton (MA-06), Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (FL-26), Stephanie Murphy (FL-07), Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), Joe Neguse (CO-02), Donald Norcross (NJ-01), Eleanor Holmes Norton (DC-DEL), Ilhan Omar (MN-05), Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06), Bill Pascrell (NJ-09), Donald M. Payne, Jr. (NJ-10), Scott Peters (CA-52), Dean Phillips (MN-03), Chellie Pingree (ME-01), Mark Pocan (WI-02), Katie Porter (CA-45), Ayanna Pressley (MA-07), Mike Quigley (IL-05), Jamie Raskin (MD-08), Cedric Richmond (LA-02), Max Rose (NY-11), Harley Rouda (CA-48), Lucille Roybal-Allard (CA-40), Dutch Ruppersberger (MD-02), Bobby Rush (IL-01), Linda Sánchez (CA-38), John P. Sarbanes (MD-03), Mary Gay Scanlon (PA-07), Jan Schakowsky (IL-09), Adam Schiff (CA-28), Brad Schneider (IL-10), Kim Schrier (WA-08), David Scott (GA-13), Donna Shalala (FL-27), Mikie Sherrill (NJ-11), Brad Sherman (CA-30), Albio Sires (NJ-08), Adam Smith (WA-09), Darren Soto (FL-09), Abigail Spanberger (VA-07), Greg Stanton (AZ-09), Haley Stevens (MI-11), Thomas R. Suozzi (NY-03), Eric Swalwell (CA-15), Mark Takano (CA-14), Bennie Thompson (MS-02), Dina Titus (NV-01), Rashida Tlaib (MI-13), Paul Tonko (NY-20), Norma J. Torres (CA-35), Lori Trahan (MA-03), David Trone (MD-06), Lauren Underwood (IL-14), Juan Vargas (CA-51), Nydia Velazquez (NY-07), Peter J. Visclosky (IN-09), Debbie Wasserman Shultz (FL-23), Maxine Waters (CA-43), Bonnie Watson Coleman (NJ-12), Jennifer Wexton (VA-10), Frederica Wilson (FL-24) and John Yarmuth (KY-03).

Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering several adult cats to new homes this week.

The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

“Percy” is a male domestic short hair in cat room kennel No. 26, ID No. 11715. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Percy’

“Percy” is a male domestic short hair cat with a gray tabby coat and gold eyes.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in cat room kennel No. 26, ID No. 11715.

This female domestic short hair is in cat room kennel No. 36, ID No. 11669. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair cat has a tortie coat and gold eyes.

She is in cat room kennel No. 36, ID No. 11669.

This female domestic short hair is in cat room kennel No.105, ID No. 11671. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair cat has a tortie coat and gold eyes.

She already has been spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No.105, ID No. 11671.

This female domestic short hair is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. 11672. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Domestic short hair

This female domestic short hair cat has a gray coat with white markings and gold eyes.

She already has been spayed.

She is in cat room kennel No. 120, ID No. 11672.

“Thelma” is a domestic short hair cat in cat room kennel No. 143, ID No. 11713. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Thelma’

“Thelma” is a domestic short hair cat with a calico coat and gold eyes.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in cat room kennel No. 143, ID No. 11713.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

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