Tuesday, 25 February 2025

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is inviting community members to apply for seats that are open on numerous county advisory boards and commissions.

All vacancies are countywide unless stated.

Applications are available at the Lake County Courthouse, Clerk of the Board Office, Room 109, 255 North Forbes St., Lakeport, or online at www.co.lake.ca.gov on the Board of Supervisors’ Web page.

If you have questions regarding a vacancy on one of these advisory boards, please contact the Clerk of the Board at 263-2368.

Please note that all memberships on these bodies are voluntary.

The following is a list of the available seats.

– Animal Control Advisory Board: Four vacancies – supervisorial districts 2, 3 and 5 and member-at-large

– Big Valley Groundwater Management Zone Commission: Seven vacancies – one member-at-Large, four agriculture users category and two water district category.

– Building Board of Appeals: Five vacancies – one representative from each supervisorial district.

– Child Care Planning and Development Council: Seven vacancies – two consumer, one public agency, one community representative, two discretionary appointee and one child care provider.

– Countywide Parks and Recreation Advisory Board: Five vacancies – one representative from each supervisorial district.

– East Region 3 Town Hall: Two vacancies – one member of Spring Valley Property Owners Association, and one member of Clearlake Oaks Keys Property Owners Association.

– Emergency Medical Care Committee: Twenty vacancies – one community college district, one California Highway Patrol representative, four consumer interested group, two emergency affiliated medical care coordinator, two EMT representative, one paramedic, one private ambulance company, one sheriff’s office representative, five fire department, and one from Adventist Health Clear Lake and one from Sutter Lakeside Hospital.

– Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee: Twelve vacancies – all five supervisorial districts, one agriculture, one education, one land conservation organization, one ex-officio member, one recreation industry and two fish and wildlife conservation.

– Hartley Cemetery District: Three vacancies – general membership (must live within the district boundaries and be registered to vote in Lake County).

– Heritage Commission: Seven vacancies – one representative from each supervisorial district, and two members-at-large.

– In-Home Support Services Public Authority Advisory Committee: Seven vacancies – four (4) senior consumer, one disabled community representative, one senior community representative and one provider.

– Kelseyville Cemetery District: One vacancy – general membership (must live within the district boundaries and be registered to vote in Lake County).

– Lakeport Fire Protection District: One vacancy – Board of Directors (Board of Supervisors appointees to this board must be a resident of the district, live outside the Lakeport city limits and be registered to vote in Lake County).

– Law Library Board of Trustees: Two vacancies – one for the Board of Supervisors and one public member.

– Library Advisory Board: Five vacancies - one representative from each supervisorial district.

– Lower Lake Waterworks District One Board of Directors: Five vacancies – public members.

– Lucerne Area Town Hall: Five vacancies – public members.

– Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health Advisory Board: Seven vacancies – general membership.

– Mental Health Board: Four vacancies – two members-at-large, one consumer and one consumer family member of a past/present consumer.

– Middletown Cemetery District: Three vacancies – general membership (must live within the district boundaries and be registered to vote in Lake County).

– North Bay Cooperative Library Advisory Board: One vacancy – Lake County representative.

– Public Defender Oversight Committee: Three vacancies – two members of the general public, one attorney.

– Scott’s Valley Community Advisory Board: Five vacancies – members at large.

– Section 8 Resident Advisory Board: Seven vacancies – general membership

– Solid Waste Appeals Panel: Two vacancies – one public member and one technical expert.

– Solid Waste Task Force: Two vacancies – one public representative and one other.

– Spring Valley CSA No. 2 Advisory Board: Seven vacancies – members at large.

– Upper Lake Cemetery District: One vacancy – general membership (must live within the district boundaries and be registered to vote in Lake County).
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake Family Resource Center is excited to announce the anticipated return of our annual Wine and Chocolate fundraiser.

This event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 2, from noon to 4 p.m. at Mt. Konocti Winery and Event Center, located at 2550 Big Valley Road in Lakeport.

Lake Family Resource Center’s Wine & Chocolate Fundraiser is a very important event. Proceeds raised through this fundraiser are instrumental in supporting multiple services and valuable resources for our local communities and families.

This upcoming Wine and Chocolate Fundraiser will showcase Lake County’s finest premium wine with sweet and savory bites by our local chefs and will also feature a silent auction, a raffle for an original Ron Keyes art piece, and workshops facilitated by Chacewater Mill Master Emilio de la Cruz and Sommelier Stephanie Green.

For those wishing to sponsor our fundraising event, Lake Family Resource Center will also be hosting an all afternoon catered lunch with reserved seating.

Tickets may be purchased in advance for $60 each or at the door for $70.

To make a donation, or to purchase tickets in advance, please visit http://www.lakefrc.org/special-events.

Tickets are also available at Lake Family Resource Center's Kelseyville office, 5350 Main St.

For more information, sponsorship or donation inquiries, please call Lake Family Resource Center at 707-279-0563.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Continuum of Care homeless coalition's newly formed Interfaith Committee will hold its first meeting on Thursday, Dec. 20, and faith-based groups are encouraged to attend.

The Lake County Continuum of Care, or COC, is a coordinating group that aligns resources to facilitate solutions to end homelessness in our community.

The Interfaith Committee specifically helps faith-based groups to align their work to serve our homeless neighbors.

The committee will meet at 3 p.m. Thursday at Hope Center, 3400 Emerson St. in Clearlake.

The Interfaith Committee will cover what is currently being done to serve Lake County’s homeless, how faith-based groups can help with the operation of the coalition’s new shower trailer and what projects they would like to request funding support for in the future.

Why is this committee needed?

On Tuesday, Jan. 23, the COC held a point-in-time, or PIT, survey to count the sheltered and unsheltered homeless individuals and families in Lake County.

The PIT count helps the COC gain a better understanding of homelessness in our community and needed services and resources. It also enables the county to apply for federal resources to address the homeless crisis.

The 107 volunteers coordinated by the COC counted 612 of our neighbors who are homeless. Of these 504 were adults and 108 children, meaning 1 of 6 people who are homeless in Lake County is a child.

Here is a breakdown by community:

– Lakeport had the highest percentage of children with 29 percent of those counted being under the age of 18. There were 22 children and 54 adults for a total of 76.
– Lucerne had a total of 47 residents who are homeless, of which 36 were adults and 11 children.
– Nice/Upper Lake also had 47 total homeless, with 39 adults and eight children.
– Volunteers counted five children and 46 adults in Middletown for a total of 51.
– In Kelseyville volunteers counted 17 people who are homeless, 14 adults and three children.
– Clearlake, Clearlake Oaks and Lower Lake were grouped together and 293 adults and 26 children counted and identified as being without shelter.
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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Sen. Bill Dodd, D-Napa, on Thursday called for change of executive leadership at Pacific Gas and Electric Co. following a California Public Utilities Commission report alleging the utility falsified documents relating to underground gas pipelines, like the one that exploded in San Bruno in 2010, killing eight people.

The findings come as the utility faces billions of dollars in potential legal liability for the series of historic wildfires that swept across the state over the past year, taking many more lives and threatening the very existence of some communities.

“PG&E has demonstrated a pattern of poor management and illegal conduct that has shattered lives across California,” Sen. Dodd said. “This latest revelation underscores the need for systematic change, which must include change on the board of directors and in the executive suite.”

On Friday, Dec. 14, The CPUC announced it had investigated PG&E and found it falsified “pipeline locate-and-mark” records over a five-year-period, from 2012-2017.

Investigators determined the utility lacked sufficient staff and that it pressured supervisors to falsify safety data so it would not appear to have been performed or submitted late.

An administrative law judge will hear testimony from investigators and PG&E before deciding appropriate penalties.

CPUC President Michael Picker said the findings are “another example of why we are investigating PG&E’s safety culture.”

In June, Cal Fire investigators found evidence that a dozen wildfires that erupted in Northern California in 2017, killing 46 people, were caused by PG&E equipment in violation of state law, and forwarded them to local district attorneys for further action.

Among those fires was the Sulphur fire in Lake County, for which the county of Lake and the city of Clearlake are now involved in litigation against PG&E.

Investigations are ongoing to determine if PG&E had a role in this year’s wildfires, the most destructive and deadly in California history. However, recent wrongful death lawsuits allege PG&E is to blame.

“Right now there’s a bunker mentality that makes it impossible for the necessary change to occur at PG&E and to ensure the long-term safety of our state and the financial well-being of ratepayers,” said Sen. Dodd, who formerly represented Lake County in the State Assembly. "We must see clear and meaningful change, and I expect the CPUC to take action to force improvements in PG&E's governance and safety culture."
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NORTH COAST, Calif. – The American Red Cross of the California Northwest is currently seeking nominations for our 2019 Heroes Breakfast, which recognizes members of the communities in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties, who have shown courage, dedication, and character through acts of heroism and kindness.

These people could be your neighbors, co-workers, friends or family.

Extraordinary acts of heroism occur in our community every day. Help identify local community heroes by completing our online nomination form below and spread the word.

The community is encouraged to nominate a hero at www.redcross.org/CalNWHeroes for one of the following categories:

Animal Hero: This award honors an animal that has protected a human in a time of need or a human who has rescued an animal from a traumatic situation.

Disaster Services Hero: This award is given to an individual who has shown extraordinary courage in the face of a disaster or emergency, or made a significant contribution to their community’s disaster preparedness, resilience, or recovery.

Environment Hero: This award is given to an individual who has had a significant impact on the protection and caring for the environment and is vital in changing the way their community interacts with the environment.

First Responder Hero: This award is given to a professional first responder, such as a police officer, deputy sheriff, firefighter, search & rescue team member, or 911 dispatcher, whose life-saving action or service to the community goes above and beyond the call of duty.

Healthcare Hero: This award is given to a healthcare professional, such as a physician, paramedic, or nurse whose life-saving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty. This award honors an extraordinary commitment to saving/improving lives or treating illnesses.

Humanitarian Hero – Adult: This award is given to an ordinary citizen (adult) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue, or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.
Humanitarian Hero – Youth: This award is given to an ordinary citizen (youth) who used life-saving skills (such as CPR, water rescue or first aid) to assist or save the life of another or to a person whose actions have made a significant contribution toward the betterment of his or her community.

Service to the Armed Forces Hero: This award is given to someone who has provided exceptional support to service members, veterans, or their families. This award may also be given to a member of our armed forces (active, reserve, National Guard, retired, commissioned or non-commissioned) whose life-saving actions or service to the community went above and beyond the call of duty.

The deadline to submit nominations is Friday, Feb. 15, 2019.

Any of these categories can be awarded as a posthumous award.

The 2019 California Northwest Heroes Award recipients will be selected by a committee of local community leaders based on the degree to which their acts of heroism uphold the values of the American Red Cross and leave a lasting and positive impact on the residents of the Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma counties.

All nominees must work or reside in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake, Mendocino, Napa, and Sonoma counties. The heroic acts may have occurred elsewhere.

The heroic event must be either an ongoing commitment to the community for more than one year or have occurred between Jan. 1, 2018, and Jan. 15, 2019.

Selected heroes will be honored at the 2019 Heroes Breakfast on Friday, May 17, 2019, at Hyatt Vineyard Creek in Santa Rosa.

The annual Red Cross California Northwest Heroes Breakfast recognizes acts of heroism by local residents and pays tribute to those who have performed lifesaving deeds while supporting the lifesaving programs and emergency services provided by your local Red Cross Chapter.

Visit www.redcross.org/CalNWHeroes for more details on each of the 2019 Heroes Award categories as well as the online nomination form, how to purchase tickets, and how to become a sponsor.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As Californians travel this week, the California Highway Patrol is set to begin its Christmas Maximum Enforcement Period.

This additional enforcement is intended to further ensure the safety of the motoring public during the holidays.

The MEP begins at 6 p.m. on Friday, Dec. 21, and continues through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 25.

The focus of the MEP is speed limit enforcement, but officers will also be watching for any signs of impaired driving.

During this period, all available officers will be out on the roadways for enhanced enforcement efforts and assisting motorists wherever needed.

“The California Highway Patrol wishes everyone a happy and, most importantly, safe holiday season,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Please remember to drive sober, avoid distractions, always buckle up, leave plenty of time to reach your destination, and consider the possibility of inclement weather.”

The holiday season brings celebrations and time spent with family and friends, but unfortunately they also result in a considerable loss of life on California’s roadways.

Sixteen people died in collisions in CHP jurisdiction during the 2017 Christmas MEP.

Of the 12 vehicle occupants who were killed, half were not wearing a seat belt. Three pedestrians and one motorcyclist were also killed, and the CHP made 917 arrests for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Statewide, 27 people were killed in collisions.

Impaired driving, whether by alcohol, legal drugs, or illegal drugs, can result in a DUI arrest. A slowed reaction due to medication is as dangerous as any other impairment and will increase the risk of a traffic collision.

An impaired driving arrest can also mean a significant financial impact. The fine for a first-offense DUI along with associated costs can total more than $15,000 in California. If you see an impaired driver, call 9-1-1 when you can do so safely.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday evening two Lakeport City Council members took their oaths of office as they began new terms, the council elected its new mayor and mayor pro tem and appointed community members to fill city commission and committee seats.

City Clerk Kelly Buendia administered the oath to Councilwoman Stacey Mattina and Mayor Mireya Turner.

Mattina is now beginning her third term, and Turner is starting her second.

Because both women ran unopposed, in August the council voted to appoint them and forgo the cost of an election, as Lake County News has reported.

After they took their oaths, Mattina and Turner exchanged a high five and returned to their seats.

The council then chose its leadership for the new year, with Councilman George Spurr nominating Mayor Pro Tem Tim Barnes as the 2019 mayor, which the council approved unanimously.

Barnes then nominated Spurr for mayor pro tem, explaining that he had planned to do so even before Spurr nominated him for mayor. Spurr received a unanimous vote from the council.

Barnes and Turner then switched seats, and Barnes led the remainder of the meeting.

“I really enjoyed my year as mayor. It gave me serious street cred,” said Turner.

She praised city staff for being supportive of council members' priorities and ideas, and said she’s excited to be on the council for another four years.

Barnes praised Turner’s tenure as mayor and told her he hoped to do half as well as she had done.

During Tuesday’s meeting the council met new city staff members.

Public Works Director Doug Grider presented new Public Works employees Hector Heredia and Codie Lairson.

Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen also introduced his new sergeant, Mike Davis, who came to the city from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Davis, who was sworn in on Monday morning at City Hall, has more than 22 years of previous law enforcement experience, is a veteran of the U.S. Army and the California Army National Guard, and has advanced education in public administration and emergency services management, Rasmussen said.

Rasmussen said they’ve been recruiting for over a year for the position. “We believe Mike is a good fit for our agency and we’re proud to have him on our team.”

Much of the meeting was devoted to selecting community members to fill open seats on the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, Measure Z Advisory Committee, Lakeport Planning Commission, the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and Parks and Recreation Commission.

The council has instituted an ad hoc advisory committee of two council members – in this case, Mattina and Turner – who along with staff interview applicants and make recommendations to the full council.

On Tuesday, Mattina and Councilman Kenny Parlet explained that the ad hoc committee was instituted because the city wasn’t getting enough applicants and they had heard that people didn’t like being interviewed by a full council.

“We had very low turnout for all of the committees and commissions and that was some of the feedback we were given,” said Mattina, explaining the awkwardness some people felt about finding out in front of an audience that they weren’t chosen.

“So we tried this out,” she said, explaining they are now getting more applicants and not seeing open and unfilled seats any longer.

It was also noted by council members during the meeting that the ad hoc committee interviews had been relaxed, friendly and informative, and that they had learned a lot about people in the more informal atmosphere.

However, several community members and former members of various boards and committees complained about the ad hoc committee process, which they said was unfair.

Suzanne Russell, who is an outgoing planning commissioner and former Traffic Safety Advisory Committee and Parks and Recreation Commission member, said many seats are being filled by brand new people who have no experience and aren’t showing up to meetings.

Ann Blue, another former Parks and Recreation Commission member who also has served on a number of other committees, also faulted the process, which she called very unfair.

The council voted to fill four openings on the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee with applicants Denise Combs, William Eaton, Terre Logsdon and Wilda Shock, all of whom have experience on the committee.

For the Measure Z Advisory Committee, the council appointed Susan King and Verna Schaffer.

When it came to the ad hoc committee’s recommendations to appoint Brandon Disney, Jeri Driver and Mark Mitchell to the planning commission, the council received pushback from Michael Froio, a current planning commissioner not recommended for reappointment, and several community members who came to support him.

Froio, who has served for two years after being appointed to fulfill Spurr’s unexpired term on the commission, said he wasn’t happy, and has worked faithfully on the commission. He then outlined a number of actions he’s taken to improve his neighborhood.

“If I sound cranky, I'm really cranky,” he said, adding he didn’t feel it was a transparent process and he wanted an explanation of why he wasn’t selected for reappointment.

Turner thanked Froio for his service, recognizing he has been a powerful and passionate advocate of his neighborhood. She said both she and Supervisor Tina Scott have toured his neighborhood twice, first to see the problems and then to see the improvements. “He has done great things.”

For Turner, experience isn’t the single most compelling reason to reappoint, and she noted she was impressed with everyone who interviewed. She said she was confident the three recommended appointees are fully capable. “I see the same drive, I see the same work ethic.”

Russell spoke in favor of both Froio and another sitting planning commissioner, Kipp Knorr, who also hadn’t been recommended for reappointment. She said both are contractors and fine commissioners.

“It takes a lot of time to get the hang of the planning commission,” Russell said.

Supervisor Tina Scott told the council she was surprised the council was considering selecting new people. She said she’s met with Froio and was amazed by how much he loves his community and how he was worked to make a difference.

Michael Green, another planning commissioner whose seat isn’t up for reappointment this year, said he was OK with the ad hoc committee process, noting the interviews are hard to do in a public setting and that he’s seen the process work well.

“It is surprising the recommendations that came forward,” he said, noting that Froio has been dutiful and passionate, and Knorr has been helpful.

Parlet said he also had been shocked Froio wasn’t recommended for reappointment. “He is exactly the kind of guy that I think we need on the planning commission.”

Spurr said he agreed with Parlet and he also wanted Froio on the commission. Mattina and Turner indicated that they stood by the ad hoc committee’s recommendations.

The council took a brief break to retrieve a paper copy of one application that hadn’t been included in the electronic packet before resuming the discussion.

Barnes said he also wanted Froio to continue. “He suits up and he shows up.”

Turner noted that the ad hoc committee is advisory only, and she then moved to appoint Froio, Driver and Mitchell to the planning commission, with Parlet seconding and the council approving the motion 5-0.

“Show up and make noise and we listen. That's how this is supposed to work, right?” Barnes said after the vote.

The council then went on to appoint Ashley Barrett, David Brown and Vicki Cole to the Traffic Safety Advisory Committee.

For the Parks and Recreation Commission, the ad hoc committee recommended Wayne Yahnke and Lynn Andre be appointed to the two vacancies.

However, the council yielded and voted unanimously to appoint Yahnke and current commission member Suzanne Lyons after she, Blue and Russell complained about the process, with Russell at one point stating she didn’t agree with bringing in so much “new blood” to the commissions.

Parlet spoke up on Lyons’ behalf, noting that she often doesn’t say the nicest things about city staff and council members and, “I’m not always happy to see her.” However, he said she puts in the work.

The presentation of holiday decorating contest awards by the Lakeport Main Street Association was held over until the next meeting.

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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From left, Phillip Ferris Harrison, 35, of Potter Valley, Calif., was arrested and charged for a fatal hit-and-run crash in November 2018 and his friend Kirk David Hamilton, 48, of Upper Lake, Calif., is charged with conspiring to cover up the crash, and threatening and intimidating witnesses. Lake County Jail photos.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol has arrested two men in connection to a fatal November hit-and-run near Upper Lake.

The CHP’s Clear Lake Area office said Phillip Ferris Harrison, 35, of Potter Valley was arrested for hit-and-run, vehicular manslaughter, conspiracy and concealing evidence, and Kirk David Hamilton, 48, of Upper Lake was arrested for conspiring to cover up the crash, making criminal threats, intimidating witnesses and possession of a dirk or dagger.

Harrison is charged with the death on Nov. 19 of 57-year-old James Jobe Carpenter of Potter Valley, the CHP said.

At 3:30 p.m. Nov. 19, CHP personnel were dispatched to a possible hit-and-run traffic collision involving a pedestrian, as Lake County News has reported.

The CHP said Harrison told officers at the scene that he was driving his Dodge Ram 2500 eastbound on Elk Mountain Road near the Blue Slide area when he noticed Carpenter lying on the side of the road.

Harrison said he responded to a nearby residence to seek help, and he and the resident returned to the scene, loaded Carpenter into the back of the vehicle and transported him to the Soda Creek Store to call 911. Harrison then began CPR until medical personnel arrived on scene and pronounced Carpenter deceased, the CHP said.

The CHP said that in the weeks to follow, a joint effort between the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office, CHP’s Northern Division Investigative Services Unit and the Lake County District Attorney’s Investigator’s Office resulted in a followup investigation leading to several search warrants being served and the arrests of Harrison and Hamilton.

Through the investigation, it was determined Harrison was driving his 1979 International water truck delivering a load of water to a private residence at 27363 Elk Mountain Road where 30-year-old Jayson Malson of Upper Lake and Carpenter were waiting for him, the CHP said.

Harrison followed Malson and Carpenter onto the property down a steep road within the property to the delivery location. The CHP said Malson had parked his Subaru in the road and both Malson and Carpenter had exited the Subaru.

Harrison lost control and the front of the International hit the Subaru and ultimately collided with Carpenter, causing injuries leading to his death. Carpenter was transported to Soda Creek Store to seek medical aid, the CHP said.

Soon after the crash, Harrison contacted Hamilton – his friend and a nearby resident. The CHP said the two of them then conspired to conceal and destroy evidence from the crash and the location where it occurred.

Over the following few days, Hamilton also made repeated visits to witnesses where he made criminal threats to harm them in order to keep them from coming forward regarding the facts about the crash, the CHP said.

On Dec. 12, the CHP warrant service team, Lake County District Attorney’s Office investigators and the US Forest service executed a search warrant at Hamilton’s property, the CHP said.

As a result of the search warrant, the CHP said evidence pertaining to the crash was located on the property where Hamilton was residing and soon after he was located and interviewed and arrested.

District attorney’s investigators later determined Hamilton was a prohibited person in possession of a loaded firearm and ammunition, and they are currently seeking separate charges, the CHP said.

On Monday, Harrison met with CHP investigators and was arrested, the CHP said.

Both men remain in custody, with Harrison being held with bail set at $100,000 and Hamilton’s bail set at $1 million for the threatening witnesses charge, according to jail records.
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From left, Anita Louise Aney, 52, of Lakeport, Calif., and Jeremy Wayne Griffin, 32, of Kelseyville, Calif., were arrested on Monday, December 17, 2018, for a number of charges. During a search of their vehicle a police officer became ill from an unknown substance. Lake County Jail photos.


LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Lakeport Police officer is OK after his department said he was exposed on Monday to an unknown substance while assisting with a vehicle search.

Officer Andrew Welter was the officer who became ill as a result of the substance, according to a report from the Lakeport Police Department.

On Monday at 4 p.m. Lakeport Police officers conducted a vehicle stop in the parking lot of the Power Mart on Lakeport Boulevard, police said.

During the initial stop an officer noticed the driver, identified as Jeremy Wayne Griffin, 32, of Kelseyville, appeared to be concealing something as he was reaching into the center console. Officers identified the passenger as Anita Louise Aney, 52, of Lakeport, and determined she was on searchable probation, according to the report.

The department said officers initiated a search of the passenger area of the vehicle and located a glass pipe, commonly used to ingest drugs, lying on the floorboard behind the passenger seat. A further search of the vehicle revealed a loaded Smith and Wesson .45-caliber pistol lying under the driver’s seat within reach of the driver. Also located in the driver side door handle was a dollar bill containing a white crystal type substance believed to be methamphetamine.

A records search revealed Griffin is a convicted felon and prohibited from possessing a firearm. Several rounds of 12 gauge shotgun ammunition, .223 rounds of ammunition and 30-06 rounds of ammunition were located in the trunk, police reported.

Based on the items located in the vehicle, police said both Griffin and Aney were placed under arrest.

Officer Welter arrived on scene and began to assist with the search of the vehicle. He located a small plastic bag, containing a white substance, believed to be methamphetamine, tucked under the center console area, police said.

As Officer Welter was removing the partially opened bag from the center console he notified a fellow officer that something wasn’t feeling right. Officer Welter stated his heart rate was high and leaned into the fellow officer who recognized that Officer Welter had been exposed to the unknown substance in the bag, according to the report.

Officer Welter was placed on the ground and administered Narcan as it was believed he was possibly exposed to Fentanyl, a dangerous opioid that can be made illegally and used as a recreational drug, the police report explained.

Officer Welter was immediately taken to Sutter Lakeside Hospital by Lakeport Fire personnel where he was treated for the exposure and later released, police said.

Griffin and Aney were transported to the Hill Road Jail.

Griffin was booked for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon/addict, carrying a loaded firearm in public, possession of ammunition by a prohibited person, carrying a loaded unregistered firearm, possession of a controlled substance and being under the influence of a controlled substance.

Aney was booked for possession of drug paraphernalia, being under the influence of a controlled substance and violation of probation.

The investigation into the unknown substance is ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved a resolution that states its intent to implement an ordinance addressing hazardous vegetation in an effort to protect against wildland fires.

The board has held discussions on several drafts of a hazardous vegetation ordinance this fall, with community members raising a number of concerns ranging from property rights to high fines.

After a lengthy hearing last week, the board decided to continue working on a draft but gave direction to County Counsel Anita Grant to come back with the resolution before them on Tuesday, which she had suggested could help in pursuing grant funding for a joint powers authority meant to work on reducing fire risk.

Grant said the staff intends to return with an updated draft of the ordinance itself on Feb. 12.

The resolution approved Tuesday includes recitals on defensible space and reducing the risk of wildland fires.

“It’s a resolution simply stating your intent to bring something forward in the near future to address this issue,” she said.

Grant said the resolution didn’t include the content of the ordinance yet to be finalized, and didn’t require anything other than it be an addition to Chapter 13 of the Lake County Code regarding hazardous vegetation.

Only one person offered public comment, Mike Kramer of Cobb, who has been at previous meetings to outline his concerns.

As in the past, he questioned why the proposed ordinance focuses on unimproved parcels, and also asked why owners of improved parcels are forgiven of fines, obligations and penalties for abatement.

Supervisor Rob Brown said they were not dealing with the language of the ordinance, explaining the resolution was just to show the board’s plans to bring a draft ordinance back early in the new year.

Brown moved to approve the resolution, which the board approved unanimously.

The resolution can be seen below.

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. – Deputy sheriffs addressed the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday to ask that the county’s leadership make increasing staffing at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office a priority.

Sgt. John Drewrey, president of the Lake County Deputy Sheriff’s Association, and the group’s treasurer, Det. Richard Kreutzer, went before the board on Tuesday morning to speak to the sheriff’s office’s worsening staffing issues, which are in turn impacting public safety.

Kreutzer said that the sheriff’s office has 172 personnel allocated in its budget, but 52 of those jobs are vacant. Six deputies are filling positions at the Hill Road Correctional Facility, which has 20 vacancies out of 55 total jobs.

“This means that our shifts are running with three deputies and one sergeant, sometimes less than that,” he said.

The sheriff’s office has 40 patrol positions, which breaks down as eight sergeants and 32 funded deputy sheriff’s jobs. However, Kreutzer said that they now are working with only four sergeants and 11 deputies, not counting the six deputies working in the jail. As such, he said patrol is running at 37 percent of its allocated staffing.

“These numbers are not a worst case scenario, they are the present reality,” said Kreutzer, explaining that, “As correctional officers and deputies continue to leave for better pay and benefits, our ability to provide services to the community also drops.”

That’s of greater concern when considering how many wildland fires the county has dealt with in recent years. Kreutzer asked what would happen if the sheriff’s office continues to lose staff, and who will respond to future disasters.

“The issue of wages is always the elephant in the room, and whenever it is broached during negotiations, we hear the same response – the county cannot address any fiscal concerns,” Kreutzer said.

He said that it has been suggested that benefits and costs in Lake County are comparable to adjacent and similarly sized counties. While that may be true, he said what isn’t comparable is the amount that neighboring counties contribute overall to benefits.

Kreutzer then went over the contributions of nearby counties to health benefits, including Colusa, which pays $1,420 per month; Napa, which pays up to $1,737.80 per month; and Mendocino, which pays up to $2,153.74 per month.

Lake pays $1,000 per month, after recently adding $200. However, he said that addition came late and is now having to be appealed through the California Public Employees' Retirement System.

Kreutzer said the board needs to prioritize the sheriff’s office staffing and find a fiscally responsible way to augment benefits for deputies.

Drewrey told the board that while staffing already is down, it could go down even more as several deputies have conditional job offers elsewhere or have – like him – applied to other local agencies. He said those who are leaving have pointed to the high costs of benefit.

He also pointed out the loss to the county, noting one deputy who has a conditional offer with another local agency has 12 years of experience and more than 1,700 hours of training that he’ll take elsewhere.

Supervisor Jeff Smith explained that, for a single person, the county’s $1,000 health benefits contribution mean that the employee doesn’t pay anything. However, if they add one person, it’s $700 per month, and can range up to $1,200 a month out of pocket if more family members are added.

“It’s substantial, the cut out of a take home paycheck,” said Supervisor Rob Brown, noting the insurance is hitting them so hard.

Drewrey said an alternate 80/20 cost-sharing plan that he’s explored would lower the family cost to $443, cost the single person $163 per month and would only cost the county $1,315 more a month overall for Deputy Sheriff’s Association employees.

Sheriff Brian Martin thanked the board for hearing the matter, noting it was a good time for the Deputy Sheriff’s Association to address the board as a group, which they can’t always do during negotiations.

Martin said his constituents call him about their concerns. “People don’t want to hear excuses, they just want services.”

He said he stood with the Deputy Sheriff’s Association to ask the board to make staffing a priority.

Martin said some decisions do need to be made. “We all want to do our job.”

Correctional Officer Jeremy Wichlaz, who has worked for the county in the jail since 1997, recalled that when he began there were as many as 130 inmates in the jail. Since then, capacity has doubled, but staffing hasn’t changed.

He said the county jail now houses inmates that should be in state prisons, making the job more dangerous for correctional officers.

“It’s Band-Aid on top of Band-Aid at this point,” Wichlaz said, adding that roughly one-third of the county’s correctional officers are looking to go to other agencies.

Deputy Nathaniel Newton told the board he’s also looking elsewhere because of the cost of benefits for his growing family. He said he had hoped to live, work and retire in Lake County.

Board members acknowledged the county’s struggles and said they are working to bring more money into the county.

“We do hear you loud and clear,” said Supervisor Moke Simon, adding that sheriff’s staffing is a priority for the board.

“We’ve always really tried to support law enforcement,” said Smith.

He said it’s time to do something out of the box, and suggested that maybe the 80/20 split suggested by Drewrey might be an option.

Later in the meeting, the board approved a memorandum of understanding with the Lake County Sheriff Management Association for the period from Jan. 1, 2019, through Dec. 31, 2019.

The agreement is similar to agreements the county has with other labor groups, said County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.

Huchingson said the agreement includes no salary increases because of lack of funds, but gives two days of personal work leave, $1,000 per month per employee contribution to health benefits and a 2.5 percent increase above base salary due to educational degrees.

She said the agreement also allows for straight time overtime for management during board-declared emergencies, as was introduced a few months ago with other employee units. The overtime allowance is capped at 40 hours.

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, Sgt. Michael Davis takes his oath from Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen on Monday, December 17, 2018, at City Hall in Lakeport, Calif. Photo courtesy of Mayor Mireya Turner.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department started off the week by welcoming a new sergeant.

Chief Brad Rasmussen administered the oath to Sgt. Michael Davis during a Monday morning ceremony at Lakeport City Hall.

Davis comes to the Lakeport Police Department from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.

Davis will be formally introduced to the Lakeport City Council at its meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

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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