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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Firefighters are on the scene of a fire that began Tuesday afternoon near the Clearlake Walmart store.

The fire was first dispatched at around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in the area of 15960 Dam Road, based on radio reports.

Initial reports stated that there were structures threatened.

Minutes later, the Clearlake Police Department issued a Nixle alert telling residents to evacuate the area of Dam Road to Wilkinson Avenue due to the fire.

Reports from the scene as of shortly before 3:25 p.m. put the fire at half an acre in size, with spots fires coming off of it and structures threatened.

Firefighters reported that a small spot fire was starting at the corner of Lake Street and Dam Road. A short time later, a power pole just west of Lake Street was reported to be on fire.

Power lines also are reported to be down in the area. Pacific Gas and Electric confirmed an outage in the area that began at 3:28 p.m. with 574 customers affected. Power is expected to be restored at about 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Radio reports just after 3:45 p.m. indicated that residents of the Creekside Mobile Home Park, located at 16425 Dam Road, are not being evacuated but sheltered in place because there are enough firefighting resources on the scene to protect the park.

At 3:50 p.m., air attack estimated the fire size at about three acres. So far, at least one structure has been reported to be involved.

Followup reports said there are ongoing structure threats within the fire’s perimeter.

Just before 4 p.m., the Clearlake Police Department ordered a mandatory evacuation on Dam Road between Jack in the Box and Wilkinson Avenue, from Cache Creek north to Nine Avenue.

Forward progress was reported to have been stopped shortly before 5 p.m., based on radio traffic.

At about the same time, the Clearlake Police Department reported that evacuations had been lifted, but that Dam Road from Lake Street to Jack in the Box to remain closed for several hours.

Fire apparatus remained in the area, with motorists asked to drive with caution.

Additional information will be posted as it becomes available.

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 Economic Development Advisory Committee will get updates on the latest city projects when it meets this week.

The committee, or LEDAC, will meet telephonically from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 8.

The meeting is open to the public.

If you would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the meeting remotely by joining from a PC, Mac, iPad, iPhone, or Android device. Please register here. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the Webinar.

If you prefer to use your phone, you must select "Use Telephone" after joining the webinar and call in using these numbers: United States (toll-free): 877-568-4108; United States: +1 (213) 929-4221; Access Code: 579-521-917.

On the agenda is an update on city projects and activities from city staff, including the new lakefront park, waterfront parking rehabilitation, Second Street rehabilitation and an update on the work of Retail Coach, the city’s retail recruitment consulting firm.

Dennis Rollins, chair of the Westside Community Park Committee, will present information about park development, current and future.

There also will be member reports from the Lakeport Main Street Association, Lake County Chamber of Commerce, CareerPoint Lake, Mendocino College/Lake Center and Lake Economic Development Corp./BARC, and citizen input.

The group’s next quarterly meeting will take place on Sept. 9, in a format that’s to be announced.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Secretary Terre Logsdon, Maureen Brasier, Candy De Los Santos, Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Pam Harpster, Andy Lucas, Laura Sammel and Amanda Xu. City staff who are members include City Manager Margaret Silveira and Community Development Director Kevin Ingram.

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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NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Thursday, July 9, Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-05) will hold a virtual town hall on the coronavirus response.

The town hall will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Pacific Time.

Thompson will be joined by special guest Ron Klain, the former White House Ebola Response coordinator, for a discussion about health care and what must be done to shore up our response to the spread of coronavirus.

This is the 10th in a series of virtual town halls.

All constituents of California’s Fifth Congressional District and members of the press are invited to join.

This event will be held over Zoom and interested participants must email Thompson’s office in order to join, as the platform has a capacity of 500 people. Interested participants will be notified via email with instructions on how to join.

The event will also be streamed on Facebook Live via Thompson’s page.

Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
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Rachel Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties in Northern California, looking over pear trees in 2007. Photo courtesy of the UC Agriculture and Natural Resources.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Rachel Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties, retired July 1 after 36 years, 33 years in her current position.

“Rachel has been invaluable to the pear industry in Mendocino and Lake counties,” said Bob McClain, California Pear Advisory Board’s field and research director.

The Richmond native’s first UC job was as a typist at UC Berkeley.

Elkins was introduced to UC Agriculture and Natural Resources after earning a bachelor’s degree in international studies at University of the Pacific and bachelor’s degree in agricultural pest management at UC Berkeley, then landing an internship with UCCE integrated pest management advisor Bill Barnett in Fresno County in 1982.

After earning two master’s degrees in pomology and plant protection and pest management at UC Davis, Elkins joined UC Cooperative Extension as a farm advisor intern in 1986 and was hired as a farm advisor in Lake and Mendocino counties in 1987.

“I began with zero knowledge about pear production, my main assigned crop,” Elkins said. “From this beginning, I dived in; I am still learning every day. I am fortunate to have developed close working relationships with UC, industry and colleagues in Oregon and Washington, as well as other states and countries where pears are grown.”

She co-edited and co-authored the 2007 UC Pear Production and Handling Manual, 1999 UC Integrated Pest Management for Apple and Pear, and UC IPM Pear Pest Management Guidelines.

Her most recent co-authored article on predatory phytoseiid mites, detailing work completed in 2008 was just published in the California Agriculture journal.

Elkins is well-known for her research to control codling moth populations by interfering with the insect’s sex life instead of using insecticides.

In 1996, she worked with UC Riverside researcher Harry Shorey to introduce the pheromone “puffer,” fashioned after the devices in public restrooms that intermittently emit a fragrance. Releasing pheromones confuses male moths seeking mates. The method proved successful and ideal in large-scale management because as acreage increases the number of units needed per acre decreases. As a result, organophosphate insecticide use for codling moth control in many pear orchards has almost entirely ceased.

“She was instrumental in developing pheromone puffers for codling moth control,” McClain said, noting that pheromones distributed in orchards on plastic ties were hung by hand 200 per acre. “With the puffer, you needed two per acre, which saved on labor costs.”

A 2003 UC cost study showed that the pheromone puffers saved growers $9 per ton or nearly $200 per acre, based on 20 tons per acre.

The cost savings came from reduced insecticide use – due to fewer outbreaks of secondary pests such as mites and pear psylla – and less need to operate spray equipment, which was becoming increasingly expensive.

Rachel Elkins, UC Cooperative Extension pomology farm advisor for Lake and Mendocino counties in Northern California, has retired but plans to keep working part-time as a farm advisor. She’s shown here at a walnut field meeting in Upper Lake, California, in May 2018. Photo by Elizabeth Larson/Lake County News.

The California Department of Pesticide Regulation honored the pheromone puffer project with its 2000 IPM Innovator Award. The puffer is now used on nearly all the pear acreage in Lake County. This success in pears led to its use in apple and walnut orchards.

“The most gratifying part of the puffers’ success is that I put myself out of the codling moth control business and was able to devote more time to horticulture,” she said. “For example, developing modern orchard systems amenable to mechanization, finding alternatives to antibiotics for fire blight control, and joining multistate efforts toward breeding size-controlling rootstocks.”

In 2002, Elkins was named Agriculture Person of the Year by the Lake County Farm Bureau.

Although pears are her specialty, she has worked with growers on more than 25 fruit and nut crops, mainly walnuts, but also apples, kiwifruit, olives and wine grapes.

“My walnut research program has greatly increased in the past decade as higher prices and organic markets have led to new Lake County plantings,” she said. “I established four long-term rootstock trials in 2011-2012, which are providing local growers with important data to decide whether to replace seedling Paradox with newer clonal selections.”

In 2015, she received the American Society for Horticultural Science award for Outstanding Extension Education Materials for producing the video “Budding, Grafting and Planting Walnut Trees in the Field,” a labor of love honoring renowned Lake County nurseryman Alex Suchan.

She has also covered environmental horticulture and, in 1993, started the UC Master Gardeners Program in Lake County, which is still going strong today.

In addition to her research, Elkins has served as UCCE director in Lake County, from 2002 to 2006 and again from 2018 to the present, maintaining excellent relationships with local government officials and partnering with county departments.

Elkins has been granted emeritus status by UC ANR and will continue ongoing research trials. She will return part-time funded by the California Pear Advisory Board and Pear Pest Management Research Fund to continue assisting the statewide pear industry, including as UC ANR commodity liaison.

“I am very glad to work part-time doing pure farm advisor work, which is what I love and why I entered this profession,” Elkins said.

Pam Kan-Rice writes for UC Agriculture and Natural Resources News.



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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Several new cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in Lake County due to testing results officials reported on Monday.

Lake County’s COVID-19 cases totaled 96 on Monday morning, up from 87 reported on Saturday, according to Lake County Public Health.

Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace did not immediately respond to a request from Lake County News for more information about the newly reported cases.

Of Lake County’s 96 cases, 18 are active, of which four are hospitalized, Public Health reported.

Public Health said 77 local cases are recovered. The agency reported Lake County’s first death attributed to the virus last week.

To date, 5,184 COVID-19 tests have been conducted in Lake County, with the results of 491 of those cases pending, Public Health said.

On Monday, the California Department of Public Health reported that California has 271,684 confirmed cases to date, with 6,337 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

As of July 5, local health departments have reported 16,175 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 94 deaths statewide, the California Department of Public Health said.

The agency also said that California's positivity rate – a key indicator of community spread – is trending upward in the 14-day average, as are hospitalization rates.

In a Monday afternoon briefing, Gov. Gavin Newsom said California is seeing infection rates similar to those at the start of the pandemic.

While death rates appear to be lower, Newsom cautioned that hospitalizations, ICU numbers and mortality are lagging indicators.

The California Department of Public Health reported on Monday that more than 4,793,353 tests have been conducted statewide for the virus.

“As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an increase in the number of positive cases has been expected – increasing the importance of positivity rates to find signs of community spread,” the state reported.

Over the weekend, California Health and Human Services Secretary Dr. Mark Ghaly urged laboratories in California to prioritize testing turnaround for individuals who are most at risk of spreading the virus to others.

Ghaly said the state, working with public and private partners, has increased access to diagnostic testing over the past six months, with the capacity rising from 2,000 tests per day to 100,000 per day in a few months’ time.

However, Ghaly said that, as more states begin to scale their testing capabilities, new constraints are materializing within the supply chain. “Simultaneously laboratories are becoming overwhelmed with high numbers of specimens, slowing down processing timelines.”

Those delays, said Ghaley, will present “significant challenges” in the ability to care for people in the hospital where testing helps make appropriate treatment decisions and in the ability to appropriately isolate those who are sick in order to box in the virus and cut transmission rates.

Due to these new limitations, Ghaly said California is recommending that laboratories prioritize the processing of specimens of individuals who are COVID-19 symptomatic and those who are hospitalized or in long-term care facilities, including skilled nursing facilities such as veterans homes, assisted living facilities such as residential care facilities for the elderly, and for specimens of patients in institutional settings, including prisons and jails, in order to timely implement appropriate interventions to mitigate the spread of the virus within the facility.

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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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A 4.0-magnitude earthquake on Sunday morning was felt across Lake County and the North Coast.

The quake occurred at 9:14 a.m. Sunday, the US Geological Survey reported.

The USGS said the quake’s epicenter was in northern Sonoma County, 3.3 miles southwest of Cobb and 13.4 miles north northeast of Healdsburg, at a depth just below the earth’s surface.

Nearly 160 shake reports were filed from around Lake County, as well as Sonoma, Mendocino and Napa, San Francisco and as far away as Valley Springs.

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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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Public Health has released the latest demographics data about the county’s COVID-19 cases.

The county released this second round of demographics data on Monday evening. The information is updated weekly.

The demographics breakdowns are based on the 96 cases Public Health reported on Monday.

Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace told Lake County News that the county is having “a steady flow of new cases,” some of them from contacts with people connected to a farmworker outbreak, although he added those numbers are decreasing.

“There are some other cases emerging that don’t seem to be connected to that outbreak, most of these do seem connected to other cases that have been identified either locally or others from out of the area,” Pace said. “We don’t seem to have widespread community transmission, but there have been several cases that we have not been able to identify the source case.”

The new data shows that the majority of Lake County’s COVID-19 cases continue to be traced to close contacts to a known case, including households, family and friends with a recognized significant contact.

Close contacts account for 55 of the current cases, followed by out of county contacts to a known case or travel, 15; under investigation, 15; other/unknown, five; presumed occupational contact, four; and congregate living situations – in this case, the Lake County Jail – two.

Regarding case locations, the information is not broken down by cities and towns, but by supervisorial districts.

The largest number of cases continues to be in District 2, which covers Clearlake, where 42 cases have been reported. District 3, which covers the Northshore, has 21 cases; District 4, which covers the greater Lakeport and north Lakeport areas, has 14; District 5, which includes the greater Kelseyville area, as well as Loch Lomond and Cobb, has 12 cases; five are in District 1, which covers the south county; and two cases are listed as “unknown.”

The leading age range continues to be the 18 to 49 group, with 62 cases, followed by the 50 to 64 group, with 17 cases; birth to 17, 11 cases; and age 65 and above, six cases.

There continue to be more cases in males than females, which follows the statewide trend. Fifty-one of Lake County’s COVID-19 cases are males, while 45 are females.

The next set of data will be released on Tuesday, July 14, Public Health reported.

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 is set to consider a contract with the new city manager when it meets this week.

The meeting will take place via webinar beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

The agenda can be found here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling 877-309-2071 or toll-free, 951-384-3421. The access code is 879-799-541; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments prior to 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, July 7.

Please indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.

The agenda can be found here.

A closed session will be held at 5:30 p.m. to discuss labor negotiations regarding the city manager.

In open session, the council will consider approving the agreement for city manager services between the city and Kevin Ingram.

Ingram, formerly Lakeport’s Community Development director, was named assistant city manager in January as part of the city’s succession plan.

With the announcement last month that current City Manager Margaret Silveira intends to retire at the end of July, the city has been negotiating with Ingram for a final contract.

The report from City Attorney David Ruderman said the proposed contract with Ingram will be effective Aug. 1 and last for two years and eight months, through March 31, 2023. When the initial term ends, it will automatically renew in additional one-year increments unless the city council provides advanced notice of nonrenewal.

“The contract provides that the City Manager is an ‘at will,’ exempt employee with an initial base annual salary of $140,844. He is entitled to an annual performance bonus of up to $1,500 and to consideration of a cost of living adjustment when such is provided to other at-will management employees in the City,” Ruderman wrote.

Under the contract, Ingram will receive regular CalPERS retirement benefits, life insurance and long-term disability insurance equal to that provided to management employees, 20 days per year of vacation leave, sick leave of one day per month, administrative leave of 80 hours per year, a car allowance of $400 per month, a cell phone stipend and technology allowance. The contract requires Ingram to reside within a 30-minute drive from City Hall.

Additionally, the contract allows for the council to terminate the contract before the end of the term for cause. However, if the council terminates the contract without cause, Ingram would be entitled to severance equal to six months of his base salary, which increases by one month after each year of employment, capped at 12 months.

Also on Tuesday, the council will hold a hearing on the proposed resolution to adopt the housing element update of the general plan.

The council also will hold a protest hearing to allow recipients of a notice to abate dry vegetation creating fire hazard conditions on private property to express objections and be provided with due consideration as to why their property should not be abated.

Under council business, Silveira will ask the council to approve a resolution directing staff to begin the application process to change Westside Park Road to Charlie’s Way, in honor of the late Charlie Jolin, who was a driving force behind the park’s creation.

Finance Director Nick Walker will present the proposal to prepare a written report containing a description of each parcel of real property within the city and the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District to which delinquent water and sewer user charges, fees and penalties are applicable and the amount of the delinquent water and sewer user charge, fee, and penalty for
each such parcel the period of June 1, 2019, through May 31, 2020.

In other business, the council will consider approving an amendment to the franchise agreement with Lakeport Disposal Inc., adopt a resolution officially naming the building donated by the Bank of America at 500 N. Main St. in honor of Silveira, and award a construction contract to Team Ghilotti, Inc. for the Second Street Sidewalk Improvement Project.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the regular council meeting on June 16; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the Mendocino Complex fire; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the February 2019 storms; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the October 2019 public safety power shutoff; confirmation of the continuing existence of a local emergency for the COVID-19 public health emergency; Introduction of the proposed safety assessment placard ordinance to the Lakeport Municipal Code and schedule a public hearing for Aug. 4; adoption of the resolution approving and adopting a policy authorizing the use and acceptance of electronic signatures (e-signatures) on city documents; and approval of the retirement incentive agreement between the city of lakeport and Margaret Silveira.

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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Gardens will soon be bursting with delicious summer produce like these homegrown heirloom tomatoes. Photo by Esther Oertel.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – If you’ve planted a summer garden, it won’t be long before tomatoes, zucchini and the like will be bursting forth from their vines, perhaps in such abundance that you won’t know what to do with them all.

To help out, I’ve compiled a quartet of vegetable-forward recipes that will enable you to (hopefully pleasantly) consume such garden bounty.

Featured in the recipes are some of the most commonly grown summer vegetables – tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, eggplant and bell peppers – as well as favorite garden herbs like basil and parsley.

The first recipe featured is gazpacho, a cooling, tomato-based soup that originated in the southern region of Andalusia in Spain. This chock-full-of-veggies dish is sometimes referred to as a blended or liquid salad, and when you see the recipe, you’ll understand why. It utilizes summer garden bounty or farmers’ market fare quite handily.

There are a number of theories about the origin of gazpacho, with the most prevalent being that it’s based on a soup of bread, olive oil, vinegar and garlic that arrived in Spain with the Romans. Many current recipes include the use of stale bread as part of the base.

With the introduction of tomato and cucumber from the New World and Asia respectively, gazpacho became a standard Spanish dish first in the province of Andalusia. Popular then with all classes of people, it’s still widely served as cold refreshment during the heat of Spanish summers.

There are many versions of gazpacho, not all with tomatoes. The most popular and well-known, however, are those which make full use of this luscious fruit and thankfully so, as tomatoes are an absolute powerhouse of nutrition!

Gazpacho was once considered to have healing properties, especially as a remedy for stomach issues. As Miguel de Cervantes wrote in Don Quixote, “I’d rather have my fill of gazpacho than be subject to the misery of a meddling doctor.”

Next up is Panzanella, a bread and tomato salad that hails from Tuscany. Sixteenth-century Florentine poet and artist Agnolo Bronzino sang the praises of a dish interpreted to be a version of it, making it very likely that this salad has been a staple there for more than five centuries.

The name Panzanella is thought to be a portmanteau of the Italian word for bread, pane, and zanella, the name of the deep plate in which it’s typically served.

A traditional Panzanella utilizes stale bread soaked in water and squeezed dry, but I enjoy using a rustic loaf of bread that can stand up to the dressing and the juices of the tomatoes. Wait an hour or so before eating so the bread has time to absorb all the liquid deliciousness.

It was interesting to learn that until the 20th century, Panzanella was based on onions, not tomatoes. While onions continue to be used in the salad, tomatoes are truly one of the stars.

Tomatoes that are ripe, juicy and full of flavor should be used. Feel free to mix colors and types. If garden or farmers’ market tomatoes are not available, heirloom tomatoes or those sold on the vine are recommended.

A full two cups of a sliced chiffonade of basil are included in the recipe. An easy way to do this is to roll a group of leaves up cigar style before slicing.

While traditionalists in Florence may not approve, olives, capers and other tangy ingredients are often added to enhance the flavor of the salad. I use a combo of kalamata and green olives, but feel free to use what you like best.

Ratatouille, a stewed vegetable dish from the French region of Provence (specifically Nice), is a wonderful way to use many vegetables at once. Though recipes and cooking times vary, tomato, garlic, onion, zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper and some combination of herbs common to that region are typically included.

The name of the dish is derived from a French verb meaning “to stir up,” and if you’ve ever cooked ratatouille, you’ll know that a lot of stirring is involved!

Despite its relatively recent genesis (1877), there are numerous methods of preparation. Julia Child and others recommend that each type of vegetable be cooked individually prior to combining. One reason for this is the belief that the taste of each vegetable will stand out.

Another method, one which I employ in the recipe below, is to stagger the addition of each vegetable to the pan according to its cooking time. This encourages a wonderful marriage of flavors and lessens the complexity of preparation.

Eggplant, utilized in ratatouille, provides a platform for a plethora of flavors, changing like a chameleon when paired with different sauces and spice combinations. The flesh of eggplant is spongy and somewhat bitter in its raw state, though more recent cultivated varieties are not quite as bitter as their ancient counterparts.

Salting eggplant prior to cooking rids the flesh of bitterness, as well as collapsing cell walls to close up the spongy holes that would otherwise absorb endless amounts of oil. To do this, peel and slice (or, depending on the dish, cube) the eggplant and generously salt it as you layer the slices into a colander. Allow it to drain over a bowl or the sink for 20 to 30 minutes, rinse, pat dry, and prepare as usual.

Our final recipe is tzatziki, a refreshing Greek salad made from cucumber and yogurt and flavored with herbs, typically either dill, mint, thyme or parsley.

In addition to a salad, tzatziki can also be in the form of a dip, sauce or cold soup.

The term “cool as a cucumber” is more than a cliché. Cucumbers truly are a cooling food, which is one reason why it’s especially nice to have them around in the midst of the summer heat. They’re commonly featured in the cuisine of countries throughout the world with hot climates.

Versions of the cooling combination of cucumber and yogurt are found in a variety of places, including Turkey, India, the Balkans and throughout the Middle East.

Not only do cucumbers have a cooling effect when consumed internally, they cool the skin externally, such as when they’re used to treat sunburn.

Although a variety of herbs may be used to flavor tzatziki, our version contains dill.

If you don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, other yogurt can be strained to produce a similar consistency. To do this, place the yogurt in a strainer lined with paper towels or cheesecloth atop a bowl several hours or overnight. Refrigerate it during the process. This allows liquid to drain off, leaving behind a thickened, richer yogurt. You’ll be surprised at the amount of water that appears in your bowl.

If you’re using this method, be sure to strain enough yogurt as it reduces in size by about half. Since the recipe calls for two cups of Greek yogurt, strain four cups to be sure you’ve got enough.

I hope you enjoy the summer’s bounty through these recipes or otherwise. And remember, a simple sandwich with garden tomatoes can make for an amazingly delicious lunch. To this end, as a bonus, I’ve included a recipe for basil aioli that can be slathered on good bread to pair with fresh tomatoes.

Enjoy!

Gazpacho

While some gazpacho recipes call for blending the entire batch of veggies into a puree, I prefer to puree only half of it to maintain an interesting texture and satisfying crunch.

3 large tomatoes, diced
1 cucumber, peeled and diced
2 bell peppers, chopped (combine red, green, yellow or other colors)
1 red onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
¼ cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 cups tomato juice
¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped
¼ cup fresh basil, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
Tabasco sauce and salt and pepper to taste

Combine vegetables in a large glass bowl.

Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

Add half the mixture to a food processor and blend until smooth.

Combine puree with original mixture and chill for 4 hours before serving.

Garnish with diced avocado or cilantro, if desired.

Serves four.

Tuscan Bread Salad with Summer Vegetables (Panzanella)

The trick to this salad is being sure all ingredients are bite sized. Choosing the bread is also key. A rustic bread that will hold up well is recommended, and day-old bread is fine, if you’ve got it. Sliced bread will not work well. Feel free to sub cucumber for the zucchini.

About 6 cups of bite-sized pieces of bread
2 cups sliced basil leaves
1 cup red onion, thinly sliced
1 cup zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters and sliced (roughly one medium zucchini)
2 cups diced ripe tomatoes (garden, heirloom or those sold on the vine are recommended)
½ cup pitted kalamata olives, cut in half
½ cup pitted green olives, cut in half (or quartered, if large)
1 cup bite-sized pieces of fresh mozzarella
Pine nuts for garnish (optional)

Dressing:

4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Fresh ground pepper and coarse salt to taste

Make dressing by whisking ingredients together. It’s best to do this first so flavors have an opportunity to combine.

Combine salad ingredients in a large bowl and toss with dressing.

Allow to sit for an hour before eating so bread can soak up liquid.

If using pine nuts, sprinkle over top of salad. (You may toast them first.)

Serve immediately.

Serves four.

Ratatouille

Olive oil for the pan, about 2 tablespoons
2 or more cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1 large onion, sliced
1 small eggplant, cubed
2 bell peppers, any color, chopped
4 large garden tomatoes, coarsely chopped
3 to 4 small zucchinis, sliced into ¼ inch rounds
Fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano, thyme and rosemary
A nice handful of chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Salt the cubed eggplant and allow to drain for 20 to 30 minutes, then rinse.

Heat oil over medium heat in a 4-quart Dutch oven or heavy saucepan.

Add onions and cook, stirring often, until tender, about 5 minutes or more.

Add garlic and stir.

Add eggplant and pepper, stir to coat with oil, then cover and cook for about 10 minutes.

Add tomatoes, zucchini and herbs (except basil and parsley); cover and cook about 15 minutes, or until eggplant is tender, but not too soft.

Taste and add salt and pepper as needed.

Stir in basil and parsley just before serving.

Serves four to six. While not traditional, I enjoy serving with rice or quinoa.

Greek Cucumber-Yogurt Salad (Tzatziki)

To make a dip or sauce rather than a salad, finely chop, rather than slice, the cucumber. More lemon juice and/or yogurt may be needed to create a thinner consistency.

2 medium cucumbers, peeled, seeded and thinly sliced
2 cups plain Greek yogurt
2 cloves garlic, smashed then minced
Juice of half a lemon
Fresh dill springs (or fresh mint leaves)
Freshly ground black pepper and salt to taste

Combine yogurt, garlic and lemon juice in a bowl.

Add cucumber to yogurt mixture and stir to combine.

Using kitchen scissors, cut small pieces of dill leaves into bowl. If substituting mint, thinly slice leaves and add to bowl. Use more or less depending on your taste. Stir to combine.

Add salt and pepper to taste.

Serves four as a side salad.

Basil aioli

Combine one large egg, 1 clove crushed garlic, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil in a food processor. Process for a few seconds until mixture is emulsified.

Keep the motor running as you drizzle in just under a cup of extra virgin olive oil. Add 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh basil and pulse a bit until combined. Scrape the aioli into a container and refrigerate.

Makes about 1-1/2 cups.

All recipes by Esther Oertel.

Esther Oertel is a writer and passionate home cook from a family of chefs. She grew up in a restaurant, where she began creating recipes from a young age. She’s taught culinary classes in a variety of venues in Lake County and previously wrote “The Veggie Girl” column for Lake County News. Most recently she’s taught culinary classes at Sur La Table in Santa Rosa, Calif. She lives in Middletown, Calif.
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MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall will hold a virtual meeting this week to get the district supervisor’s updates and hear the latest about a major south county development project.

MATH will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9, via Zoom. The meeting is open to the public.

To join the Zoom meeting click on this link; the meeting ID is 872 2935 2332 or call in at 888-788-0099.

Chair Tom Darms said the meetings will be held via Zoom until further notice.

On the agenda, scheduled for 7:30 p.m., is the update from District 1 Supervisor Moke Simon.

At 7:50 p.m., Kirsty Shelton of MAHA Developments will offer the latest on the Guenoc Project, a major resort and residential development set to go before the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

At 8:25 p.m., the group will discuss August agenda items, including changing MATH to a town hall format, which would result in no county oversight.

The MATH Board includes Chair Tom Darms, Vice Chair Sally Peterson, Secretary Paul Baker, and at-large members Rosemary Cordova and Lisa Kaplan.

MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.

Meetings are subject to videotaping.

For more information email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors is set to discuss a trust donation that is meant to fund a new park and the approval of a major south county resort and residential development.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 7.

The supervisors will meet in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport, for a hybrid meeting format which also will include the opportunity for community members to continue to participate virtually.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

To participate in real-time, please join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link at 9 a.m. The meeting ID is 952 8462 1642, password 535290.

Written comments on any agenda item may be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

In an untimed item, Public Services Director Lars Ewing will ask the board to consider an update on a trust that provides for a new park in the Clearlake Oaks area and to give direction to staff on what actions they should take next.

Ewing’s report to the board explains that Lake County Parks and Recreation is named as the major beneficiary of property and other assets of the John T. Klaus 1994 Trust.

The trust’s terms call for the county to use more than 600 acres near Clearlake Oaks, near the roundabout at Highway 20 and Highway 53, as a new public park.

“Also included in the estate are funds from other trust assets – which include other off-site properties, bank accounts and a commercial property lease in the Bay Area – with the purpose of paying for park improvements and ongoing park maintenance costs,” Ewing wrote in his report.

“Public Services staff has toured the property and is of the opinion that it is an excellent opportunity for a park, particularly given the dedicated financial resources that come with it,” Ewing reported. “The trustee has provided inventory and appraisal documents that list bank accounts totaling approximately $1.5 million, appraisal values of properties owned by the trust and not yet sold amounting to approximately $650,000, and recurring annual lease income of approximately $127,000 from a property in Livermore that has been leased to an oil change business for over twenty years.”

He said the trust’s conditions require that the park be called “John T. Klaus Park,” with one-third of the land on the “rear of the property” to be reserved as a refuge for wildlife. The rest of the park to be developed for sporting and athletic activities for youth.

Ewing said staff is seeking direction from the board. If the board recommends moving forward, Ewing is suggesting a number of next steps, including carrying out a property search, establishing a funding mechanism to accept the receipt of assets, preparing a resolution accepting the trust assets and initiating the appropriate California Environmental Quality Act review.

In other news, at 9:30 a.m., the board will consider the approval of the Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Planned Development Project, which includes a major resort and residential development to be built over several years.

At 9:02 a.m., the board will get an update on COVID-19 from Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace and at 3 p.m. will hold an economic development workshop with county department heads.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve change to board’s annual meeting calendar for 2020.

5.2: Approve advance step increase of Client Support Assistant I/II, Step 5 for Ms. Hailey Keller.

5.3: Approve late travel claim for Staff Services Analyst Daniel McAtee in the amount of $138.35 and authorize the auditor-controller to process payment.

5.4: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Section Code 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Manzanita House for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $153,300 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.5: Approve Resolution 2020-25 of the City Council for the city of Clearlake calling for and providing for and giving notice of the general municipal election to be held in the city of Clearlake, county of Lake, state of California, on the third day of November 2020 for the purpose of electing three City Council members, each to hold a term of four years, or until their successors are elected and qualified, and requesting approval of the Lake County Board of Supervisors for election services to be provided by the County Elections Department.

5.6: Adopt Resolution authorizing the 2020-2021 Grant Project-Lake County Victim Witness Assistance Program and authorize the chair to sign the certification of compliance.

5.7: Approve annual renewal of Veterans Subvention Program Certificate of Compliance and Medi-Cal Cost Avoidance Program Certificate and authorize the board chair to sign.

5.8: Approve contract between county of Lake and the Regents of the University of California for training services in the amount of $126,480, from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2021, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.9: Approve three-year lease agreement between county of Lake and Penna Realty Property Management for the property located at 16170 Main St. in Lower Lake, Units C, D, and G, in the amount of $83,355 per fiscal year, from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.10: Approve contract between county of Lake and Adams Ashby Group for HOME and CDBG loan portfolio management services in the amount of $45,000, from July 1, 2020, to December 31, 2022, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.11: (a) Approve agreement between the county of Lake and Megabyte Systems Inc., for FY 2020-21 MPTS property tax system maintenance, online business property filing licensing/support and the transient occupancy tax licensing/support, in the amount of $197,368.13 and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) approve web services addendum to the agreement between the county of Lake and Megabyte Systems Inc. for FY 2020-21 online tax bills and e-payment processing services, in the amount of $4,601.14, and authorize the chair to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

6.1, 9:01 a.m.: Public input.

6.2, 9:02 a.m.: Consideration of update on COVID-19.

6.3, 9:30 a.m.: Consider and approve Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Planned Development Project (AM 18-04; DA 18-01, GPAP 18-01; RZ 18-01 & RZ 20-01; GPD 18-01; SD 18-01, SD 20-01, UP 18-49 and UP 20-02).

6.4, 3 p.m.: Economic development workshop with county department heads.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of Advisory Board Appointments Lake County Resource Conservation.

7.3: Consideration of Cannabis Tax Internal Grant Program.

7.4: Consideration of John T. Klaus Trust and direction to staff for future efforts.

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.
Posted On

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As summer heats up, communities are reminded that wildfire season is upon us.

This week, Sen. Mike McGuire will hold a telephone town hall on wildfire preparedness for Lake and Mendocino counties.

The event will begin at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 7.

The town hall will provide the very latest from local Cal Fire chiefs, Mendocino Unit Chief George Gonzalez and Sonoma-Lake-Napa Unit Chief Shana Jones, about efforts everyone can take to harden homes and better prepare communities against the threat of wildfires.

Mendocino County Sheriff Matt Kendall and Lake County Sheriff Brian Martin will focus on how law enforcement is gearing up for the fire season given the concerns with the coronavirus and Pacific Gas and Electric officials will cover efforts the utility is making to harden its electrical grid and reduce the frequency and duration of power shutoffs.

“Fire season is here and even with the coronavirus, the state is moving full steam ahead with the hiring of hundreds of new firefighters, expanding the number of fire engines on the road and advancing vegetation management projects to reduce fire load,” Sen. Mike McGuire said. “We hope folks can join us this Tuesday for an important conversation with Sheriff Martin, Sheriff Kendall, local Cal Fire chiefs and representatives from PG&E about preparing for wildfire season.”

To attend, dial 844-721-7241, enter code 6666128 and follow the prompts. You will be connected to the live town hall via telephone and you will be able to listen to the speakers providing critical updates. The town hall will be limited to the first 1,000 participants.

To join the conversation and get involved with the town hall, email questions and comments in advance and in real-time during the telephone town hall to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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