LAKEPORT, Calif. – The manager of the Hoberg's Resort property began serving a jail sentence on Wednesday for an environmental conviction last year.
Dan Nelson, 54, surrendered himself at the Lake County Jail at 9 a.m. Wednesday and was booked, according to jail records.
Nelson, a Gilroy resident, has been involved with the Hoberg's Resort and Spa property since 2010.
In April he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for willfully violating a Cal/OSHA standard for potentially exposing his employees to asbestos during a 2012 renovation project, as Lake County News has reported: www.bit.ly/1OSXFwk .
The plea deal Nelson reached with a circuit prosecutor included three years’ probation, 60 days in the county jail, 340 hours of community service, a $5,000 fine and a nondeductible sum of $20,000 to the Lakeside Health Clinic of Lake County.
Since the sentencing, much of the historic resort buildings burned in the Valley fire in September.
Hoberg's has since then been a staging area for trees removed by PG&E and other entities in the Valley fire area, which has caused concern for county officials and area residents.
Nelson had planned to run a milling operation at the resort, but county officials closed the project down due to conditions and ordered that the property be cleaned up.
As of Wednesday, a large number of logs still remained at the property, which has not been cleaned up to the county's specifications, according to Supervisor Rob Brown.
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.
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) introduced H. Res. 629, a bipartisan resolution honoring March as Women’s History Month and recognizing this year’s theme, “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.”
“Women’s History Month, now a national movement, began right here in our district,” said Thompson. “I’m proud to continue the legacy of recognizing and celebrating the many contributions women have made to our country and our local community by introducing this resolution.”
In his address on the floor of the House, Thompson noted that the roots of Women's History Month come from his district, Santa Rosa specifically.
In 1978, the Education Taskforce of the Sonoma County Commission on the Status of Women initiated a “Women’s History Week” celebration to encourage the inclusion of women’s history in K-12 curriculum.
With the help of the National Women’s History Project, which was founded in Sonoma County, thousands of schools and communities joined in the commemoration of Women’s History Week.
In 1981 Congress gave Women’s History Week national recognition by designating it a national observance, and by 1987 Congress had expanded the national observance from a week to a month.
The National Women’s History Project (NWHP) is based in Santa Rosa and chooses the theme of National Women’s History Month each year.
This year, National Women’s History Month celebrates “Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government.”
“This year we honor women who have shaped America’s history and its future through their public service and government leadership,” said Molly Murphy MacGregor, executive director and co-founder of the National Women's History Project. “Although often overlooked and undervalued, collectively they have dramatically influenced our public policy and the building of viable institutions and organizations. From championing basic human rights to ensuring access and equal opportunity for all Americans, they have led the way in establishing a stronger and more democratic country. We are proud to recognize their work not just in March, but throughout the year.”
In celebration of National Women’s History Month, Rep. Thompson is recognizing five extraordinary women, one from each of the five counties that make up the Fifth Congressional District.
“I am privileged to work with incredible women throughout our district,” said Thompson “And while honoring women should not be limited to one month out of the year, the good work these women have done for our district should be recognized. They are leaders in their community and thanks to their efforts, our community is stronger today.”
The women recognized are:
Monica Rosenthal, Lake County Woman of the Year: Rosenthal has been a Middletown resident for two decades, where she grows winegrapes, owns a small business and is an active member of several local community organizations. Rosenthal served as the District 1 representative on the Lake County Planning Commission from 2007 to 2009, she has represented the First District on the Lake County Farm Bureau Board of Directors for the past five years and she is currently serving her second term on the Napa/Lake Work Force Investment Board to promote employment training and job opportunities in Lake County. After the Valley fire, Rosenthal worked tirelessly to help Lake County recover and ensure that the needs of residents were met.
Josephine Orozco, Contra Costa County Woman of the Year: Orozco has been a resident of the city of Rodeo for more than 20 years. She has served on the Recreation Advisory Board, the R10, the Rodeo Chamber of Commerce and the Rodeo Christmas Tree Lighting Committee. She has supported local youth with scholarships through the Rodeo Crab Feed and Chili Cook-Off/Car Show events. As a small business owner, Orozco has worked with our local business community to improve Downtown Rodeo and never hesitates to donate food and refreshments to local charity events.
Maria Guevara, Solano County Woman of the Year: Guevara is the founder of Vallejo Together, which serves the homeless population in Vallejo by providing meals, connecting homeless individuals to resources and hosting several community events including “Unity Day” and the “Youth and Parent Expo.” Guevara tirelessly devotes her time and talents to those most in need in our community. She previously worked on the staff of Fighting Back Partnership in the Solano Mentor Collaborative Program, with Filipino American Social Services and as a board member of Youth & Family Services.
Evelyn Cheatham, Sonoma County Woman of the Year: Cheatham founded Worth our Weight (W.O.W.), a culinary and food service training program offered free of charge to young people ages 16 to 24 who have dealt with significant challenges such as foster care, homelessness or trouble with the law. W.O.W. helps these young people develop a useful skill and worthwhile passion in addition to instilling valuable lessons such as the importance of teamwork, hard work, and respect for oneself and others.
Linda Parks, Napa County Woman of the Year: Parks is the president and chief executive officer of Lixit Animal Care Products in Napa. Founded in 1968, Parks joined Lixit in 1971 as a buyer. At the time, Lixit only had 10 employees. In 1994 the original owner retired and the employees bought the business using a qualified employee stock ownership plan. Today, under Parks' leadership Lixit is a thriving business with more than 100 employees, many of whom are adults with disabilities. Lixit is of tremendous value to the community as it enables adults with disabilities to find employment and thereby gain independence. The average tenure of Lixit’s staff is seven to 15 years. Parks was named as one of the North Bay Business Journal's 2015 Women in Business award winners.
Thompson represents California’s Fifth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties.
Caltrans invites the public to help shape the state’s transportation future by offering input and comments on the California Transportation Plan 2040 (CTP 2040).
The Plan lays out a vision for California's transportation future to provide mobility, support a vibrant economy and meet greenhouse gas emission reduction goals.
“The public can play a key role in the long-term vision we are creating for California’s transportation system,” said Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty. “Our population is growing, the way we live and move is changing, our transportation system needs evolving, and therefore our game plan needs to be forward-thinking.”
The CTP 2040 envisions a fully integrated, multimodal and sustainable transportation system in California.
Caltrans seeks public input to help ensure the CTP 2040 is fully consistent with the department’s mission of delivering a low-carbon transportation system capable of meeting our goals of mobility, safety and sustainability.
The CTP 2040 supports Governor Brown’s goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It will help meet goals consistent with California’s existing commitment to reduce emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050.
The development of the CTP is an open and collaborative planning process that includes early and continuous engagement with governmental agencies at all levels, the private sector, advocacy groups, community organizations and the public.
Comments may also be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by sending a letter or a completed comment form to: California Department of Transportation, Division of Transportation Planning, Office of State Planning, 1120 N St., MS 32, Sacramento, CA 95814.
Comments must be submitted by 5 p.m., March 29, 2016.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Pit bulls and pit bull mixes have a bad reputation in some circles, but this friendly girl shows off the best of her breed.
Staff at Lake County Animal Care and Control call her “Momma” because it's clear she's had litters of pups before arriving at the pound.
She is an energetic female with a brown brindle coat and white markings, and a very playful attitude. She would do best in a home with no cats.
Her great personality has led to her being used as a tester dog with other canines coming into the shelter, and shelter staff play with her whenever they can. She's one of their favorites, thanks to her sunny disposition and adorable play bows.
But, like a lot of the pit bulls who enter the local shelter, she needs a home soon, as she's been waiting awhile, through no fault of her own.
Are you looking for a great dog? Visit this girl. Because she's just that delightful.
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.
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.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A multifamily residence in Lakeport sustained damage in a fire Monday night but all of the people living there were unharmed.
The fire was first dispatched at 11:42 p.m. Monday at 2917 Meadow Drive, according to Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison.
He said a neighbor hit the fire with a garden hose, which kept it in check as firefighters arrived on scene and forced the door open to get inside.
There were two occupants of the building, which Hutchison appeared to be a triplex.
“All of the occupants were able to escape without injury,” Hutchison said.
Lakeport Fire responded with two engines, a water truck and a commanding officer – Hutchison himself – while Kelseyville Fire sent an engine. A total of 14 firefighters worked the incident.
He said the fire was confined in one bedroom, with the remainder of the downstairs area having extensive smoke damage.
As a result, the downstairs residents were temporarily displaced, although the upstairs occupants was able to stay in the home, Hutchison said.
He estimated that structural damage totaled about $25,000.
“The cause is still under investigation,” Hutchison said 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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With the welcome assistance of two groups of AmeriCorps volunteers, Habitat for Humanity Lake County has begun work on two homes for victims of the Lake County fires.
Once the weather improves and the winter rains are over, full-scale work will be under way to provide as many homes as possible for displaced families, the organization said.
To do this, Habitat for Humanity Lake County said it needs community support.
“By pulling together, we can make a difference to the community and the families affected by the fires,” the organization said in a statement.
If you, your organization, or business would like to participate in the rebuild process, monetary contributions are needed in addition to land, contractor labor and lunches for work crews.
Contact the Habitat for Humanity Lake County office at 707-994-1100 or come by the office at 16285A Main St. in Lower Lake to discuss how you can help.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – As of Feb. 25, the city of Clearlake is using the Nixle alert system for emergency notifications.
Nixle is a Web-based application that allows emergency personnel to provide official emergency notifications and updates to subscribers who are signed up to be notified.
“I first learned about the Nixle application during the Rocky fire when Lake County was using it to provide emergency updates and notifications about the fire,” said City Manager Greg Folsom. “We were so impressed by the features and potential benefits to our citizens that we requested money from the City Council to move forward with the purchase.”
“During the fires, people were getting false information from social media sources that were spreading and potentially putting people at risk,” said Lt. Tim Celli, the Clearlake Police Department's interim chief. “We saw first hand how Nixle could be used to put out official information in order to help keep our citizens safe and informed.”
“Based on the benefits to the community and the potential to save lives, approving Nixle was a no-brainer and I highly encourage all citizens of Clearlake to sign up so that we can keep you informed during emergencies,” said Mayor Russ Perdock.
Interested residents can sign up for Nixle at www.nixle.com or by texting “CLEARLAKEPD” to 888777.
The statewide snowpack – source of much of the California’s water supply – is only 83 percent of the March 1 average, the result of moderate precipitation since last October and relatively warm temperatures.
“Mother Nature is not living up to predictions by some that a ‘Godzilla’ El Niño would produce much more precipitation than usual this winter,” said DWR Director Mark Cowin. “We need conservation as much as ever.”
The Department of Water Resources (DWR) conducted its third media-oriented snowpack survey of the season Tuesday 90 miles east of Sacramento just off Highway 50 in the Sierra Nevada. Phillips Station is one of about 250 snow courses measured manually several times each winter.
Frank Gehrke, chief of the California Cooperative Snow Surveys Program, and his survey team measured snow that was 58.3 inches deep at Phillips with a water content of 27.1 inches.
The Phillips readings are the best for early March since 2011, but individual snow courses are not generally representative of the entire mountain snowpack.
The statewide readings suggest this may not be a drought-busting year unless California receives heavy rain this month as it did during the “March Miracles” of 1991 and 1995.
“Right now, we’re obviously better than last year but still way below what would be considered adequate for any reasonable level of recovery at this point,” Gehrke said.
Electronic readings of northern Sierra Nevada snow conditions found 23.1 inches of water content 83 percent of normal for March 1), 212.7 inches in the central region (85 percent of normal) and 16.6 inches in the southern region (73 percent of normal).
Tuesday's snow measurements at Phillips were markedly improved compared to March 2015, when the depth was only 6.5 inches and the water content just 1 inch.
Dry conditions persisted in March, and Gov. Jerry Brown stood on bare ground on April 1 when he mandated a 25-percent reduction in water use throughout California.
Traditionally, half of the state’s annual water falls as rain or snow during December, January and February.
Precipitation in December and January measured at weather stations monitored electronically by DWR was 170 percent of the two-month average, but October, November and February rainfall was far below normal. Snowfall since Dec. 1 has mirrored that pattern.
In normal years, the snowpack supplies about 30 percent of California’s water needs as it melts in the spring and early summer.
The greater the snowpack water content, the greater the likelihood California’s reservoirs will receive ample runoff as the snowpack melts to meet the state’s water demand in the summer and fall.
Among the eight reservoirs with capacities of one million acre-feet or more tracked by DWR, all are currently below average storage for this date, from New Melones (31 percent) to Lake Shasta (83 percent).
The only major reservoir with current storage above its historical average on this date is Folsom Lake (111 percent).
California Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has released annual applicant and appointee data for the administration's judicial appointments.
From 2011 through 2015, there were 1,817 applicants for judicial appointments and Gov. Brown appointed 311 judges, including 74 in 2015.
Approximately 35 percent of the applicant pool and 39 percent of Gov. Brown’s appointees identified themselves as American Indian or Alaska Native; Asian; Black or African-American; Hispanic; Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander; or other/unknown.
From 2011 through 2015, Gov. Brown's judicial appointees included a number of notable firsts:
– Sonia Cortés, the first Latino judge ever appointed to the Yolo County Superior Court.
– Marsha G. Slough, the first openly gay justice in the history of the Fourth District Court of Appeal.
– Luis A. Lavin, the first openly gay justice to serve on the Second District Court of Appeal.
– Therese M. Stewart, the first openly lesbian justice to serve on the California Court of Appeal.
– Ferdinand P. Inumerable, the first Asian-American judge ever appointed to the Ventura County Superior Court.
– M. Bruce Smith, the first African-American judge to serve on the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
– Paul Lo, the first Hmong American judge ever appointed in the country;
– Sunshine Sykes, the first Native American judge ever appointed to the Riverside County Superior Court;
– Sunil Kulkarni, the first South Asian American judge ever appointed in Northern California;
– Rupa Goswami, the first South Asian American woman judge ever appointed in California.
– Halim Dhanidina, the first American-Muslim judge ever appointed in California.
– Jim Humes, the first openly gay justice ever appointed to the California Court of Appeal.
– Miguel Marquez, the first Latino justice ever appointed to the Sixth District Court of Appeal.
– Rosendo Peña, the first Latino justice ever appointed to the Fifth District Court of Appeal.
– Chris Doehle, the first female judge ever appointed to the Del Norte County Superior Court.
– Kimberly Colwell, the first openly lesbian judge ever appointed to the Alameda County Superior Court.
– Mark Andrew Talamantes, the first Latino judge ever appointed to the Marin County Superior Court.
– Kathleen O'Leary, the first female presiding justice ever appointed to the Fourth District Court of Appeal, Division Three.
– Raquel Marquez, the first Latina judge ever appointed to the Riverside County Superior Court.
Under SB 56 and SB 182, the governor is required to disclose aggregate statewide demographic data provided by all judicial applicants by March 1.
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – On Tuesday, the Napa County Public Health Division received confirmation from the California Department of Public Health of the first positive Zika virus case in Napa County.
The case is a pregnant woman who traveled to Central America and is not showing symptoms of Zika virus infection at this time.
Napa County’s priority is to protect the identity of the woman and her unborn child.
“This Zika virus case is not a threat to public health. There is no active transmission of Zika virus in Napa County, and the two kinds of mosquitoes that transmit the virus have not been found here,” said Dr. Karen Relucio, Napa County health officer. “Anyone who is planning to travel to a country with active Zika virus transmission should consult with their health care provider before leaving, especially if they are pregnant or are considering becoming pregnant.”
Napa County Public Health is working together with local health care providers to actively test for cases of Zika virus among pregnant women who have traveled to countries with Zika virus transmission or who have sexual partners who have traveled to countries with Zika virus. Public Health officials expect to see more cases as testing for Zika virus continues.
Napa County Public Health continues to promote Zika virus prevention messages:
· Women who are pregnant or may become pregnant are advised to avoid travel to areas with Zika.
· Women who are pregnant and have sexual partner(s) that have traveled to areas with Zika are advised to abstain from sex or use condoms consistently for the duration of the pregnancy.
· Pregnant women or sexual partner(s) of pregnant women who cannot avoid travel to areas with Zika are advised to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites (Spanish).
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol will host “Coffee with a Cop” in Middletown this week.
The event will take place from 7 to 10 a.m. Wednesday, March 2, at the Cowpoke Café, 21118 Calistoga Road.
Community members will have the chance to sit down with the CHP and other members of law enforcement and talk about local issues.
Lt. Hector Paredes, commander of the CHP's Clear Lake Area office based in Kelseyville, said engaging with the community and finding ways to enhance public trust are top priorities for the CHP.
“'Coffee with a Cop' is a wonderful program that allows members of the public to meet and speak with its officers about any public safety issue in an informal setting,” he said. “We are grateful to Cowpoke Café for hosting this special event and I look forward to speaking to our community with a good cup of Joe!”
CHP Officer Kory Reynolds said future 'Coffee with a Cop' programs are planned around the county.
“Coffee with a Cop” is a program that began in Hawthorne in 2011 as a way to interact more successfully with the community.
Since then it has since spread across the country and to Canada, Europe, Australia and Africa.
“The key to Coffee with a Cop’s growing success is that it opens the door for interactions outside of the crisis situations that typically bring law enforcement officers and community members together,” according to the organization's Web site.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – There are black cats, and then there are big black cats.
This handsome fellow is a recent arrival at Lake County Animal Care and Control.
He's got a mostly black coat – with the exception of a little white spot on his chest. Sort of like a pocket square.
Black cats are incredibly cool, they have great attitudes and are fantastic pals.
Shelter staff said this guy likes attention, and he's also chatty.
Stop by to visit him and consider giving him a great new home.
He's in cat room kennel No. 35, ID No. 4325.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
All adoptable animals in Lake County can be seen here: http://bit.ly/Z6xHMb .
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.
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.
