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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters pushed containment still higher on the LNU Lightning Complex on Monday, continuing to hold the third-largest fire in the state’s history to no new growth.

The complex, which has been burning for two weeks following a round of lightning storms, remained at 375,209 acres on Monday, with containment up to 66 percent, Cal Fire said.

The fires on the complex include the 317,609-acre Hennessey, burning in Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties, which is 64-percent contained; the Walbridge fire west of Healdsburg, at 54,940 acres and 70-percent contained; and the Meyers fire north of Jenner, which remains at 2,360 acres and 99-percent containment, according to Cal Fire’s Monday evening report.

Assigned resources have begun to be reduced slightly. On Monday, Cal Fire said there were 2,730 personnel, 277 engines, 59 water tenders, 19 helicopters, 46 hand crews and 59 dozers.

Cal Fire reported that the number of structures threatened by the complex is down to 3,375 – about a tenth of what it was at its height – with structures destroyed remaining at 1,209 and those damaged at 193.

Much of the structure damage has been in Napa, Solano and Sonoma counties. To date, nine structures – eight of them homes – have been reported destroyed in Lake County.

Evacuation orders and warnings for parts of southern Lake County remained in place on Monday night, Cal Fire reported.

Those included evacuation orders for part of Jerusalem Valley and east of Hidden Valley Lake, east of Middletown and the Lower Lake area west of the Lake County line, while evacuation warnings are still in effect for Middletown and Lower Lake.

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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The LNU Lightning Complex in Northern California as mapped by Cal Fire on Monday, August 31, 2020.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Firefighters held the LNU Lightning Complex to no new growth on Sunday, a milestone in the two-week-long effort to contain the massive incident.

The complex started out the day at 375,209 acres burned and that was still its recorded size by nightfall, with containment increasing two percent to 58 percent, Cal Fire reported.

The Hennessey fire in Colusa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Yolo counties remains at 317,909 acres with containment up to 57 percent.

In Sonoma County, the Walbridge fire west of Healdsburg remains at 54,940 acres with containment at 58 percent, while the 2,360-acre Meyers fire north of Jenner is at 99 percent, unchanged from Saturday.

The improving conditions on Sunday led to officials reducing the evacuation order to a warning for areas south of Butts Canyon Road, west of Callayomi Road (extending to the intersection of Highway 29 and Western Mine Road), east of Saint Helena Creek Road (extending south to the intersection of Highway and East Road) and Highway 29 between East Road and Western Mine Road.

The evacuation warning for the area south and west of Highway 29 and west of Saint Helena Road, extending to the intersection of Highway 29 and East Road, was at the same time fully lifted, officials said.

Other orders and warnings for south Lake County remain in place, officials said.

The number of structures the complex continues to threaten was reduced to 5,378 on Sunday, while the number of destroyed and damaged structures, at 1,209 and 193, respectively, did not change, based on Cal Fire’s latest report.

Officials said nine structures in Lake County – eight of them homes – have been destroyed in the complex.

Cal Fire said approximately 2,839 firefighters remain assigned to the incident, along with 296 engines, 75 water tenders, 18 helicopters, 43 hand crews and 75 dozers.

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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The LNU Lightning Complex in Northern California as mapped by Cal Fire on Saturday, August 29, 2020.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Saturday firefighters made the biggest containment gain on the LNU Lightning Complex in its nearly two weeks of burning, also holding down the fire to its smallest daily acreage gain.

The fire on Saturday night reached 373,920 acres, up approximately 596 acres during the course of the day, Cal Fire said.

Most significantly, Cal Fire said containment had jumped from 41 percent to 55 percent on Saturday.

The portion of the complex where fire growth is continuing is on the Hennessey fire, burning in Lake, Colusa, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties. On Saturday the Hennessey fire grew to 316,207 acres, with containment up to 54 percent, based on Cal Fire’s report.

Cal Fire mapping showed the fire on Saturday had pushed further into the southwest corner of Colusa County, where the fire first appeared on maps on Friday.

On the Sonoma County side of the complex, firefighters have halted the growth of the Walbridge fire west of Healdsburg and the Meyers fire north of Jenner. On Saturday evening, Cal Fire said the Walbridge remained at 55,353 acres, with containment up to 49 percent, while the Meyers fire is still at 2,360 acres, with 99-percent containment.

Cal Fire said 2,819 personnel are assigned to the complex, along with 300 engines, 65 water tenders, 17 helicopters, 41 hand crews and 75 dozers.

Ongoing damage assessments raised the number of destroyed structures to 1,210, with those damaged reduced to 192, Cal Fire reported.

Cal Fire said the updated assessments have confirmed eight homes and one other unspecified structure have been destroyed in Lake County, with no structures reported as damaged.

In Napa County and Solano counties, the complex has done the most damage.

In Solano, 622 structures have been destroyed, including 266 homes and 346 minor buildings, and 117 damaged, including 55 homes, according to the assessment damage report.

In Napa, the complex has destroyed 355 structures – including 250 homes – and damaged 53 others, including 35 homes, Cal Fire said.

The following totals are reported for the other counties impacted by the fire:

– Colusa County: No structures damaged or destroyed.
– Sonoma County: 212 destroyed (118 homes); 16 damaged (seven homes).
– Yolo County: 13 destroyed (four homes), six damaged (three homes).

The counts for structures within the fire perimeter that have been validated as undamaged are as follows:

– Colusa County: 0.
– Lake County: 42.
– Napa County: 1,051.
– Solano County: 1,278.
– Sonoma County: 417.
– Yolo County: 100.

As containment has risen on the complex, Cal Fire said the number of structures threatened dropped by about two-thirds on Saturday, from 30,500 to 10,350.

That led to evacuation orders for some parts of Sonoma County being reduced to warnings on Saturday.

In Lake County, however, there were no changes to existing evacuation orders and warnings on Saturday.

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 – The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region, and the National Interagency Fire Center have coordinated with the Department of Defense for the deployment of approximately 200 soldiers plus command staff to help with wildfire suppression efforts in Northern California.

The soldiers are due to arrive early this week from the 14th Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division, I Corps, from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington.

The soldiers will be deployed on the August Complex on the Mendocino National Forest after conducting additional ground training and fireline certification.

The August Complex started on August 17, 2020, from 37 different lightning fires. Many of those fires have been contained or have merged to form larger fires. As of Monday night, the Complex was 236,288 acres and 20-percent contained.

“This support will provide additional capacity to ensure firefighting resources are available to respond to ongoing and emerging wildfires in California,” said Randy Moore, regional forester for the Pacific Southwest Region. “I thank the U.S. military for their continued support with these soldiers, as well as C-130 aircraft, equipped with Modular Airborne Fire Fighting Systems units. Their assistance with wildfire suppression efforts for California’s wildfires is greatly appreciated.”

This is the first active-duty military mobilization for wildfire support in California since the Mendocino Complex Fire in 2018.

U.S. Army North, U.S. Northern Command’s Joint Force Land Component Command (JFLCC) will oversee the operations, providing personnel and command and staff support.

“For more than four decades, the Department of Defense has maintained an interagency agreement with the U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of the Interior to provide firefighting support to wildland fire management agencies when requested,” said Lt. Gen. Laura J. Richardson, U.S. Army North (Fifth Army) and JFLCC commander. “During that time, federal military ground forces have mobilized 37 times to support wildland firefighting response efforts, and it is an honor to oversee such a mobilization again in support of our partners and America.”

There are 38 large wildfires currently burning in California, with more than 1.5 million acres burned so far this year.

August Complex incident information is posted on InciWeb.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday will consider ongoing concerns about the performance of the treasurer-tax collector, and will discuss a proposed vote of no confidence as well as whether to seek her resignation.

The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1.

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, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link at 9 a.m. The meeting ID is 991 6753 3305, password 946209.

To submit a written comment on any agenda item please visit https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and click on the eComment feature linked to the meeting date. If a comment is submitted after the meeting begins, it may not be read during the meeting but will become a part of the record.

In an item timed for 11:15 a.m., the board will get a presentation on continuing issues regarding Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen’s office, and consider giving her a vote of no confidence and asking for her resignation.

Supervisor Bruno Sabatier is bringing the issue to the board, citing ongoing problems including delayed deposits, the inability to implement new taxes or enhance the collection of current taxes, the inability to solve the department’s issues whether through creative staffing strategies or the addition of new technology, lack of follow-through to make necessary changes and the “inability to trust that change will occur in a meaningful way or that the answers we are given are honest or truthful,” Sabatier wrote in his report.

Sabatier’s memo to the board said he will provide greater detail at the meeting, and that “these problems are what lead me to believe that there is no other choice but to move forward with a Vote of No Confidence as there is no evidence to show us that these things will change in the near future.”

Last year Ringen, after meeting with an ad hoc committee that included Sabatier, had offered to retire early, which the board voted to accept. She later retracted that resignation.

In a related item, during closed session, the board will discuss a newly filed lawsuit by the city of Clearlake against the county, the Board of Supervisors and Ringen, which is seeking injunctive relief due to issues including the county’s lack of tax-defaulted property sales, which has been an ongoing concern for the city.

Ringen, who originally was appointed to the office in 2013 before later being elected, has only held two tax sales, in 2017 and 2018.

Also on Tuesday, at 9:02 a.m. the board will get an update on COVID-19 from Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace and at 10 a.m. will hear from Pacific Gas and Electric about its Community Wildfire Safety Program, which has included the implementation of public safety power shutoffs.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 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 Clover Valley Guest Home for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $116,800 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.2: (a) Waive the formal bidding process pursuant to Lake County Code Section 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 Remi Vista Inc. for specialty mental health services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 in the amount of $75,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.3: Adopt a resolution to authorize Lake County Behavioral Health Services director to sign the standard agreement between the county of Lake and the Department of Health Care Services for the period between July 1, 2018, through June 30, 2021.

5.4: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 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 Konocti Senior Support Inc. for senior support counseling services for Fiscal Year 2020-21 for a contract maximum of $120,062 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

5.5: (a) Approve the district attorney's equitable sharing agreement and certification for the Fiscal Year July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020, and authorize the chair to sign; and (b) authorize Doris Lankford to electronically submit the report.

5.6: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No 2020-72 establishing position allocation for Fiscal Year 2020-2021.

5.7: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District Board of directors approve Proposed Private Lateral Grant Program to assist property owners for the replacement costs of private laterals to reduce inflow and infiltration.

5.8: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency and order prohibiting the endangerment of the community through the unsafe removal, transportation, and disposal of fire debris for the Mendocino Complex fire.

5.9: Approve the continuation of a local health emergency related to the 2019 Coronavirus (COVID-19) as proclaimed by the Lake County Public Health officer.

5.10: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Mendocino Complex fire incident (River and Ranch fires).

5.11: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to the Pawnee fire incident.

5.12: Approve the continuation of a local emergency due to COVID-19.

5.13: Approve the continuation of a local emergency In Lake County in response to the LNU Lightning Complex wildfire event.

5.14: Approve agreement between the county of Lake, Probation Department and Hilltop Recovery Services, beginning Sept. 1, 2020, for an amount not to exceed $50,000 in any single fiscal year and authorize the chair to sign.

5.15: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and DBT Transportation Services for maintenance and repair of AWOS III System at Lampson Field in the amount of $27,600 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.16: Approve engineering inspection agreement between the county of Lake and 5400 Gaddy Lane, LN, LP/Lori Koester and authorize the chair to sign.

5.17: Approve Task Order No. 2 with MGE Engineering Inc. for on-call construction management services for various HBP-Funded Bridge Projects in Lake County for $180,625.27 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.18: (A) Approve the FY 2019 Emergency Management Performance Grant COVID-19 Supplemental application in the amount of $79,967; (B) authorize Sheriff Brian Martin to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; (c) authorize County Administrative Officer Carol J. Huchingson to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and (d) authorize the chairperson of the Board of Supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.

5.19: Approve contract between county of Lake and Pacific Quest Investigations for guardianship investigation services, in the amount of $20,000 per fiscal year, from July 1, 2020, to June 30, 2023, and authorize the chair to sign.

5.20: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and CivicSpark in the amount of $26,000 for one Civic Spark Fellow to develop and implement an ArcGIS-based asset management program and authorize the Special Districts administrator 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, 10 a.m.: Consideration of PG&E Community Wildfire Safety Program update for Lake County.

6.4, 11:15 a.m.: Presentation on continuing issues regarding Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office, vote of no confidence and request for resignation of Barbara Ringen.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of public release of tax-defaulted property GIS application.

7.3: (a) Consideration of recommendation to rescind Lake County Personnel Rules Section Eleven 28. County Employee Scholarship to Marymount California University for Professional Growth and Educational Development, and (b) consideration of a recommendation to add a new section to Lake County Personnel Rules Section Eleven 28. Disaster Service Worker Policy.

7.4: Consideration of advisory board appointment: Mental Health Board Child Care Planning and Development.

7.5: (a) Consideration of purchase of one 2020 Chevy Tahoe Police Pursuit Vehicle from Matt Mazzei Chevrolet in the amount of $42,980.56 from the Sheriff/Pursuit Replacement Budget Unit 2217, Object Code 62.72 and (b) waiving the county purchasing ordinance section 41.3(b) allowing the 10 percent local vendor preference, and (c) authorize the sheriff to issue a purchase order.

CLOSED SESSION

8.1: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) Chief Negotiator: M. Long; County negotiators: C. Huchingson and P. Samac; and (b) employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA and LCSMA.

8.2: Conference with (a) temporary representatives designated to meet with county department heads regarding salary and benefits and (b) unrepresented management employees.

8.3: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1) – Center for Biological Diversity v. County of Lake, et al.

8.4: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1) – City of Clearlake v. County of Lake, et al.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forest and fire management officials on Saturday updated community members on the continuing work to contain the complex of lighting fires that has burned well over 200,000 acres in the Mendocino National Forest.

As of Saturday night, the August Complex – sparked by thunderstorms two weeks ago – had burned 215,588 acres and was 18 percent contained, Forest Service officials reported.

Forest Supervisor Ann Carlson said during the hour-long virtual meeting on Saturday evening that firefighters have done “an enormous amount of work out there” to get to the current level of containment.

From day one, Carlson said the focus has been on the life and safety of the public and firefighters.

“We’ve done everything we can to date to suppress these fires and provide structure protection where it’s safe to do so,” she said.

Carlson said structure protection has been taking place in parts of the forest, with firefighters going in around cabins to remove vegetation and other materials that could make them susceptible to fire.

The complex’s largest fires include the Doe, 168,360 acres, 52 percent contained; the Glade fire, 20,633 acres, zero percent contained; the Tatham, 10,679 acres, 9 percent contained; and the Hull, 9,303 acres, 5 percent contained.

Officials said the Doe and Hull fires have joined in the area of Rattlesnake Creek.

The Elkhorn fire, also burning in Tehama County, is being managed as a separate incident. It has burned 38,795 acres and is 35-percent contained.

Fire mapping shows the Hull fire in the complex is burning in the Upper Lake Ranger District in the northern portion of Lake County, north of Lake Pillsbury, and into a corner of Mendocino County.

The largest portion of the complex is located on the Grindstone Ranger District in Glenn County and into the southwest corner of Tehama County.

Chuck Redmond, the incident meteorologist, said during Saturday’s meeting that the high pressure over the western United States is leading to a forecast of above-normal temperatures for the next week to 10 days, with humidity down to the mid teens to early 20s.

He said air quality is so poor that they haven’t been able to use aircraft. The light winds also are not moving smoke out of the area.

Team discusses operations

During the meeting – which can be seen in the video above – Forest Service officials including Carlson, Redmond and incident managers discussed the efforts to contain the massive complex.

Since Wednesday, Southern Area Blue Team Incident Team has overseen the complex, said Commander Mark Morales.

Morales said the federally sponsored Type 1 incident management team has been in existence since 1983, and includes federal, state, tribal and local government members who get pulled together and sent out when need arises. “That is how we got here.”

Operations Section Chief Jon Wallace discussed the nuts and bolts of the suppression effort, explaining that firefighters are working around a series of fire lines which were picked because they’re believed to be the places with the highest probability of stopping the fire.

He said the eastern side of the fire is looking good, with very little heat, and on Saturday evening, crews were very close to buttoning up the southern line.

Wallace said firefighters are slowing down the fire, which is in very difficult terrain.

He said they are not aware of structural loss on the Hull fire, and have not yet been able to confirm 10 destroyed structures reported by the previous management team.

As other incidents around the state are brought under control, Wallace said resources are being shifted to the complex.

He also reported during the meeting that this week active military personnel are to arrive to help with building contingency lines on the fire.

Wallace said Forest Road M1 is being used as a contingency line.

The M1 Road separates the Yuki Wilderness and the Mendocino National Forest proper, Wallace said. It starts at the Eel River and moves south, ending near Lake Pillsbury.

Wallace said it’s the primary route of travel firefighters have been using and on Saturday he ordered some road material to trial to improve the road for firefighters.

He called the road “a strong fallback line,” with crews doing prep work in that area because they have a high probability of succeeding in stopping the fire’s spread there.

“We don’t want to give up any acres that we don’t have to,” he said.

On Sunday, firefighters will try to bring the fire down into the Black Butte drainage, but if they can’t succeed in stopping the fire there, they’ll fall back to the M1 Road, Wallace said.

On the western border of the Doe fire, Wallacer said there is “really nasty, steep terrain” with a drainage that’s so steep and deep that hotshot crews said they can’t get into it. He said the area doesn’t have a lot probability of success for stopping the fire but it does have a high probability of getting someone hurt.

Regarding specific areas of the forest, Wallace said crews are posted south of Plaskett Meadows, Wells Cabin is protected as firefighters are camping there, the fire remains about two miles west of Jenks Place, the Bollinger Place on Rock Springs Road is still threatened but the fire is about two miles from there, and firefighters are working to protect Lee Logan Camp. The complex is not expected to affect the Anthony Peak area.

Air support on such incidents is important, said Wallace. With the limitations for aircraft, he said they’ve been using more drones on the August Complex not only to help in the fire fight but to search for burned structures.

He said the drones have infrared cameras and can fly at night. “The drones are a powerful new tool that firefighters have been able to start using.”

However, he said they are limited to 30 minutes or less of flight time due to battery capacity.

Carlson reported that they are trying to use drones to access areas like the Sky High Cabins to get an idea of what is happening there.

She said she understands that people want to see their property. “Right now it is not safe,” she said, noting that in addition to the fire activity the roads are not in great conditions.

In response to a question about wild animals being injured in the incident, Carlson said, “We haven’t had any animals come in yet.”

She said many wildlife species sense the fire and are able to get away, some of them burrowing down in the ground.

“They know how to escape this natural disturbance process,” she said, adding that some don’t make it.

In other developments on Saturday, the forest issued a new closure order effective on Sunday that changed the southern boundary of the previous closure; forest visitors are now allowed to recreate in the Fouts Springs area.

The new order, which will remain in place through Sept. 30, is intended to provide for firefighter and public safety due to extreme fire behavior and hazards associated with the complex, officials said.

Carlson said some camping is still being allowed in the forest but she cautioned that conditions are very smoky, and noted recent studies that have shown that wildland fire smoke can make people more susceptible to COVID-19.

Information resources

For those wishing to visit their property, Carlson said that when conditions improve on the incident people can call the Mendocino National Forest Office in Willows at 530-934-3316 to ask about getting a permission slip for access.

For general questions about the August Complex, people are invited to email the incident management team at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 530-487-4602.

Forest orders and information are available on the forest website.

Information about the fire also is posted on Inciweb.

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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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday night announced that he has signed legislation to protect millions of tenants from eviction and property owners from foreclosure due to the economic impacts of COVID-19.

These protections apply to tenants who declare an inability to pay all or part of the rent due to a COVID-related reason.

“COVID-19 has impacted everyone in California – but some bear much more of the burden than others, especially tenants struggling to stitch together the monthly rent, and they deserve protection from eviction,” said Gov. Newsom. “This new law protects tenants from eviction for non-payment of rent and helps keep homeowners out of foreclosure as a result of economic hardship caused by this terrible pandemic.”

Newsom added, “California is stepping up to protect those most at-risk because of COVID-related nonpayment, but it’s just a bridge to a more permanent solution once the federal government finally recognizes its role in stabilizing the housing market. We need a real, federal commitment of significant new funding to assist struggling tenants and homeowners in California and across the nation.”

On Friday, the governor, Senate President pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins and Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon announced an agreement on the legislation, AB 3088, co-authored by Assemblymembers David Chiu (D-San Francisco) and Monique Limón (D-Santa Barbara) and Senators Steven Bradford (D-Gardena) and Anna Caballero (D-Salinas).

Under the legislation, no tenant can be evicted before Feb. 1, 2021, as a result of rent owed due to a COVID-19 related hardship accrued between March 4 and Aug. 31, 2020, if the tenant provides a declaration of hardship according to the legislation's timelines.

For a COVID-19-related hardship that accrues between Sept. 1, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021, tenants must also pay at least 25 percent of the rent due to avoid eviction.

Tenants are still responsible for paying unpaid amounts to landlords, but those unpaid amounts cannot be the basis for an eviction. Landlords may begin to recover this debt on March 1, 2021, and small claims court jurisdiction is temporarily expanded to allow landlords to recover these amounts. Landlords who do not follow the court evictions process will face increased penalties under the Act.

The legislation also extends anti-foreclosure protections in the Homeowner Bill of Rights to small landlords; provides new accountability and transparency provisions to protect small landlord borrowers who request CARES-compliant forbearance; and provides the borrower who is harmed by a material violation with a cause of action.

Additional legal and financial protections for tenants include:

– Extending the notice period for nonpayment of rent from 3 to 15 days to provide the tenant additional time to respond to landlord’s notice to pay rent or quit.
– Requiring landlords to provide hardship declaration forms in a different language if rental agreement was negotiated in a different language.
– Providing tenants a backstop if they have a good reason for failing to return the hardship declaration within 15 days.
– Requiring landlords to provide tenants a notice detailing their rights under the Act.
– Limiting public disclosure of eviction cases involving nonpayment of rent between March 4, 2020, and Jan. 31, 2021.
– Protecting tenants against being evicted for “just cause” if the landlord is shown to be really evicting the tenant for COVID-19-related nonpayment of rent.

Existing local ordinances can generally remain in place until they expire and future local action cannot undermine this Act’s framework.

Nothing in the legislation affects a local jurisdiction’s ability to adopt an ordinance that requires just cause, provided it does not affect rental payments before Jan. 31, 2021.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council this week will get a report on policing in the city for the first half of this year and discuss a resolution regarding a grant for the city’s new community center.

The meeting will take place via webinar beginning at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1.

The agenda can be found here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 877-309-2074 or 213-929-4221. The access code is 596-105-550; 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, Sept. 1.

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.

On Tuesday, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will present a citizen commendation to Anthony Gladstein and will give the council the police statistics file for the first and second quarters of 2020.

City Manager Kevin Ingram will present the council with the resolutions packet for the League of California Cities Annual Conference, which the council’s voting delegate will be directed to support.

Also on Tuesday, the council will consider adopting a proposed resolution authorizing the city manager to sign the statement of assurances and submit an application for State Community Development Block Grant Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CDBG-CV) and, if awarded, enter into contract with Bridges Construction, authorize the purchase of kitchen equipment from Sysco and to enter into a facilities use agreement for use of the kitchen at the Silveira Community Center.

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 Aug. 18; 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; adoption of the proposed resolution approving and adopting a records management program policy; adoption of a resolution of the City Council of the City of Lakeport rescinding Resolutions 2340 (2008), 2525 (2015), and 2596 (2016) and Adopting Revised Personnel Rules, Specifically Article IX Section 4 Entitled Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace Policy; and introduction of the proposed ordinance to the Lakeport Municipal Code and schedule a public hearing for October 6, 2020.

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 Officer Dr. Gary Pace has offered additional information for county residents about what the governor’s new four-tier “Blueprint for a Safer Economy” in response to COVID-19 means for Lake County.

Gov. Newsom announced the new blueprint on Friday, as Lake County News has reported.

The changes go into effect on Monday, Aug. 31, according to Dr. Gary Pace, Lake County’s Public Health officer.

Pace said the blueprint replaces the state’s County Monitoring List – or “watch list” – and has four color-coded tiers based on county risk level.

The levels are shown in the graphic below.

Daily case rates and test positivity rates determine tier placement. Businesses in counties in less-restrictive tiers can provide services in more ways.

Pace said Lake County will align with state guidance. Counties cannot take restrictions away.

Which tier is Lake County in, and what does this mean for local businesses?

Pace said Lake County will be initially placed in Tier 2 (Red, “Substantial” viral spread).

As of Monday, these are some changes:

• Indoor movie theaters, previously closed, can open at 25 percent of capacity
• Restaurants will be permitted to reopen for indoor dining at 25 percent of capacity.
• Gyms were limited by the ability to socially distance; now there is a hard capacity limit – not to exceed 10 percent.

Local businesses are encouraged to visit https://covid19.ca.gov/safer-economy/ , select Lake County and your business sector, and see what is allowed. Answers to frequently asked questions are also posted.

If Lake County progresses to the purple tier, newly-enabled indoor activities will again be prohibited.

“Our case positivity rate and hospitalizations have recently been increasing,” said Pace.

He reported that on Friday Lake County recorded its first cases in a congregate living facility; outbreaks and deaths in such environments have led multiple neighboring counties to restrict activities.

What about schools?

There are no significant changes for schools, Pace said, noting that in the state’s July 17 guidance, the purple tier can be substituted for “County Monitoring List.

“This is a critical time. Business leaders, if you are considering adding indoor activities on Monday, precautions must be in place. Residents, please do your part to keep local businesses open. If we all wear face coverings, practice social distancing and good hygiene, and avoid social gatherings, we can turn things around,” said Pace.

More about the plan can be found here.

New statewide public health orders released on Friday can be viewed here.
Posted On

Wynona Starr Anderson, 29, of Nice, California, was arrested on Sunday, August 30, 2020, for the murder of her boyfriend, 29-year-old Yancy McCloud Jr. of Nice. Lake County Jail photo.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department said it has arrested a local woman for homicide in the death of her boyfriend.

Wynona Starr Anderson, 29, of Nice, is being held for the murder of 29-year-old Yancy McCloud Jr. of Nice, said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.

Rasmussen said that at 1:15 a.m. Sunday the California Highway Patrol responded to the 3400 block of Lakeshore Boulevard in unincorporated north Lakeport to investigate the report of a vehicle hitting a utility pole.

Initial radio reports on the incident described the vehicle as a Dodge Durango, with the crash shearing off a utility pole and leaving debris across the roadway.

When the officers arrived at the scene, they found Anderson, the vehicle’s driver, with McCloud, the passenger, unresponsive in the car, Rasmussen said.

Lakeport Fire Protection District personnel tried to resuscitate McCloud, who was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, according to radio reports. Rasmussen said McCloud was pronounced dead at the hospital.

While at the crash scene, Rasmussen said the CHP arrested Anderson for driving under the influence, driving without a license, being under the influence of controlled substances and an unrelated misdemeanor arrest warrant. Booking records show that the arrest took place shortly after 2 a.m. Sunday.

Rasmussen said investigators determined that McCloud did not have injuries consistent with a vehicle crash and they believe he was dead prior to the wreck.

He said information developed during the course of the initial investigation pointed to the couple being in an altercation in the city of Lakeport prior to the crash taking place, with McCloud dying of injuries inflicted during that fight.

Based on that information, CHP officers contacted the Lakeport Police Department, which immediately began a homicide investigation, Rasmussen said.

During the course of the investigation that took place throughout the day on Sunday, Rasmussen said Lakeport Police officers developed information confirming the investigation’s earlier conclusions.

“Based on the facts and circumstances known to us, officers believed that McCloud was the victim of homicide committed by Anderson,” Rasmussen said in his Monday report.

At approximately 2 p.m. on Sunday, Lakeport Police officers arrested and booked Anderson for murder, Rasmussen said.

At the time of the homicide arrest, Anderson remained in custody at the Lake County Correctional Facility, where she had been booked after her early Sunday morning arrest, Rasmussen said.

Anderson remains in custody on bail of $1 million, according to jail records.

Rasmussen confirmed that Anderson and McCloud were in a dating relationship and said his department has had previous contacts with both of them.

Online booking records show that Anderson has had previous arrests in Tehama County for alcohol- and drug-related offenses, and a 2009 arrest in Lake County for grand theft.

Rasmussen said the investigation is ongoing. The work still to be done includes an examination of the vehicle, which is in police custody, along with evidence processing and an autopsy to determine the cause and manner of McCloud’s death.

He said his department is working with the coroner’s office to schedule McCloud’s autopsy for this week.

Anyone with information regarding the activities of McCloud and Anderson during the day prior to this incident is asked to contact Lakeport Police Lt. Dale Stoebe at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or by telephone at 707-263-5491.

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

The August Complex lightning fires in the Mendocino National Forest on Sunday, August 30, 2020, as mapped by the US Forest Service.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The August Complex of lightning fires burned several thousand more acres of land in the Mendocino National Forest, forest officials reported on Sunday.

The fire’s size increased by 5,696 acres on Saturday to a total of 221,284 acres, with containment remaining at 18 percent, according to a Sunday report.

The largest of the fires include the Doe, 172,526 acres; the Glade, 20,633 acres; and the Hull, 10,198 acres.

The US Forest Service said that 607 firefighters are assigned to the incident.

During a virtual community meeting on Saturday evening, officials reported that military personnel are set to arrive this week to join the firefighting effort.

The fires that make up the complex started two weeks ago following thunderstorms that passed over the region.

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. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has a group of little dogs needing homes this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Chihuahua, Labrador Retriever, shepherd and Shih Tzu.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm for information on visiting or adopting.

This female Chihuahua-terrier is in kennel No. 15a, ID No. 13953. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female Chihuahua-terrier

This female Chihuahua-terrier has a short tan and white coat.

She is in kennel No. 15a, ID No. 13953.

This male Chihuahua is in kennel No. 15b, ID No. 13954. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male Chihuahua

This male Chihuahua has a short tan coat.

He is in kennel No. 15b, ID No. 13954.

This male shepherd mix is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 13924. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male shepherd mix

This male shepherd mix a medium-length brindle coat.

He is in kennel No. 17, ID No. 13924.

This male terrier is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13925. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male terrier

This male terrier has a coarse tricolor coat.

He has been neutered.

He is in kennel No. 25, ID No. 13925.

“Hunter” is a male yellow Labrador Retriever in kennel No. 30, ID No. 13896. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Hunter’

“Hunter” is a male yellow Labrador Retriever.

He has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 30, ID No. 13896.

“Mary” is a Shih Tzu in kennel No. 32, ID No. 7845. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Mary’

“Mary” is a Shih Tzu with a long white coat.

She has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 32, ID No. 7845.

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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