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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Due to the rising health concerns surrounding COVID-19, organizers of the fourth annual Lake County Agriculture and Natural Resource Day said they are canceling the event.

The popular event for local school children, held at the Lake County Fairgrounds in Lakeport, had been set for March 26.

The organizing committee made the decision to cancel this event after taking into consideration the concerns from multiple county and health entities.

“We apologize for the cancelation and are disappointed to have to make this decision but realize that the health and safety of Lake County residents and community members are the priority. Stay safe and we look forward to your participation in this event next year,” the committee said in a Tuesday statement.

This is the second report of a major event in Lake County being canceled or postponed due to concerns related to COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Earlier this week, the Lake County Silver Foundation announced that its April 4 Senior Summit is being postponed, as Lake County News has reported.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to grow worldwide, so far the illness hasn’t been found in Lake County, according to the Lake County Public Health officer.

Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency due to COVID-19 – the illness caused by the novel coronavirus – as have some counties, including Lake’s neighbor, Mendocino.

Health officials reported that the number of confirmed cases worldwide is nearly 114,000. State health officials said Monday that California has 133 confirmed cases.

Dr. Gary Pace, Lake County’s Public Health officer, said the illness is like the common cold. The symptoms of most concern to health care providers are fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Pace has been making appearances at meetings around the county to update the community.

Last week he participated in a Kelseyville town hall and also spoke to the city councils for Clearlake and Lakeport.

He’s due to give the Board of Supervisors an update on Tuesday morning.

What he told community members last week – that no local cases have been confirmed – held true on Monday, he said.

“All of the area health officers have agreed to not talk about specific numbers of people being tested at this stage, but I can say that we are monitoring some people that are considered at risk and no one has tested positive,” Pace told Lake County News, adding he will make an announcement if there is a positive case in Lake County.

Last week, state officials announced that expanded test capability had made 24 million more Californians eligible for free medically necessary COVID-19 testing.

The California Department of Public Health's state laboratory in Richmond and 18 other public health department laboratories now have tests for the virus that causes COVID-19. Seventeen of them are currently conducting tests, with the others coming online soon, officials said.

On the local level, Pace said there are two pathways for testing at this point.

They include the Sonoma County Public Health Lab, which is one of the 19 labs statewide that are testing under the expanded capability announced last week.

“Also, commercial testing just became available through Quest and Labcorp labs. They will pick up specimens at clinics and hospitals and send them to their regional labs,” Pace said.

“Both of these pathways have some limitation in terms of the capacity of the labs, but we will see how well they are able to manage demand,” he added.

Pointing to cases in other parts of the region, including Sonoma County, Pace said that it’s hard to know just how many people might be infected because, up to that point, testing had been done on a very limited basis.

Antiviral treatment in clinical study

In a March 6 video, Dr. Dean Blumberg, chief of pediatric infectious diseases at UC Davis Health offered insight into the coronavirus and some preventative measures.

Blumberg said at this point since no vaccine has been developed, the treatment is supportive care, like intravenous fluids and supplemental oxygen and, in more severe cases, the use of a ventilator.

Blumberg said there are experimental treatments that are now being studied, such as an antiviral called Remdesivir that originally was developed for ebola. It’s had promising results when used in China and is now being used in some US cases.

The National Institutes of Health said a randomized, controlled clinical trial of Remdesivir in hospitalized adults diagnosed with COVID-19 is underway at the University of Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha. That is the first clinical trial of an experimental treatment for COVID-19 in the United States.

Officials said the first trial participant is an American who was repatriated after being quarantined on the Diamond Princess cruise ship that docked in Yokohama, Japan and volunteered to participate in the study.

In his remarks to the city councils last week, Pace explained that an approved vaccine will likely require a year to a year and a half to develop.

Local health care providers preparing

In work and school situations, it’s recommended that sick people stay home. Pace said there are no indications that schools need to be closed, but he suggested canceling nonessential travel.

In some areas, large events are being canceled as a way of protecting people and stopping the virus’ spread, he said.

While Pace said he didn’t think that needed to happen in Lake County, with seniors being the most vulnerable to COVID-19, the Silver Foundation announced that its fourth annual Senior Summit, which had been scheduled for April 4, is being postponed due to concerns about the virus, as Lake County News has reported.

Pace said he’s very concerned about the senior population, and he’s reaching out to senior centers and nursing homes to offer them information on preparation.

Describing the COVID-19 virus to the Lakeport City Council, Pace said, “This is a brand new one. We don't have immunity to it. The concern is, it’s ramping up.”

He said viruses tend not to show up in warm weather. In China, where the first cases were seen, infections are now dropping off. But they don’t know if it’s because of people developing immunity or if it's following a seasonal pattern.

He told the Clearlake City Council that so far there hasn’t been much reported COVID-19 activity in the Southern Hemisphere, where it’s summertime.

Pace said he and his department are working with local health providers, including hospitals, clinics, ambulance services and other emergency medical services.

“Everybody is very professional and on their game,” he told the Clearlake City Council, adding that it’s been reassuring to him.

The county, he noted, has two small hospitals for a good-sized population. “If a lot of people got sick really fast, it would be a challenge,” he said.

One of the biggest limiting factors are the number of ventilators available at Sutter Lakeside Hospital and Adventist Clear Lake Hospital. Pace estimated that there are a total of eight – four each – between the two hospitals.

That, along with the number of available health care workers, could put a strain on the local health care system should a large number of COVID-19 cases occur in Lake County, Pace said.

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 Board of Supervisors this week will get an update from the county Public Health officer on COVID-19, discuss possible actions regarding work provisions in relation to the illness and consider whether or not to continue Friday closures of county offices to the public.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 10, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

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

At 9:10 a.m., Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace will go before the board to give an update on COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

In appearances last week before the city councils for Clearlake and Lakeport, Pace said there so far are no confirmed cases of the illness in Lake County, and he is urging community members to take basic precautions – such as washing hands, and avoiding work or school if sick – to stay healthy.

At 9:15 a.m., the board will consider a temporary policy for telework or additional leave provisions for employees due to COVID-19.

In an untimed item, the board will consider whether to continue alternative work hours to allow county offices in and around the Lake County Courthouse in Lakeport to remain closed to the public on Fridays.

The board first approved the measure on Aug. 28, 2018, and has since amended the original resolution three times to continue the practice.

County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson’s report to the board said that vacancy rates – one of the issues cited for taking the action – remain high. At the time of the original resolution, vacancy was 20 percent countywide. It’s now 19 percent, with 198 permanent positions presently unfilled.

Huchingson said department heads “have noted seeing great benefits from the protected time provided by reduced public hours.”

At the same time, Huchingson said the board heard during a recent economic development workshop that Friday closures have been inconvenient for some members of the public.

“We are in the business of providing services to the public, and addressing office hours at each six-month interval offers your Board the opportunity to receive public comment, and weigh whether providing uninterrupted time for staff on Fridays remains the best means to serve the public in a timely manner,” Huchingson wrote.

In another untimed item, the council also will consider an Ag Department ordinance for industrial hemp regulations.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

5.1: Approve change in appointment of two supervisors to serve on a committee with two city council members from Clearlake and from Lakeport to develop, propose and demand solutions to PG&E-imposed public safety power shutoffs.

5.2: Approve geothermal consultant contract with Harold W. Bertholf, Inc. (Bertholf) and authorize chair to sign.

5.3: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between the county of Lake and Crestwood Behavioral Health for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2019-20 for an increase of $400,000.00 and a new contract amount of $1,200,000.00 and authorize the chair to sign.

5.4: Approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Bitfocus Inc. for Clarity/Decipher Housing Management Information System for fiscal year 2019-20 for a contract maximum of $25,930.25 and authorize the board chair to sign the amendment.

5.5: Approve correction to a typographical error contained in the minutes from the Board of Supervisors meeting from April 16, 2019, revising the vote for Item 6.5 to 4 Ayes and 1 recused.

5.6: (a) Approve waiver of the 900-hour extra help limitation for extra help district attorney investigator aides Robert McPherson and Billy Newsom; (b) Approve waiver of the 900-hour extra help limitation for extra help information support tech I, Ryan Clair, and (c) approve waiver of the 900-hour extra help limitation for extra help legal secretary, Myriam Ivette Herrera.

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

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

5.9: Approve two late travel claims and authorize the auditor to process payment of $37.00 for social worker Celeste Feldman.

5.10: Adopt resolution authorizing the transfer of assets, liabilities and fund equity in Fund 282, CSA #22 Mt. Hannah Water to Cobb Area County Water District per LAFCO File #2017-0001.

5.11: Adopt resolution authorizing the transfer of assets, liabilities and fund equity in fund 278, Starview Water CSA #18 to Cobb Area County Water District Per LAFCO File #2017-0001.

5.12: (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 agreement between the county of Lake and Bid4assets Inc. for the period of March 10, 2020, through March 10, 2025, for tax default public auction services for an amount not to exceed $262,500; and authorize the chair to sign.

5.13: (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 agreement between county of Lake and Harmony Research, for FY 19/20 for professional research services related to tax default land sales in the amount of $35,875.

5.14: Approve to waive 900-hour limit for extra help quagga mussel coordinator Edward (Marty) Jones.

5.15: Approve letter of support to Senator Jim Nielsen for a $15 million one-time allocation in the 2020-21 California State Budget to fund a North State Public Safety Training Center in Yuba City, and authorize the chair to sign.

TIMED ITEMS

6.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of 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.

6.3, 9:10 a.m.: Consideration of update on the coronavirus.

6.4, 9:15 a.m.: Addendum, consideration of (a) temporary policy for telework, and (b) temporary additional leave provisions for employees due to COVID-19.

6.5, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, appeal to Board of Supervisors, AB 19-05 for Major Use Permit UP 18-39 (Smith/Hosfelt appeal).

6.6, 10 a.m.: Sitting as Lake County Housing Commission, approve administrative plan for 2020, authorize the chair to sign HUD Form HUD-50077-CR (Annual Civil Rights Certification and Board Resolution) to submit to HUD prior to April 17, 2020, deadline.

6.7, 10:15 a.m.: Discussion and Consideration of inspections done by the Building and Safety Division and by local fire departments.

UNTIMED ITEMS

7.2: Consideration of Ag Department ordinance for industrial hemp regulations.

7.3: Consideration of appointment of temporary representatives to meet for unrepresented management employees regarding salary and benefits.

7.4: Consideration of the following appointments: East Region Town Hall.

7.5: Consideration of Change Order No. 1 with Coleman Environmental Engineering, Inc. for FEMA FMAG Culvert Replacement No. 1 & No. 2, Federal Project No.'s FMAG DR 5093-1-1R & FMAG DR 5112-1-1R, Bid No. 19-01, for an increase of $6,750.00 and a revised contract amount of $656,247.50, and authorize the chair to sign.

7.6: Consideration of Change Order No. 2 with Coleman Environmental Engineering Inc. for FEMA FMAG Culvert Replacement No. 1 & No. 2, Federal Project No.'s FMAG DR 5093-1-1R & FMAG DR 5112-1-1R, Bid No. 19-01, For a decrease of $10,947.17 and a revised contract amount of $645,300.33, and authorize the chair to sign.

7.7: Consideration of a Resolution Amending Resolution No. 2018-118 establishing temporary alternative office hours for county offices located in and surrounding the Lake County Courthouse or alternative direction to staff.

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 legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Heart Consciousness Church v. County of Lake.

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

8.4: Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Government Code section 54956.9(d)(2), (e)(3) threat of litigation – city of Clearlake.

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 California Department of Public Health on Tuesday announced the latest numbers for COVID-19 and also reported that it has created an online hub for information on how to protect against the illness.

As of Tuesday, California has 157 confirmed cases, which didn’t include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland.

CDPH also said it consolidated state guidance on how to prepare and protect Californians from COVID-19 in a single location. This includes guidance for:

– Health care facilities, including long-term care facilities;
– Community care facilities, including assisted living facilities and child care;
– Schools and institutions of higher education;
– Event organizers;
– First responders, including paramedics and EMTs;
– Employers, health care workers and workers in general industry;
– Health care plans;
– Home cleaning with COVID-19 positive individuals;
– Guidance for using disinfectants at schools and child cares;
– Laboratories;
– Health care facilities from Cal/OSHA.

For more information on COVID-19 and California's response visit the CDPH website.

COVID-19 in California by the numbers on Tuesday, March 11

– 2: Deaths
– 157: Positive cases (this does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently docked in Oakland)

Of all the confirmed positive cases:

– Age 0 to 17: 2 cases
– Age 18 to 64: 91 cases
– Age 65+: 60 cases
– Unknown: 4 cases
– 24: Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights
– 133: Cases not related to repatriation flights, including 50 travel-related, 30 person-to-person, 29 community transmission and 24 under investigation.
– 10,300+: Number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX.
– 49 – Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring.
– 19: Labs with test kits, 18 of which are already testing.
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First responders at the scene of a vehicle crash near Upper Lake, California, on Sunday, March 8, 2020. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A Northshore woman was seriously injured on Sunday afternoon when her vehicle crashed along Highway 20 near Upper Lake.

The crash occurred shortly after 2 p.m. Sunday on Highway 20 near Saratoga Springs Road, based on radio reports.

California Highway Patrol Officer Joel Skeen said Angel Histo of Nice was driving a white Toyota TC eastbound on Highway 20 west of Saratoga Springs when her car went off the road and rolled over.

Firefighters arriving at the scene reported that Histo was ejected from the vehicle, and they requested an air ambulance respond to Sutter Lakeside Hospital in Lakeport.

A REACH air ambulance responded to Sutter Lakeside and from there transported Histo to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment, according to radio reports.

Skeen said Histo suffered major injuries.

Histo wasn’t suspected of driving under the influence, Skeen said.

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 California Department of Public Health said Sunday that the state’s cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by novel coronavirus, rose to 114.

That number includes passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently off the coast of California.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, along with state and federal officials, said Sunday that the city of Oakland and the Port of Oakland have been asked to partner in the safe return of the Grand Princess passengers.

There are reported to be 1,000 Californians aboard the ship.

State officials said the Port of Oakland was selected as the best site for the ship to disembark, a process that could begin as early as Monday.

The state said the passengers will not be released into the general public.

Those who require acute medical treatment and hospitalization will be transported to health care facilities in California, officials said.

If passengers do not require acute medical care following health screenings, officials said those who are California residents will go to a federally run isolation facility within California for testing and isolation, while non-Californians will be transported by the federal government to facilities in other states.

The crew will be quarantined and treated aboard the ship. Officials said the ship will only stay in Port of Oakland for the duration of disembarkment. This ship will depart Oakland as soon as possible and will remain elsewhere for the duration of the crew’s quarantine.

Over the last two days, the California Department of Public Health released guidance to support elder care and congregate living facilities, large events, schools, colleges and universities, and employers and workers. That guidance can be found here.

COVID-19 in California by the numbers on Sunday, March 8:

– 114: Positive tests
– 24: Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights
– 90: Cases not related to repatriation flights; 37, travel-related; 23, person to person; 14, community transmission, 16, under investigation
– 10,250+: Number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX
– 49: Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring
– 19: Labs with test kits, 15 of which are already testing

For more information on COVID-19 and California’s response visit the CDPH website.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors ratified a local health emergency declared by Lake County Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace in response to the novel coronavirus, also known as COVID-19.

As of Tuesday, Lake County remains at no laboratory-confirmed cases of COVID-19, county officials reported.

The local health emergency has been executed in an effort to be proactive, allowing the county to expedite their planning and response to potential COVID-19 cases and make additional resources available to the county to limit and slow community spread of the disease.

Although the individual risk for contracting COVID-19 continues to remain low in Lake County, county officials said all community members should take the opportunity to plan for the possibility of local cases and the potential for community spread.

As of Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that there are 647 total cases nationwide and 25 deaths.

Outbreaks continue to spread in Africa, Americas, Eastern Mediterranean, Europe, South East Asia and the Western Pacific – and the global impacts are beginning to be felt.

Worldwide, cases on Tuesday had topped 118,000, with nearly 4,300 deaths.

Lake County Public Health is prepared to manage and investigate suspected and confirmed cases of COVID-19.

Public Health will continue to work closely with federal, state and local partners to provide the public with accurate information about actions to be taken to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and to care for those who may become ill with this virus.

Steps to take to stop COVID-19’s spread

As with other respiratory infections, there are steps that everyone can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

The best way to prevent the spread of illness, including seasonal flu, COVID-19 and other respiratory illness, is to practice everyday illness prevention steps:

· Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing

· If soap and water are not readily available, use alcohol-based sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol, making sure to rub your hands together until the sanitizer is dry.

· Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.

· Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.

· Avoiding close contact with people who are sick.

· Staying home if you are sick, especially from work, school and public places.

· Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Personal preparation measures include:

· Gradually stock up extra supplies of important items, such as soap, hand sanitizer, tissues, over the counter medications and prescription medications.

· Gradually stock up on non-perishable foods.

· Create a back-up plan for work, school and childcare in the event of closures.

· Talk to your workplace about getting ready. Plan for telework, if possible.

· Create a space in your home to care for sick family members.

· Replace handshakes with elbow-bumps – make a game of this with your kids.

Previously, all testing was being performed at the CDC laboratory in Atlanta.

Diagnostic testing for Coronavirus is becoming more available with state testing at nineteen (19) California Public Health Laboratories including in Sonoma County. Commercial labs like Quest are now offering these tests.

Unfortunately, the capacity continues to be limited, so during this transition period, only the highest risk patients are recommended to receive testing. Speak with your medical provider if you have symptoms.

What to do if you think you’re sick

If you develop a fever, cough and shortness of breath, and believe you could have COVID-19, notify your healthcare provider by phone. Call ahead so that you can be safely evaluated and prevent exposing others.

Always check with trusted sources for the latest accurate information about novel coronavirus COVID-19 by visiting the following websites:

CDC Website: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov ;

CDPH Website: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/nCOV2019.aspx ;

Lake County Contact Lake County Public Health, http://health.co.lake.ca.us/ or call 707-263-1090.
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The California Department of Public Health is encouraging Californians who are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 to take actions to reduce their risk.

Early information out of China, where COVID-19 first started, shows that some people are at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness.

This includes:

– Older adults;
– Individuals with compromised immune systems;
– Individuals who have serious chronic medical conditions like heart disease, diabetes and lung disease.

If you are at higher risk for serious illness from COVID-19 because of your age or health condition, it is important for you to take actions to reduce your risk of getting sick with the disease.

Actions you can take to reduce your risk include

– Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing, or having been in a public place.
– Avoiding touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick, and stay away from large gatherings and crowds.
– Stay home as much as possible. Consider ways of getting food brought to your house through family, social, or commercial networks.

It is also important that you listen to public health officials who may recommend community actions to reduce potential exposure to COVID-19, especially if COVID-19 is spreading in your community.

COVID-19 in California by the numbers as of Monday, March 8

– 133: Positive cases (this does not include passengers from the Grand Princess cruise ship currently off the coast of California).
– 24: Cases of positive tests related to federal repatriation flights.
– 109: Cases not related to repatriation flights.
– 44: Travel-related.
– 28: Person to person.
– 19: Community transmission.
– 18: Under investigation.
– 10,300+: Number of people self-monitoring who returned to the U.S. through SFO or LAX.
– 49: Number of local health jurisdictions involved in self-monitoring.
– 19: Labs with test kits, 17 of which are already testing.

How people can protect themselves

Every person has a role to play. So much of protecting yourself and your family comes down to common sense:

– Wash hands with soap and water for a minimum of 20 seconds.
– Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth with unwashed hands.
– Cover a cough or sneeze with your sleeve, or disposable tissue. Wash your hands afterward.
– Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
– Stay away from work, school or other people if you become sick with respiratory symptoms like fever and cough.
– Follow guidance from public health officials.

What to do if you think you're sick

Call ahead: If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and may have had contact with a person with COVID-19, or recently traveled to countries with apparent community spread, call your health care provider or local public health department first before seeking medical care so that appropriate precautions can be taken.

For more information visit the CDC’s website.

For more information on COVID-19 and California's response visit the CDPH website.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has three adult cats waiting to meet you this week.

The following cats at the shelter have been cleared for adoption.

“Shelby” is a male orange tabby in cat room kennel No. 108, ID No. 13565. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

‘Shelby’

“Shelby” is a male orange tabby with a long coat and green eyes.

He has been neutered.

He is in cat room kennel No. 108, ID No. 13565.

This male domestic short hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 134, ID No. 13591. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Male domestic short hair

This male domestic short hair cat has a brown tabby and white coat and gold eyes.

He is in cat room kennel No. 134, ID No. 13591.

This female domestic short hair cat is in cat room kennel No. 138, ID No. 13560. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control.

Female domestic short hair

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

She is in cat room kennel No. 138, ID No. 13560.

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

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

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

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

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

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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – At its meeting on Thursday, the Clearlake City Council took the necessary action to accept a state grant to help the city prepare for public safety power shutoffs.

In the fall, Lake County felt the full effect of Pacific Gas and Electric’s shutoffs, meant to protect against wildland fire danger during the seasonal high winds and dry conditions.

The city of Clearlake submitted a Public Safety Power Shutoff Resiliency Allocation to Cities grant application to the California Office of Emergency Services and received $268,500, the full amount requested, according to City Manager Alan Flora.

The discussion about the grant at Thursday’s meeting begins at the 1:11:09 mark in the video above. The staff report is on page 65 of the report shown below.

The grants are meant for California incorporated cities to prepare for and respond to public safety power shutoff events, including purchasing electrical generation equipment, creating continuity plans and post-event reports, conducting risk assessments for critical infrastructure and public education materials, among other things, according to Cal OES documents.

Cal OES said up to $500,000 could be requested per applicant.

In the grant application, staff explained that the city of Clearlake had spent 185 hours without power in two separate public safety power shutoffs in October and November.

The city requested funds to purchase equipment, including additional gas-powered generators, $2,000; generator fuel, $8,000 to cover eight days at $1,000 per day; generator theft-prevention devices, $5,000; an additional fuel storage tank with a solar pump, $7,500; two green energy mobile messaging stations, $66,000; two light towers, $25,000; two mobile commercial generators with priority purchase toward hybrid fuel generators, $120,000; a three-year contract for redundant fiber-optic Internet connection to the community center, the only community resource center location in the city, with equipment, $25,000; and a redundant microwave link to the Lake County Fire Protection District, $10,000.

Flora went over the list, explaining that they were the items staff felt are important to expand the city’s resilience during power shutoff events.

He said the council needed to vote to amend the city budget in order to add the revenue into the appropriations, which would allow staff to move forward with procuring the equipment listed in the grant application.

Flora said city staff will actively work to acquire all of the equipment. He said there is a lot of demand for generators, so they want to get their spot in line as soon as possible.

During the discussion about communications connectivity, Flora mentioned the county-owned communications tower on Mount Konocti. He said he’s been in contact with Public Services Director Lars Ewing who is willing to work with the city to expand its reach.

“That’s what the county does for a number of facilities already,” said Flora, explaining that signal is bounced from Mount Konocti to the Lake County Courthouse and to other locations around Lake County.

Vice Mayor Dirk Slooten moved to approve the resolution to amend the budget, which the council approved 4-0. Councilwoman Joyce Overton was absent.

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.

030520 Clearlake City Council Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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School garden educators and local community gardeners at the soil and compost workshop at the School Garden Conference in Middletown, California, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday, Feb. 26, educators from across Lake County gathered for a day-long School Garden Conference in Middletown.

The conference, organized by the NCO Gardens Project, was a professional development opportunity for those working to incorporate gardening into their students’ education.

Kelseyville Elementary School, Cobb Mountain Elementary School, Riviera Elementary School, Middletown Christian School, Middletown International Charter School and the Konocti School District all sent representatives to take back information to their respective sites.

Many attendees were part of the Lake County School Garden Collaborative, a group of teachers, parents and administrators who gather seasonally to exchange best practices and work together to address the challenges that face school garden programs.

The School Garden Conference was made possible by the fundraising efforts of Middletown International Charter School.

Attendees took part in a variety of learning opportunities where they exchanged ideas about maintaining their school gardens and using them as educational tools.

Barbara Howe, Health Services program coordinator of CalFresh Healthy Living, led an interactive activity about connecting the garden to curriculum standards.

She demonstrated that a school garden could be a living classroom for evidence-based curriculum on any subject, including math, science and language arts.

Cindy Leonard, the co-founder of the Lake County School Garden Collaborative, led the group in a discussion about fundraising in the afternoon.

Leonard has been involved with the Cobb Mountain Elementary school garden since her daughter attended the school.

“School gardens help our students educationally and emotionally, as well as helping them learn healthy eating habits. Unfortunately, it is extremely difficult for schools to fund these outdoor classrooms,” Leonard said. “By banding together to form the Lake County School Garden Collaborative, we can leverage resources and find ways to financially support these important gardens.”

Following the fundraising forum, the group visited the Middletown Community Garden for a workshop about soil fertility and compost. The workshop was led by the U.C. Master Gardeners of Lake County.

There, educators were joined by many local community gardeners who share a passion for growing fresh, healthy food and were happy to share their insights into gardening in Lake County.

At the end of the day, educators collaborated on a garden planning session.

As they looked forward to the upcoming planting season and school year, they developed a timeline of action steps for their gardens and how to continue to make the gardens engaging and educationally valuable for students.

While discussing action steps to make their goals a reality, the conversations hinged on fundraising and volunteer efforts.

School garden educators cannot accomplish the goal of bringing gardening to the classroom without the widespread support of their community.

If you would like to learn more about the School Garden Collaborative and how you can get involved, email Cindy Leonard at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

For more information about the NCO Gardens Project, visit www.gardensproject.org or follow us on Facebook at NCO Gardens Project.

Barbara Howe presents about connecting the school gardens to curriculum standards at the School Garden Conference in Middletown, California, on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. Courtesy photo.
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The forest sharp-tailed snake. Photo by Kathleen Scavone.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As the daylight hours lengthen and plants drink in the critical rays of sunlight, it's easy to become almost transfixed by the contrast evident around us.

Spidery, bare limbs of flora are just now awakening to the gentleness of greenery that is set in motion.

Shoots, buds and vegetation have all taken in the light changes, with their incessant interactions.

On a balmy morning in southern Lake County I was observing all of this quiet frenzy while strolling and sneaking looks under rocks and downed limbs of bay and oak trees to see what I can see.

Leaf litter is also working its magic by undergoing the constant effort of the nutrient cycle, recycling and decomposing away, via light, heat and biological action, into tiny molecules that are free for use by any organism in the ecosystem.

Amidst the profusion of "action" I almost missed a quiet resident – the forest sharp-tailed snake.

This secretive, slim snake is non-poisonous and can be found in damp, forested areas throughout Northern California, southern Oregon, and as far north as British Columbia, mainly along the North Coast areas.

To identify this species and differentiate it from its cousin, the common sharp-tailed snake, www.CaliforniaHerps.com says it is helpful to view the caudal scales and length of the tail. The caudal scales are found on its tail, behind the cloaca.

The common sharp-tailed snake has between 24 and 43 caudal scales, while the forest sharp-tailed snake holds 43 to 58 scales and is around 20 percent of the snake's length.

Considered a small species of snake, the forest sharp-tailed snake averages 11 inches long. Their hatchlings average about 3 inches in length.

The snakes make use of their lengthy teeth to grip and consume a diet of fat slugs, slug eggs and tiny salamanders.

They prefer to come out of their leaf-litter or damp burrow-homes when the air temperature is at around 50 degrees, as well as after a nice rain.

According to a 2018 draft paper written by Christopher J. Evelyn and Samuel S. Sweet at the Institute for Computational and Earth System Science at the University of California Santa Barbara for the USDA Forest Service, Pacific Southwest Region these snakes seem to be slow-growing as well as long-lived.

In one of their studies which took place in British Columbia, it was estimated that the snakes took five to six years to mature.

Like most small critters, these snakes have many predators, including birds, mammals and both amphibians and reptiles such as ring-necked snakes.

To deter predators these wily snakes can coil and 'musk' or emit a nasty-smelling liquid that is sure to make the enemy run for cover!

With the profusion of snake species in Lake County, this slithering serpent, or his relatives may just show themselves to you on a mild end-of-winter or early spring day.

Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, freelance writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.”

The forest sharp-tailed snake. Photo by Kathleen Scavone.

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