COBB, Calif. – The Cobb Area Council announced that it has been awarded a $200,000 grant by the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco.
The grant was awarded in response to the devastation caused by the recent natural disasters throughout the bank’s district.
Community First Credit Union, a Federal Home Loan Bank member, facilitated the grant application.
“We are delighted to have been chosen as one of only five recipients in the tri-state area. This grant will allow the Cobb area to move forward aggressively with our economic development plans and to reinvigorate the area to ensure that Cobb reemerges stronger than ever,” commented Jessica Pyska, chair of the Cobb Area Council’s Economic Development Committee.
“In the wake of the destructive Valley fire in September 2015, the Lake County Board of Supervisors established the Cobb Area Council to advise the County on planning, emergency preparedness, response, public safety, and local infrastructure,” the Federal Home Loan Bank said in a statement.
“At the time, the Valley fire was the third-worst wildfire in California history, destroying almost 2,000 structures. This project will help the Cobb Area Council draft and implement an economic development strategy to revitalize the Cobb Mountain community,” the bank’s statement continued. “The Cobb Area Council will use the funds to conduct an assessment of community assets and resources; analyze local businesses, housing, and employment sectors; create a business revolving loan fund, and establish a Cobb Area Merchants Association.”
A final report will be submitted as a supplement to the Lake County Economic Development plan.
The timetable for the project will run through March 2021, with regular updates being provided at the Cobb Area Council monthly meetings.
The next meeting will be held on Thursday, Oct. 17, starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Little Red Schoolhouse, 15780 Bottle Rock Road, Cobb.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council is seeking applications from citizens of the city of Clearlake to fill a vacant seat on the Zoning Code Update Committee.
The Zoning Code Update Committee is tasked to work with staff in crafting a new zoning ordinance and design review manual based on the city’s updated general plan.
The committee will meet as needed, but normally not more than once a month, for a few hours at a time to review and discuss needed updates.
Eventually, the committee will make a formal recommendation to the Clearlake Planning Commission with an updated ordinance.
If you have participated in previous development projects or just have ideas or recommendations on improving our community, you are encouraged to apply.
Applicants must be residents of the city of Clearlake.
Applications can be found on the city’s Web site at www.clearlake.ca.us or by contacting Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at 707-994-8201, Extension 106, or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Applications must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 22.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The National Weather Service is predicting chances of showers midweek in Lake County thanks to a low pressure system headed toward the region.
This week’s forecast predicts a 20-percent chance of rain on Wednesday night across the county.
That chance of rain is due to a strong low pressure system approaching the West Coast mid-week, the National Weather Service said.
The forecast also says high pressure is expected to build over Northern California early next week, allowing temperatures to increase to near or slightly above normal.
Daytime temperatures this week are expected to be in the low 70s, dropping into the 60s for several days and rising into the low 70s again early next week.
Nighttime temperatures will be in the low to mid 40s through the week, rising into the low 50s next week, based on the forecast.
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.
A .45-caliber handgun found in possession of John Brott, 30, of Santa Rosa, California, during a traffic stop in Clearlake, California, on Sunday, October 13, 2019. Photo courtesy of the Clearlake Police Department. CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A weekend traffic stop in Clearlake led to the arrest of a Santa Rosa man who is on parole and was found to be in possession of a firearm.
John William Brott, 30, was arrested during a Sunday evening enforcement stop on Arrowhead Road, according to the Clearlake Police Department.
The department reported that just before 8:30 p.m. Sunday, Officer Brittany Shores was conducting routine patrol when she observed a 1998 Chevrolet pickup driving on Arrowhead Road.
Officer Shores saw the Chevrolet fail to stop at two stop signs and conducted a traffic enforcement stop, police said.
During the traffic stop, Office Shores contacted the driver, identified as Brott, and a single passenger, according to the report.
Through a records check, police said Shores determined that Brott is a convicted felon who is on active California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, or CDCR, parole. It was also determined that the Chevrolet pickup was registered to him.
Due to Brott’s CDCR Parole status, he is subject to search of his person, vehicle and residence. During a search of the vehicle, Officer Shores located a loaded .45 caliber semi-automatic handgun next to the driver's seat where Brott was seated, police said.
Brott was arrested on probable cause for numerous weapons charges to include felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, carrying a loaded and concealed firearm in a vehicle, the Clearlake Police Department reported.
CDCR Parole placed a parole hold on Brott and he was booked into the Lake County Jail with no bail set due to the parole hold. Jail records show that he remained in custody on Thursday, to days after he was scheduled for arraignment.
John William Brott, 30, of Santa Rosa, California, was arrested on Sunday, October 13, 2019, in Clearlake, California. Lake County Jail photo.
Millions of Californians will practice how to “Drop, Cover, and Hold On” when the ground shakes during the Great California ShakeOut on Thursday, Oct. 17, at 10:17 a.m.
This year’s drill will coincide with the 30th anniversary of the Loma Prieta earthquake that shook Northern California on Oct. 17, 1989.
Also known as the “World Series earthquake,” the magnitude 6.9 Loma Prieta earthquake was felt extensively in Santa Cruz, Monterey and the San Francisco Bay Area.
It was responsible for 63 deaths, 3,757 injuries, and more than $5.9 billion in property damage.
Strong ground shaking, liquefaction, and landslides caused significant structural damage, and approximately 16,000 housing units – almost 13,000 in the nine-county San Francisco Bay region alone – were uninhabitable after the earthquake.
“The Loma Prieta earthquake was a tragedy that caused immense suffering for thousands of California residents," said California Earthquake Authority CEO Glenn Pomeroy. “Anniversaries for big earthquakes often serve as painful reminders of why we need to know how to Drop, Cover, and Hold On when the ground shakes, and know how to financially recover from damage that may be expensive to repair.”
Most Californians live within 30 miles of an active fault. In 2015, scientists reported there was a greater than 99 percent chance of one or more magnitude 6.7 earthquakes striking California between 2014 and 2043.
Magnitude 6.4 and 7.1 earthquakes struck near the Mojave Desert town of Ridgecrest in July 2019, and a magnitude 6.0 earthquake struck near Napa in 2014.
Now more Californians are paying closer attention to their risk for earthquakes, and their potential costs to repair shake damage not covered under a standard homeowner policy. CEA now offers a wide range of coverage options, and has more than 1 million policyholders.
“More than 10 million Californians participated in the Great California ShakeOut last year,” Pomeroy said. “The drill is easy to do. It’s also easy to have a quick conversation with your insurance agent about how to get an earthquake policy. A little preparation can make a big difference if California’s next big earthquake strikes closer to home.”
More information from CEA and other organizations about how to survive and recover from damaging earthquakes that scientists say are possible in the Bay Area, Los Angeles, and San Diego areas can be found at https://www.eqheadquarters.com/ .
Details about the Great California ShakeOut and other ways to prepare for earthquakes can be found here.
In the wake of utility-directed power shutoffs that impacted nearly two million Californians in 24 counties last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Monday demanded that Pacific Gas and Electric be held accountable.
Last week, during the two-day shutoff, which began on Wednesday, the governor had criticized the utility for the shutoff, as Lake County News has reported.
PG&E President and CEO Bill Johnson has insisted that the shutoff was necessary due to a wind event that occurred over much of Northern and Central California.
This week, the governor is urging PG&E to provide affected customers an automatic credit or rebate of $100 per residential customer and $250 per small business as some compensation for their hardships.
Gov. Newsom also sent a letter to California Public Utilities Commission President Marybel Batjer confirming that the commission will be conducting a comprehensive inquiry and review of PG&E’s planning, implementation and decision-making process failures.
“Californians should not pay the price for decades of PG&E’s greed and neglect,” said Gov. Newsom. “PG&E’s mismanagement of the power shutoffs experienced last week was unacceptable. We will continue to hold PG&E accountable to make radical changes – prioritizing the safety of Californians and modernizing its equipment.”
In July, the Governor signed AB 1054, which established new requirements for PG&E to improve safety and address decades of mismanagement.
In his letter to President Batjer, the governor asked the CPUC to increase its scrutiny of PG&E’s progress on long overdue actions required under AB 1054 to make its infrastructure resilient to wildfires to avoid public safety power shutoff events.
Read the full letters to CPUC President Batjer and to PG&E CEO Bill Johnson below.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors has given the go-ahead to exploring the possibility of transferring authority for overseeing the county’s investments from the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office to either administrative staff or an outside consultant.
At its meeting last week, the board voted unanimously to have an ad hoc committee and staff return with some options for how that transition might take place.
Supervisors Bruno Sabatier and Moke Simon brought the matter to the board.
The two are serving on an ad hoc committee formed by Board Chair Tina Scott to work with the elected Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen to see how they can help her department and accomplish a number of goals, including a focus on revenue generation.
Also on the ad hoc committee is County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson and some of her staff, including Patrick Sullivan, the county’s tax administrator.
Publicly, Ringen, who was reelected after running unopposed last year, has been under the scrutiny of the board and Huchingson since last year. In the spring the ad hoc committee – in particular, Sabatier and Simon – asked her to resign well ahead of the end of her term, which is Jan. 1, 2023.
At the board’s request, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry authored AB 632, which the governor signed in July, which would allow Lake County to consolidate its auditor-controller and treasurer tax-collector’s offices.
For Sabatier, one of the key issues he’s had with Ringen’s performance has had to do with a dearth of sales of tax defaulted properties, a matter which has had a large impact on his district, especially the city of Clearlake.
Initially, Ringen had indicated she would resign in a June 14 email. However, at a meeting in August, she refused to give a firm date for when she might step down, as Lake County News has reported.
Ringen was not present for the Oct. 8 discussion, during which Sabatier explained that at a previous ad hoc committee meeting, they discussed with Ringen the investment authority matter.
State Government Code makes the Board of Supervisors “the agent of the county who serves as a fiduciary and is subject to the prudent investor standard,” unless, that responsibility is delegated to the county treasurer, according to a memo to the board from Sabatier and Simon.
Sabatier said the board is supposed to get an annual report on the county’s investments, but that hasn’t happened for at least a couple of years or possibly longer.
He said he wanted to have a discussion about relieving Ringen of that responsibility and moving it to the County Administrative Office. “It should be an interim move and not a permanent move,” he said, adding he wants to have Ringen focus on revenue generating work.
Simon added that the county could find licensed investment firms that could help take the responsibility off of Ringen’s office.
Sabatier said the proposal was not meant to be a slap on the hand for Ringen but a way of helping her with other goals.
Supervisor Rob Brown asked about the membership of the ad hoc committee, and whether it included Cathy Saderlund, the auditor-controller-county clerk. He said he was curious about Saderlund’s take on the matter, considering her longterm involvement with county investments and outcomes. Sabatier said that, so far, Saderlund hasn’t been involved.
Huchingson said that it is within the board’s authority to move investment authority wherever it chooses, and Sabatier noted that rules and regulations don’t specify that it must be with the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.
Huchingson asked Sullivan if he could speak to how it’s done in other counties. He said that, in his experience, smaller counties tend to use an outside consultant as they don’t have investment staff in house like larger counties do. Those contracted firms are then able to help with asset allocation, strategy and reporting. He added that sometimes an outside contractor can provide an advantage.
County Counsel Anita Grant said she hadn’t looked closely at the regulations, but she said she noticed that state code allows for the investment responsibility to be delegated by an investment body to the treasurer of a local agency for a period of one year.
“That’s not to say that your board can’t contract with whomever you want to provide advice and to handle various aspects of this,” she said.
Sullivan said that, no matter what model is chosen, the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office still retains a major role. “They’re still handling wire transfers and the distribution of funds.”
Grant said that doesn’t alter or affect the board’s ability to contract with consultants.
An ‘exploratory’ discussion
Huchingson said the discussion’s purpose was exploratory in nature, to find out if there’s interest from a majority of the board to come back with a plan. She said Ringen would need to be involved, and Saderlund would be invited.
Huchingson added that she was surprised that Ringen, who was invited to the discussion, wasn’t in attendance.
Brown said it was a good initial discussion, but he wasn’t ready to make a decision and there wasn’t a recommendation about what action to take. He said the matter needs to be explored further, and he wanted Saderlund involved, along with someone from the private sector with experience in investments.
Brown said he also wanted to see information about the county’s investments over the past 15 years so he could gauge how the county has done.
“I think therein lies the problem,” said Huchingson, who explained that they had hadn’t gotten the annual history so she didn’t think it will be possible to provide Brown with that information.
“You’re not sure we can do it. Are you saying we can't do it in a nice way?” Brown asked.
Huchingson said they haven’t been able to obtain that information on a year-to-year basis so she thinks it’s doubtful she can get it.
Brown said it wanted to get to the bottom line. Grant responded, “You’re supposed to get an annual report of investments. You haven’t been getting one.”
Brown pressed, asking if that was because they hadn’t asked for it or if it wasn’t available. Grant said it’s supposed to be prepared by the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office and she had no idea if it was available.
Sabatier said the ad hoc committee had been requesting the report from Ringen’s office and have not received it. He said he wanted to come back to the board to see what it would look like to move the investment authority from Ringen’s office.
He said an investment committee must be formed to ensure that there is oversight and that it’s not being held in a single person’s hands, “which leaves us in the situation where we don’t know any of the information of what’s happening,” Sabatier said.
Sabatier added that he thinks it’s important since it’s public money that the board knows exactly what is happening with the funds and how the county is choosing to invest it. “Right now, that is not the case.”
Simon agreed, noting in his three years on the board he’s seen no investment reports from the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office.
Brown said the last report he could recall was when the county changed banks under Ringen’s predecessor, Sandy Kacharos. “But that’s been awhile.”
Huchingson said she believes the county’s investment policy also hasn’t been updated since 2013.
Sabatier said an investor the county had contracted with to manage investments had been dropped by many counties and is not really an active investor. “We want to go with somebody that we’re going to be able to have a future with and relationship with, and make sure we can ask for and receive any reporting that we should be receiving.”
Scott said the board has been putting a lot of work on the County Administrative Office. She asked if they had the capability of taking it on, and who in the office would do it.
Huchingson said that if they brought on consultants, they would have a staffer anchor that relationship, and the consultant would submit reports. If it was structured that way, she said they could do it and on the staff side it would likely be a role filled by Sullivan.
Sabatier said he believed that, in the beginning of such a transition, there might be more work for staff and that it should smooth out down the road.
There was no public comment, and Huchingson asked the board for consensus to have the ad hoc committee, staff and others get back to the table and return with a formal recommendation.
Sabatier moved to have that done, including the creation of an investment committee, which the board approved 5-0.
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. – An early Saturday morning crash in the Cobb area injured seven people and resulted in two arrests, one for driving under the influence.
Jose A. Velazquez, 21, of Kelseyville, the driver of one of the two vehicles involved, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence, according to the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office.
His passenger, Jorge A. Lozano, 21, also of Kelseyville, was arrested at the scene for obstructing a peace officer's investigation, providing false information to a peace officer and disorderly conduct, the CHP said.
At 1:45 a.m. Saturday, Velazquez was driving his silver 2003 Acura MDX, northbound on Highway 29, north of Highway 175 at approximately 50 miles per hour, while Yessica Patino, 23, of Clearlake was driving a gray 2017 Acura ILX southbound at approximately 55 miles per hour, the CHP said.
Due to Velazquez's level of intoxication, the CHP said Velazquez caused his Acura to cross the solid double yellow lines, into the southbound lane, and directly into the path of Patino's Acura.
The CHP said the front left of each vehicle collided in the southbound lane and Velazquez's Acura continued northbound and rolled over, coming to rest on its wheels on the east shoulder, facing a northerly direction.
Patino's Acura continued southbound, spinning in a counter clockwise direction, coming to rest on its wheels facing a northwesterly direction, the CHP said.
The CHP said Patino became trapped within the driver's seat of the vehicle and had to be extricated by South Lake County Fire and Cal Fire personnel, according to the CHP.
Patino, who the CHP said had minor injuries, and her passenger, 35-year-old Ismael Rodrigez of Clearlake, who had major injuries, were transported via air ambulance to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.
The CHP said that another of Patino’s passengers, Alexander Alcazar, 16, of Clearlake was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital with major injuries.
Patino’s other passengers, Edgar Perez Vazquez, 27, and Jose Armando, 22, both of Clearlake, had minor injuries, the CHP report said.
The CHP determined alcohol to be a factor in this collision and Velazquez was placed under arrest at the scene, along with Lozano. Both had minor injuries.
Both men were subsequently booked at the Lake County Jail, the CHP said. Jail records indicated that both have since posted bail and been released.
Based on the investigation, the CHP said Lozano, Patino and Rodriguez were not wearing their seat belts at the time of the wreck.
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.
The California Department of Public Health has released final data on sexually transmitted diseases, or STDs, in California in 2018.
According to the data, syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia cases are continuing to increase throughout California and are at the highest levels in 30 years.
In Lake County, overall cases of all STDs have climbed precipitously from 2014 to 2018, according to the new report.
The data shows the following:
– Chlamydia: 175 cases in 2014 to 331 cases in 2018, an 89-percent increase; ranked No. 24 statewide for chlamydia incidence rate.
– Gonorrhea: 68 cases in 2014, peaking at 203 cases in 2016. The 2018 case number is 171, for a 151-percent increase. Statewide rank is No. 5.
– Primary and secondary syphilis: three cases in 2016 to six cases in 2018, a 100-percent increase. Statewide rank is No. 40.
– Primary and secondary syphilis for females ages 15 to 44: No cases reported for 2014 to 2016; number of cases for 2017 and 2018 was suppressed as per agency Data De-Identification Guidelines. No ranking given.
– Total early syphilis: Three cases in 2014 to 10 cases in 2018, a 233-percent increase. Statewide rank is No. 41.
– Total early syphilis for females ages 15 to 44: No cases reported for 2014 to 2016; number of cases for 2017 and 2018 was suppressed as per agency Data De-Identification Guidelines. No ranking given.
– Congenital syphilis by year of birth: No cases from 2014 to 2017, one case in 2018. Statewide rank is No. 9.
Particularly concerning, the number of congenital syphilis cases was 14 percent higher than the previous year and nearly 900 percent higher than in 2012.
Congenital syphilis can be fatal to infants: there were 22 stillbirths or neonatal deaths in 2018.
STDs can cause a number of serious health problems. If left untreated, chlamydia and gonorrhea can cause pelvic inflammatory disease and lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancy and chronic pelvic pain.
Syphilis can cause permanent loss of vision, hearing and other neurologic problems.
The highest rates of STDs are among young individuals ages 15 to 24.
“STDs are preventable by practicing safe sex, and many can be cured with antibiotics,” said acting State Public Health Officer Dr. Charity Dean. “Regular testing and treatment are essential prevention strategies, even for people who have no symptoms. Most people infected with an STD do not know it.”
CDPH is collaborating with local health departments and organizations throughout the state to coordinate efforts to control STDs, hepatitis C and human immunodeficiency virus infection, or HIV.
The 2019-2020 state budget includes increases in funds to help address the rise in STDs, including:
· $40 million over four years to enhance the capacity of local health departments to identify, monitor and respond to communicable diseases.
· $5 million per year for STD prevention and control by local health departments and community based organizations.
· $5 million per year for HIV prevention and control by local health departments and community based organizations.
· $5 million per year for Hepatitis C prevention and control by local health departments and community based organizations.
· $2 million per year to enhance local health department capacity for STD prevention and control.
Faith Kearns, University of California, Division of Agriculture and Natural Resources and Max Moritz, University of California, Santa Barbara
Fires that affect populated areas raise different safety and public health issues than wildfires. AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez
Deadly fires across California over the past several years have shown how wildfire has become a serious public health and safety issue. Health effects from fires close to or in populated areas range from smoke exposure to drinking water contaminated by chemicals like benzene to limited options for the medically vulnerable. These kinds of threats are becoming major, statewide concerns.
Many people still think of wildfires as events that happen “out there” in the wildlands – distant forests, shrublands or grasslands – and see better land and fire management as the primary solution. However, the reality is that fires are spreading into communities and increasingly affecting large numbers of Californians, sometimes repeatedly.
As researchers who have worked extensively on fire in California, we believe it is time to treat fires that affect communities as the public health challenge they have become. This means taking a more robust approach to a host of issues, including focusing on where and how we build, taking the needs of vulnerable populations seriously, and ensuring that solutions are equitable.
Predictable conditions, but future unclear
Fire is a part of life in California, and it doesn’t take long to develop a feel for “fire weather.” Across the state, late fall winds – called by various names including Santa Anas, Diablos and sundowners – blow hot, dry air from the interior of the state out toward the coasts. The winds often intensify as they are channeled through mountain passes and blasted across dry vegetation and steep surfaces to create perfect fire conditions.
Given an ignition, those same winds then help to spread fire very quickly. The strategy that utility companies are taking to implement “Public Safety Power Shutoffs” – sometimes preemptively shutting down electricity service – are aimed at reducing this type of ignition (there are many others) under specific wind and weather conditions.
While winds are in many ways predictable, they are also altering fire hazard in ways that researchers don’t fully understand. As the climate changes, bringing warmer temperatures and increasingly erratic precipitation patterns, more of these extreme wind events may occur during times that are highly conducive to fire.
It is also conceivable that climate change will cause shifts in the atmospheric pressure patterns that spawn extreme wind events to begin with, and that in the future people may see extreme winds in new regions or during unexpected times of year. A deeper understanding of the controls on these events is emerging, but relatively little is known about what the future will hold.
Homes as ‘fuel’ for fires
Wind is one of the biggest factors in fire spread, and it also generates flying embers far ahead of the fire itself. It is this storm of burning embers that often shower neighborhoods and ignite homes after finding sensitive parts of landscaping and structures.
Under the worst circumstances, wind-driven home-to-home fire spread then occurs, causing risky, fast-moving “urban conflagrations” – like those that happened in Santa Rosa in 2017 and Paradise in 2018 – that can be difficult to stop and dangerous to evacuate.
Dry, northeasterly winds come in the fall and the winter, often through mountain ranges, which fuels wildfires in Southern California – a different pattern than summertime fires.NASA, CC BY
Managing the type and amount of vegetation, or “fuel,” in an area provides a set of tools for altering fire behavior and enhancing firefighter safety in wildland fires. But during wind-driven urban conflagrations, homes are usually a major – if not the main – source of fuel. Retrofitting homes to address vulnerabilities to fire ignition is therefore crucial.
One immediate strategy is for people to create so-called defensible space – removing flammable materials in the area surrounding homes. Vegetation management and prescribed burning in surrounding areas are also part of, but not the only, solutions. Fire-prone communities must also intensify urban and evacuation planning efforts that make the built environment – the buildings where people live and work and the infrastructure we depend on – and those living there safer.
A different lens to view preparedness
The state faces a formidable challenge, and opportunity, to reduce wildfire risk to communities in a way that combines the best of both research and practice. It must integrate both new (and potentially controversial) urban planning reforms as well as novel thinking about evacuation alternatives and other solutions, particularly for vulnerable populations.
Utility PG&E turned off power to hundreds of thousands of people to lower risk of power lines and electrical equipment from starting fires, but that raises the risk of harm to people who depend on power for medical reasons.AP Photo/Jeff Chiu
These are steps toward addressing some of the public health and safety concerns that come with wildfires in populated areas. Through this lens, it seems clear that short-term solutions like power shut-offs that may lessen a particular type of ignition come with their own seriousrisks. Indeed, solutions that worsen inequities cannot really be considered solutions at all.
Fires in California are sounding alarm bells that cannot be ignored, lest we fall into the trap of normalizing the incredible loss of lives and devastated communities year after year. As it stands, California is failing to keep up with what we know about fire hazard and risk, and losing time as we struggle against rapidly changing climate conditions.
This is an updated version of an article that was originally published on Nov. 16, 2018.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council on Thursday agreed to extend negotiations with a firm interested in purchasing and developing the city’s airport property.
The council authorized City Manager Alan Flora to extend the letter of intent with Village Investment Partners LP for the 27-acre former Pearce Field airport property on Highway 53, next to the former waterpark.
On April 11, the council had initially authorized the letter of intent for an exclusive negotiating agreement for six months, as Lake County News has reported.
Flora said the city received a request from the firm on Oct. 3 to extend it for another six months. The original agreement ended on Oct. 11.
Barry Johnson, president of Summit Development and a partner with Village Investment Partners, said the project originally was approved in 2008 and included a home improvement center.
He said that at the time Summit Development was in contract with Safeway while Village Investment Partners was in contract with Walgreens. Fred Katz of Sacramento was a codeveloper at that point, but he is no longer involved.
“We have a good project. It's been preliminarily designed,” said Johnson, explaining that they have gone back and presented it to retailers who previously were interested.
The answers from potential tenants have been slow but they weren't negative, with every major retailer having its own agenda. “In this market, there are a lot of opportunities that have opened up to them,” and the reality is, Clearlake isn’t at the top of their list, Johnson said.
As an example of the challenges in working with retailers, he said he worked on a shopping center in Los Banos, and it took two years to get on Costco’s list.
With the Clearlake project, “We're not quite there yet,” so they are asking for another 180 days, which Johnson said they intended to use aggressively.
The firm received a demographics report – which Flora later explained was provided by the city – that shows that the area generates more than $1 billion in revenue, but that more than $600 million leaves the market and goes to Ukiah, Woodland, Santa Rosa and other markets. “It encompasses all areas of retail.”
That provides a big opportunity to potential retailers. Johnson said the information is going to help them market the project.
Johnson said he and partner Dave Hughes initially had brought Walmart into the county decades ago.
Another partner, John Glikbarg, is making site improvements to a property he owns at the Highway 53 and Dam Road intersection across from the MacDonald’s and Carl’s Jr., the latter another of Johnson’s projects. Johnson encouraged the city to make any possible improvements to the area of 18th Avenue to draw retailers.
“At this point we believe that we have made progress,” said Johnson.
During the discussion, Johnson said his firm has met with Mayor Russ Cremer and Flora to go more in-depth over the process, and he suggested they meet on a more regular basis. During those meetings, he said they disclosed to the city leadership letters with retailers they are targeting.
Mayor Joyce Overton pressed Johnson on what types of retailers they are targeting. Johnson referred back to Lowe's, which previously were in contract until a Sierra Club lawsuit stopped the project.
Johnson said they are trying to bring back and reengage retailers who are familiar with the site. “That's where our discussions are now.”
In response to other questions about their work, Johnson said they attend retail conventions in order to get face time with retailers. “We're trying to be the squeaky wheel,” and stay in front of them.
Flora noted during the discussion that the city had a retail study completed – it was rushed through because of the letter of intent timeline – and supplied the firm with the information to assist its efforts.
“It is encouraging to hear that they feel like it is going to make them more competitive, out there trying to attract retailers with that information,” Florae said.
“We feel good about where they're going,” he said, adding, “I think we all want to see something developed there as soon as possible.”
After a discussion about options – including a suggestion from Flora that they could add another section to the letter to allow for another developer with definite interest, should one come forward – the council ultimately chose to maintain the current wording
Johnson, whose projects also include the Burns Valley Center and the Department of Motor Vehicles building in Lakeport, said, “We have a vested interest in seeing this succeed.”
Councilman Dirk Slooten asked if, because of the Sierra Club suit, a full environmental review will be necessary for the project. The settlement sets in place requirements they can comply with, Johnson said.
Hughes told the council that he’s had an inquiry for Glikbarg’s property from a developer who wants to do a three- to four-story hotel. He said there is a lot of positive energy around the area.
Following a brief break, the council reconvened and reached consensus to direct Flora to extend the letter of intent with Village Investment Partners, with no changes, for six months.
“We all very much look forward to this thing coming to fruition,” said Councilman Phil Harris. He added, “We have faith in you.”
“That doesn't mean we will let up on you,” said Cremer.
In other business on Thursday, the council held a public hearing and adopted the update to the city’s general plan housing element, and considered projects within the county's cannabis exclusion areas, with a majority of the council asking staff to bring back proposed guidelines.
Also on Thursday, the council presented proclamations designating proclamations designating October as both Domestic Violence Awareness Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month; and approved a resolution reaffirming the Traffic Safe Committee and approved Mayor Russ Cremer's committee appointments.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Smart Start Collective has announced the launch of its resource Web site aimed at connecting expectant parents and the families and caregivers of Lake County’s infants, toddlers and preschoolers with the wide array of local resources available to them.
“There are so many wonderful programs and services in our community to help parents give their children the best possible start in life; this Web site is a single, user-friendly source for families to find what they are looking for and learn about local resources they might never have thought to seek out,” said Carla Ritz, executive director of First 5 Lake County.
Emillie Feenan, director of the Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health program for Lake County Public Health described the Web site as, “A prime example of what we can do when we come together as a collective to create a resource to help not only our families, but providers as well. It is exciting to know that we will have a resource guide for our 0-5 and perinatal population that is up to date and accurate. This is a huge win for our community.”
The Smart Start concept was introduced by Sutter Lakeside Hospital in 2017 with the introduction of it monthly safe sleep seminars to provide education on risk reduction for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and provide expectant parents in attendance with a “Smart Start Baby Bundle” including a pack-n-play, diapers, wipes, clothing, and other items to help them implement the skills they learned.
Sutter Lakeside also invited community partners to give short presentations at the classes, sharing information about the resources they provide to those in attendance.
Within a year, Adventist Health Clear Lake adopted and funded this model and began to offer the Smart Start Safe Sleep classes as well.
In December, representatives from local agencies and organizations serving families with young children came together as the “0-5 Network Forum” and spent a half-day together mapping Lake County resources in the areas of health and medicine, child growth and development, basic needs and resources, and parenting education.
Using this information, volunteer Blaze King designed and built the Smart Start Lake County Web site as a capstone project for his information technology degree program through California State University, Monterey Bay.
He spent countless hours creating a site that would be Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant, mobile-friendly, bilingual and intuitive to use.
As the 0-to-5 Network Forum members worked together with King to make the Web site a reality, the consensus was that their efforts on this project and other joint efforts going forward would all share the similar goal of helping Lake County parents to give their children the best possible start in life, and thus changed their name from the 0-to-5 Network Forum to the Smart Start Collective.
“I am part of this collective because I do believe it takes a strong community to make changes. I believe in the work we do and feel that little steps will leave giant footprints in the future. This Web site is just the beginning for our families to connect with the wealth of resources Lake County has to offer,” said Angela Cuellar-Marroquin, Lake County Child Care Planning Council and QRIS coordinator for Lake County Office of Education.
Sutter Lakeside Hospital has continued to expand on its Smart Start efforts by applying for and receiving a grant from First 5 Lake to add a bilingual Family Resource Navigator position to their staff.
In July, the Family Resource Navigator began contacting participating parents, who opted in to the program at the safe sleep seminars, and she will continue reaching out by phone and mail multiple times in their baby’s first year of life to help parents navigate services systems and access needed resources.
Agencies and organizations currently participating in the Smart Start Collective are Adventist Health Clear Lake, Easterseals Northern California, E-Center WIC, First 5 Lake County, Lake County Child Welfare Services, Lake County Department of Public Health – Maternal Child & Adolescent Health, Tobacco and Lead Prevention Programs, SNAP-Ed, Oral Health Program Lake County Department of Social Services, Lake County Office of Education – Healthy Start, Child Care Planning Council, Bloom, Lake County Tribal Health Consortium, Lake Family Resource Center, Mendocino Community Health Clinics – Lakeview Health Center, Mother-Wise, North Coast Opportunities – Rural Community Child Care Resource & Referral Partnership Health Plan, Redwood Coast Regional Center, Redwood Community Services and Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
