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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As statewide COVID-19 cases increase, health officials are reporting that nearly 10 percent of those with the illness are health care workers, while analysis of patients indicates infection rates are following the state’s population demographics.

On Thursday morning, the California Department of Public Health said that the state had 18,309 confirmed cases and 492 deaths. By Thursday night, the number of confirmed cases had surpassed 20,000, with more than 540 deaths, according to a survey of Public Health department websites statewide.

CDPH said Thursday that approximately 177,600 tests had been conducted in California by commercial, private and academic labs, as well as 22 state and county health labs. At least 163,704 results had been received, with another 13,900 pending.

The state said local health departments have reported that more than 1,800 health care workers have tested positive for COVID-19. The cases originate from a combination of on-the-job exposures and other situations, such as travel and close family contact.

In one example of health care workers being impacted, on Thursday the Merced County Department of Public Health reported that 10 staffers from the Sutter Health Rural Health Clinic in Los Banos tested positive for COVID-19.

Public health officials in Merced County are working with the clinic to contact all individuals who may have been exposed, and the clinic was closed to allow for proper disinfection and notification procedures.

Professor discusses virus, concerns about racial disparities

On Wednesday evening, State Sen. Mike McGuire hosted a virtual town hall on the novel coronavirus for Lake and Mendocino County residents.

Among McGuire’s panelists was Dr. Timothy Brewer, professor of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health and of Medicine and a member of the Division of Infectious Diseases at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.

Brewer said that, because this is a new virus, recommendations to address it may change as time goes on and doctors learn more about it.

Initially, it was compared to the flu and other coronaviruses because little was known about it, Brewer explained.

Based on the reporting so far, Brewer said 7 percent of COVID-19 cases in the United States lead to intensive care with 16 percent requiring hospitalization. That’s consistent with what is being reported in other parts of the world.

The majority of cases, Brewer said, will have mild to moderate disease and won’t require hospitalization.

The patients who go to the hospital and eventually die tend to be older – above age 65 – and have other health issues, he said, adding that nationwide, only two patients under age 20 have died of it so far.

Brewer addressed the distribution of cases in California along racial lines. While COVID-19 has had more impact on the African American community in some parts of the country, that’s not the case in California so far, with case percentages in line with the state’s demographics.

On Thursday, CDPH released demographics for California’s cases that illustrated Brewer’s observations, with race and ethnicity data for patients roughly in line with the state’s overall diversity:

– Latinos: 30 percent of cases and 26 percent of deaths (39 percent of the state’s population).
– Whites: 34 percent of cases and 38 percent of deaths (37 percent of the state’s population).
– African Americans/blacks: 7 percent of cases and 8 percent of deaths (6 percent of the state’s population).
– Asians: 13 percent of cases and 18 percent of deaths (15 percent of the state’s population).
– Multiracial: 2 percent of cases and 1.5 percent of deaths (2 percent of the state’s population).
– American Indians or Alaska Natives: 0.2 percent of cases and 0.4 percent of deaths (0.5 percent of the states’ population).
– Native Hawaiians or Pacific Islanders: 2 percent of cases and 0.8 percent of deaths (0.3 percent of the state’s population).
– Other: 13 percent of cases and 8 percent of deaths.

Brewer on Wednesday also pointed out that New York has nearly 10 times the number of cases reported in California so far.

He attributed California’s lower numbers to the very aggressive work of public health officers and leaders who initiated the shelter in place orders.

Those efforts, Brewer said, are lowering California’s curve.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night approved the final reading of an ordinance to update the city municipal code by adopting into it the latest state building code.

During the half-hour virtual meeting, Assistant City Manager Kevin Ingram presented to the council an ordinance adopting the 2019 California Building Code, along with additional revisions, to the Lakeport Municipal Code. The new ordinance also removes obsolete building codes.

The staff report for the item can be found in the agenda packet published below, beginning on page 45.

The proposed ordinance was introduced at the council’s March 17 meeting.

Ingram said Tuesday that the California Building Standards Commission updates the state building codes every three years.

The 2019 codes were published on July 1 and became applicable to all building permit applications on or after Jan. 1, he said.

The California Building Standards Code consists of administrative, building, residential, electrical, mechanical, plumbing, energy, historical building, fire, existing building, green building and reference standards codes, according to Ingram’s written report.

Ingram said local jurisdictions can adopt more stringent standards as well as appendices. He said the city was not recommending any more stringent standards, although it did want to add several appendices that deal with grading, patio covers, and existing buildings and structures, which are some of the most common building code items.

The updated ordinance also removed references to older building codes going back as far as 1997 and 2001. While they were still referenced, Ingram said the city hadn’t been using those older codes.

He said staff has set it up so that in three years when the next updated building code is ready, only minor changes would be needed to adopt it into the municipal code.

There was no public comment and the council approved the ordinance 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.


040720 Lakeport City Council Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The final vote tally for the March 3 presidential primary shows that an incumbent judge has been returned to office and the District 5 supervisorial race will go to a fall runoff.

The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office completed the official canvass for the primary this week in line with the normal schedule determined by state law, and well ahead of the April 24 extended deadline the governor granted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Interim Registrar Diane Fridley – whose last official day on the job was March 31 – reportedly had to deal with reduced staff, as extra help employees were not available to help with finishing up the official canvass as they were determined to be “nonessential” and sent home to shelter in place, based on a Board of Supervisors decision made last month.

Fridley’s completed count showed that Judge J. David Markham won election to continue as Superior Court judge over challenger Lisa Proffitt-O’Brien, a deputy district attorney.

The vote count was 2,435 votes, or 92.62 percent for Markham, to 194 votes or 7.38 percent for Proffitt-O’Brien.

Markham has served as a judge since February 2018. He was appointed in late 2017 by then-Gov. Jerry Brown to the bench to succeed Judge Richard Martin, who retired.

Both Markham – who missed the earlier filing deadline – and Proffitt-O’Brien were write-in candidates.

Another key race on the March 3 ballot was for the District 5 supervisorial seat, currently held by Rob Brown, who did not seek reelection.

In a four-person race, Jessica Pyska of Cobb, a businesswoman and educator, led the field with 1,923 votes, or 47.65 percent of the vote.

She will be in a runoff with Kelseyville resident Bill Kearney, a retired pharmacist, who received 1,120 votes or 27.75 percent of the vote.

Rounding out the field are educator Lily Woll of Kelseyville, with 898 votes or 22.25 percent, and Cobb resident and activist Kevin Ahajanian, with 95 votes, or 2.35 percent of the ballots cast.

Also on the ballot were the District 1 and 4 supervisorial seats.

For District 1, the final results confirmed that incumbent Moke Simon won a second term in a race with challenger Julia Mary Bono. Simon received 2,795 votes, or 78.82 percent of the vote, to Bono’s 751 votes, or 21.18 percent.

In the District 4 race, voters returned incumbent Tina Scott to office for a second term, giving her 2,506 votes or 62.71 percent of the vote. Challenger Chris Almind received 1,490 votes or 37.29 percent.

Based on the official canvass, turnout for the March primary was 52.86 percent, with approximately 17,902 of Lake County’s 33,866 registered voters participating, the majority of them by vote-by-mail, or absentee, ballot.

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 announced that starting this Sunday, California workers who are receiving unemployment benefits will begin receiving an extra $600 on top of their weekly amount, as part of the new Pandemic Additional Compensation, or PAC, initiated by the CARES Act.

This comes as record numbers of unemployment claims are being filed on a weekly basis in the state, the governor reported.

Newsom said this is an important benefit that will help individual Californians and small businesses, especially those that are struggling economically as a result of COVID-19.

“Many Californians are feeling the effects of this pandemic, and this added benefit is very important to our workers so they have needed resources during this difficult time,” said Newsom.

In the last four weeks, California has processed about 2.3 million unemployment insurance claims, which is more than the total number of claims filed in 2019.

Just for the week ending on Saturday, April 4, the California Employment Development Department processed 925,450 claims, which is a 2,418 percent increase over the same week last year.

Additionally, the Employment Development Department paid a total of nearly $684.3 million in unemployment benefits to Californians in need in the last four weeks, supporting families and their local economies.

For more information on how to apply for unemployment insurance benefits and what claimants need to know about these new $600 additional payments, visit the EDD website.

“I want to thank both our federal partners, as well as everyone in our Labor Agency and the staff in the Employment Development Department, who are working around the clock to ensure California workers have the resources they need to get through this difficult time,” said Newsom.

Visit www.covid19.ca.gov for critical steps Californians can take to stay healthy and resources available to those impacted by the outbreak.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has more new dogs available this week.

The shelter has moved most of its dogs into foster. Potential adopters can make appointments to meet and adopt available dogs.

The following dogs are ready for adoption or foster.

“Aaron.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Aaron’

“Aaron” is a male boxer mix puppy with a short brown coat with black and white markings.

He is dog No. 3726.

“Angel.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Angel’

“Angel” is a female boxer mix puppy with a short brown coat with black and white markings.

She is dog No. 3727.

“Buddy.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Buddy’

“Buddy” is a male spaniel mix with a black and white coat.

He is dog No. 3667.

“Cha-Chi.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Cha-Chi’

“Cha-Chi” is a male Chihuahua with a short gold and white coat.

He is dog No. 3661.

“Duchess.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Duchess’

“Duchess” is a female Chihuahua puppy with a short tan coat.

She is dog No. 3618.

“Fable.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Fable’

“Fable” is a female husky with a smooth brown and buff coat.

She is dog No. 3044.

“Freckles.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Freckles’

“Freckles” is a female Australian Cattle Dog mix with a short red and white coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 3668.

“Lucious.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Lucious’

“Lucious” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.

He is dog No. 3690.

“May.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘May’

“May” is a female German Shepherd mix puppy with a short tan and white coat.

She is dog No. 3743.

“Mitch.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Mitch’

“Mitch” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short brindle and white coat.

He is dog No. 3733.

“Phoebe.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Phoebe’

“Phoebe” is a female American Pit Bull Terrier mix with a short black and white coat.

She is dog No. 3483.

“Princess.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Princess’

“Princess” is a female German Shepherd with a black and tan coat.

She has been spayed.

Princess is young and energetic. She previously lived around a smaller dog and has been around the office cat. She will benefit from training and attention.

She is dog No. 3669.

“Tucker.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Tucker’

“Tucker” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier puppy with a short white and gray coat.

He is dog No. 3717.

“Tyson.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Tyson’

“Tyson” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short gray and white coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 1863.

“Woodrow.” Photo courtesy of Clearlake Animal Control.

‘Woodrow’

“Woodrow” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier with a black and white coat.

He is dog No. 3281.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation are noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s website.

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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This debris screen in the city of Lakeport, California’s sewer system has to be cleaned on a daily basis due to garbage being placed into the system. Photo courtesy of the city of Lakeport.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – An influx of garbage – including rags and wipes – is causing damage to sewer systems around Lake County and, most recently, in the city of Lakeport.

In the wake of the toilet paper shortage that has occurred in response to the COVID-19 pandemic – particularly due to the need to shelter in place – local officials last month began reporting damage to sewer equipment because people are putting wrong materials into the systems.

This week, the city of Lakeport reported that its sewer system is getting overwhelmed due to large amounts of garbage being put into it.

Lakeport’s sewer division operates and maintains nearly 40 miles of sewer main lines, eight sewer lift stations, and a secondary treatment and disposal facility.

The city said that its Public Works Department’s personnel are having to clean the system’s debris screen on a daily basis and maintenance at the sewer pump stations is also being increased daily.

“People are advised that the public sewer system is designed for toilet paper and human waste only,” city officials said in a Tuesday statement. “Not allowed are baby wipes, disinfectant wipes, ‘flushable’ wipes, paper towels, or latex and disposable gloves. Please deposit these items in the appropriate trash and recycle containers.”

More information is available from the Lakeport Public Works Department at 707-263-3578.

Lakeport isn’t the first to report these issues.

In mid-March, the Clearlake Oaks County Water District asked people to remember that rags, paper towels, baby wipes, napkins and similar items are not flushable and were causing problems with their sewer system.

Then, Lake County Special Districts reported similar issues, putting out the call on its social media accounts to the public to “stop using the public sewer system as a garbage can.”

The agency said that the staff at the Southeast Regional Sewer Treatment Plant are removing almost 4 feet of non-flushable items – including wipes, paper towels and rags – from the intake bar screen on a daily basis.

Special Districts said the garbage puts the system in danger of sanitary overflows which contaminate waterways and land, and can create backups inside homes. It’s also likely to increase sewer fees.

“We are aggressively working to identify any connection that is abusing the sewer system and putting everyone at risk. We have new equipment that may help us identify the households that are doing this so the extra costs to remove and address this can be passed on to the offending parties. Videos of non-flushable items in one’s lateral will result in penalties and extra charges for that customer,” Special Districts said on its Facebook page.

Special Districts Administrator Jan Coppinger told Lake County News on Tuesday that the problem doesn’t seem to be decreasing any.

“Since the shelter in place, we had one sewer spill that was caused by wipes and rags,” Coppinger 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.


Garbage removed from the intake screen at the Southeast Regional Sewer Treatment Plant in Lake County, California. Photo courtesy of Lake County Special Districts.
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After being overwhelmed with the response to its Thursday emergency meeting on possible delays or suspensions to recreational fishing due to COVID-19, the California Fish and Game Commission said it has rescheduled the virtual meeting to next week.

Hundreds of people got onto the call – many of them angrily speaking over each other – and as a result, some of the commissioners were not to be able to get onto the call, which raised the issue of quorum.

Within minutes, the virtual meeting came to a halt.

Officials said the call is being rescheduled. The time and platform have so far not been determined.

Due to the global COVID-19 pandemic, the commission was set to discuss whether or not to temporarily grant authority to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to decide whether to delay, restrict, or suspend sport or recreational fishing in order to prevent and mitigate public health risks that may arise when people travel for fishing trips or congregate while participating in available fishing opportunities.

CDFW and the commission have received requests from county representatives and local health authorities requesting delays to sport or recreational fish openers such as the Eastern Sierra trout opener scheduled for April 25.

In a statement, Commission President Eric Sklar and California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham said they were “appreciative of the passion we heard” from those who joined the Thursday morning call.

“It is clear that the call volume was overwhelming and the technology wasn't ready. We acknowledge that this is a challenge as we attempt to navigate new technology for meetings,” they said.

“We are frustrated by what happened today and are looking for a remedy now. We understand that many members of the public and media were unable to join the call and because we also understand the importance to many of you, we need to ensure that you have an opportunity to provide input,” the statement from Sklar and Bonham said.

They said they have received a great deal of input from counties and tribes, “and we are grateful for that.”

The statement continued, “We also want to make it crystal clear that today's proposed decision was not about banning fishing statewide or locally. We are not contemplating statewide closure. The decision is to help prepare us to work with counties and tribes to make those decisions based on their requests. We are working on a tailored and surgical approach based on local needs and knowledge. We have already received some of these requests. Today's proposed action was an effort to become more nimble and ready to react when asked by a local entity to act."

When the meeting is rescheduled, it will be posted on the commission's website, sent out via listserv and advised to the media.

Comments can be made for the record at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – As people increasingly read and listen to books on their mobile phones or while traveling, many retail digital book subscription services can cost hundreds of dollars per year.

However, Lake County residents can access a wide selection of popular digital ebooks and audiobooks free from Lake County Library.

With a library card, members of the community can borrow from the digital collection by visiting the library website or downloading Libby, the award-winning one-tap reading app from Rakuten OverDrive.

If you don't yet have a library card, you can get an online library card instantly at the library website.

Named one of TIME's Best iPhone and Android Apps of 2018, Libby seamlessly connects first-time users and experienced readers with the popular digital library collections.

These tailored collections offer ebooks and audiobooks including bestsellers and new releases in a variety of topics.

Readers of all ages can select from virtually every subject ranging from mystery, romance, and children’s books to business and more.

Users can also listen to audiobooks, the fastest-growing segment of the publishing industry with the convenience of listening on the go. Libby provides an easy way to access ebooks and audiobooks all together on one app.

Readers may browse Lake County Library’s digital collection, instantly borrow titles and start reading or listening for free with a valid library card and a PIN. Your library PIN is usually the last four digits of the phone number on your library card registration. This service is compatible with all major computers and devices, iPhone, iPad, Android phones and tablets and Chromebook.

Through Libby, readers can also “send to Kindle”. All titles will automatically expire at the end of the lending period and there are no late fees. Readers can also download titles onto Libby for offline use.

To get started enjoying ebooks, audiobooks and more, visit library.lakecountyca.gov or download Libby today. For more information call the library at 707-263-8817.

Jan Cook is a library technician for the Lake County Library.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – With property taxes due this week, on Tuesday the Board of Supervisors addressed concerns raised by the public about why the county hasn’t chosen to delay the payment date.

April 10 is the due date for the final installment payment for the county’s secured property tax roll for the period of July 1, 2019, through June 30, 2020.

The county of Lake and the majority of the rest of the state’s 58 counties have not taken action to push back the due date, despite the impacts on the economy due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which has shuttered many businesses and required residents across the state to shelter in place.

One exception is the county of San Francisco County, which said it has extended its property tax deadline to May 4, the first business day after its shelter-in-place order is to be lifted.

Another is San Mateo County, which also has extended to May 4 its deadline for the second installment of property tax payments.

Over the weekend, the California State Association of Counties and the California Association of County Treasurers and Tax Collectors said counties were pledging to use “all existing authority to cancel penalties and other charges for homeowners, small businesses and other property owners that are unable to pay their property taxes due to circumstances caused by COVID‐19 on a case‐by‐case basis,” as Lake County News has reported.

The two organizations said that due to the importance of property tax revenue to counties, cities and schools, any delay in payments “would take tens of billions of dollars away from local government, create cash flow problems, and cause some to default on their loans, which would have significant long‐term effects on all local agencies in California.”

Gov. Gavin Newsom thanked the groups for committing to providing economic relief for residents and small businesses facing hardships due to COVID-19.

Lake County to offer waiver process

During its Tuesday meeting, the Board of Supervisors voted to add as a special item to its agenda a discussion with Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen, who answered questions about property tax payments and potential penalty relief for those who cannot pay their property taxes by the deadline due to impacts of COVID-19.

Ringen said she doesn’t have the authority to change the April 10 property tax due date, but she does have the ability to allow for a penalty waiver.

Property owners will have to provide documentation about why they cannot pay their property taxes in relation to impacts from COVID-19, she said. Each waiver will be reviewed on an individual basis.

She said the penalty waiver form will have to be submitted by June 30 along with a check for the base tax. Taxes can be paid online, by phone or by mail.

“We do recommend that the taxpayers pay if we can,” otherwise the penalty waiver process will be in place to help them, Ringen said.

County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson relayed to the board information from county Tax Administrator Patrick Sullivan, who reported that only San Francisco and San Mateo were taking specific actions to postpone the payment due dates. In those cases, they are waiting until their offices reopen.

County Counsel Anita Grant explained that, based on California Revenue & Taxation Code section 2619, if the dates for the property tax installments – Dec. 10 and April 10 – fall on a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday, the tax due date moves to the next business day.

The section also states, “If the board of supervisors, by adoption of an ordinance or resolution, closes the county's offices for business prior to the time of delinquency on the ‘next business day’ or for that whole day, that day shall be considered a legal holiday for purposes of this section.”

Grant explained that the two counties in question were extending the due date by their closures.

She also pointed to California Revenue & Taxation Code section 4985.2, which allows for charges and penalties from tax delinquency to be canceled by the auditor or the tax collector upon findings that include that the failure to pay on time was “due to reasonable cause and circumstances beyond the taxpayer's control, and occurred notwithstanding the exercise of ordinary care in the absence of willful neglect, provided the principal payment for the proper amount of the tax due is made no later than June 30 of the fourth fiscal year following the fiscal year in which the tax became delinquent.”

Grant noted during the discussion that most counties are doing what Ringen is proposing to do with the penalty waiver process.

Supervisor Bruno Sabatier said he believed Ringen is doing the right thing.

As of early Wednesday, the penalty waiver form did not yet appear to be available on the Treasurer-Tax Collector’s Office web page.

Frequently asked questions

The Lake County Tax Collector’s Office has offered the following frequently asked questions about property tax.

1. Can the tax collector extend the April 10, 2020, deadline?

No. The county does not have the authority under State law to extend or postpone the second installment property tax deadline of April 10, 2020.

2. County buildings are no longer open to the public, what are my payment options?

Although we are not accepting in-person payments currently at our office, taxpayers can pay online, via telephone, by mail, or drop box located on the first floor of the Courthouse.

Pay online at http://tax.lakecountyca.gov or by telephone 866-506-8035.

There is a convenience fee of 2.5 percent for credit/debit card payments or a $3 flat fee for an e-check.

3. What if I am unable to make a full property tax payment by April 10, 2020, due to the impact of COVID-19?

We encourage all property owners who can pay their taxes on time to do so. This revenue helps keep the government running and providing vital services that the public relies on, especially in times like these.

4. Can I request a penalty cancellation if I am unable to make a timely payment due to COVID-19?

Yes. For those taxpayers directly impacted by the COVID-19 virus and are unable to pay timely there is a penalty waiver process available after the April 10th deadline.

The penalty waiver process requires documentation as to how the taxpayer was impacted by the virus such as reduced hours, layoffs, business closure, hospitalization or other circumstances that prevented timely payment.

Penalty waiver form will be available on our website or by contacting our office at 707-263-2234.

5. I mailed in my property tax payment, however, your system is not showing my taxes as paid. What should I do?

Processing times for mailed payments may be delayed due to the current public health concerns. We will process all mailed payments as soon as possible.

6. If using the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) or courier services (FedEx, UPS, etc.) to deliver my property tax payment, and County Buildings are closed, how will my payment be received?

We are receiving mail from the USPS and courier services. If circumstances change, we have the ability to cancel penalties for payments that would have been mailed timely.

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’s Public Health officer said this week he believes measures to shelter in place and maintain social distancing are working in keeping the county’s COVID-19 cases low.

Dr. Gary Pace updated the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday on the local efforts to keep the community safe from the virus, which led to Pace issuing a shelter in place order that went into effect on Mach 19 and which earlier this week he extended to May 3.

Pace told the board that social distancing is having a major impact, slowing the spread of COVID-19 and allowing health care facilities to manage things at a more reasonable rate and giving testing technology a chance to catch up.

At that point, Lake County had its first two confirmed cases of COVID-19 – reported on Sunday and Monday – with the two individuals being close family members, Pace said.

A third case was confirmed later on Tuesday and reported on Wednesday. Lake County News asked Pace via email on Wednesday if the third case was related to the other two and how it was tracked. Pace would not answer the questions and instead said a press release would be issued.

That press release was vague about the third case, but from the scant details offered it appeared that the third case was not related to the other two, and that it also had come from an out-of-county contact.

During his Tuesday update to the board, Pace said the initial Lake County case involved contact with a known case at an out-of-county workplace, “which is important.”

Pace said the two family members who are the first two patients were responsible, they were sheltering in place and didn’t have much contact with the community. The first patient was at a workplace where wearing masks was a requirement.

The preventive actions the first two patients took have led to less concern about community spread. “We could be tracing a lot of different contacts right now,” but they’re not, said Pace.

Pace said masking and shelter in place are important. “They slow the spread.”

In the last week, state and federal officials have begun to recommend that everyone wear cloth masks when out of their homes. Pace said the No. 1 reason is that it’s actually protecting their neighbors. He said people who wear masks need to be thanked.

Members of the public are encouraged not to use N95 masks or surgical masks, which officials want to keep for emergency medical workers.

In his announcement about the updated shelter in place order earlier this week, Pace said that everyone must commit to “primary strategies to limit entry and spread of the virus,” including staying at home, isolating if symptoms develop, frequent hand washing and using cloth masks when out of the house.

Lake County News asked Pace to clarify whether people found not wearing masks could be cited.

“No citations at this point, but it is the right thing to do in consideration of your neighbors,” Pace said via email.

On Tuesday, Supervisor Rob Brown questioned the latest advice to use face masks after weeks of being told by officials to do just the opposite.

Brown said it’s clear that the goal was to save the mask stockpile for nurses and first responders. “They should have just told us that to begin with,” he said, adding that people aren’t stupid.

Efforts to flatten the curve and conduct surveillance

Pace said he believes the case curve is flattening thanks to social distancing and shelter in place measures.

“If we let it up too soon, then we just lose all the progress we’ve made,” he said, adding that he hopes the effort saves lives and prevents the medical infrastructure from getting overtaxed.

Pace said Public Health is now watching for community transmission. So far, Lake County’s initial cases don’t suggest that is occurring, but Pace acknowledged that it doesn’t mean it isn’t happening. Once it’s in the community at large, the virus will start spreading.

The effort to track community transmission isn’t just limited to the Public Health Department.

Separately, Lake County Special Districts said that over the past couple of weeks it has been working with a research group on the East Coast that has been testing the raw sewage which enters the district’s treatment plants for evidence of SARS CoV-2, the virus which causes COVID-19.

Special Districts said the presence of the virus in the wastewater stream can be an indicator for the presence of the virus in the community.

The first samples were taken on March 26 and subsequent samples have been taken on a weekly basis. Special Districts said results from the first round of testing were available April 7 and in the future test results should be available three to five days after sampling.

The first set of results from the March 26 sampling did not detect evidence of the virus in any of the four samples sent in, Special Districts said.

“The goal of the study is to help track the progress and intensity of the spread of SARS CoV-2 throughout the nation and provide public health agencies with additional data to help them respond. The sample we take is a 24-hour composite sample representing one day in time,” Special Districts reported.

Test results at other agencies show some variability in virus concentration over the course of time, such as with multiple tests in a week, and as such Special Districts said some day-to-day variability is expected.

“The testing performed does not address the viability of the virus in the wastewater; however our staff treats raw sewage as having any number of potential contaminants and utilizes the appropriate personal protective equipment to keep them safe,” Special Districts reported. “As results continue to be received we will provide that information to help better understand how this virus is affecting our community.”

Looking at ‘end strategies’

Pace told the board that “We’re still really early in it,” when it comes to the response and what is to come.

“I think we’re going to know a lot more in a month,” he said, noting that what is now happening in China, Singapore and Italy is being closely watched to see what does and doesn’t work. New York is at least a month ahead of California.

“The real end point here is when we get a vaccine,” and when health officials can either tell who has it with a blood test and who has to be vaccinated, Pace said, noting those developments are probably a year off.

An antibody test is now being evaluated in order to tell who has had the virus so they can go back out and lead a normal life. But he said during the discussion that it’s not yet clear how long immunity to the virus will last.

He said the coronavirus comes from a family of viruses that is also responsible for the common cold. A person has immunity to the common cold for about a year, and immunity to the SARS virus lasts longer.

As more testing for the virus becomes available, Pace said tests will be able to quickly confirm if people are sick and so they can be isolated. Right now, he said, they are basically shutting everything down because we don’t have the tools in place to evaluate the condition.

He said that, over the next couple of months, as more technology comes online, they can start backing off on restrictions and letting certain parts of life come back to normal. He expected travel will be limited, including allowing people from the Bay Area to come to Lake County.

Pace said if people follow the precautions now, the limits could be relaxed. However, he added, “The real risk is letting off too soon,” and then “it just explodes.”

He added, “We’re really working together in a collaborative fashion to move forward.”

During the meeting, Supervisor Brown raised issues with Pace’s timeline.

“That’s not going to fly,” Brown said about Pace’s estimate that the situation would become clearer in a few months.

Brown voiced concern about the community shutdown being prolonged.

The board also received questions from community members at the meeting, including one asking that Clear Lake be reopened.

“At this point, I don’t think that’s a good idea,” said Pace.

When restrictions start to be loosened, reopening the lake would be one of the first actions taken, Pace said. However, in the meantime, while being on the lake is low risk in and of itself, it draws people from out of the area.

Board Chair Moke Simon voiced his support for Pace and other health officials in dealing with the pandemic.

“The enemy that we have right now is invisible. The enemy that we have now is not understood completely. It is here in our community. And those decisions we’re making now will hopefully be fighting for life and for future freedoms because life will be different as we move forward through this process,” Simon said.

“We’re moving into a whole new era and I think life is going to have a different flavor to it when we get through this,” Pace said. “I really hope people can keep focused on how they want to live in the future and how they want the community to be and how we can take care of each other in this kind of challenging time because we are being called really to look out for each other and to take care of each other. It really makes you realize what’s valuable and what’s important when you have all the fun stuff in life taken away.”

Pace added that he thinks there are people alive today because of actions that have been taken over the last few weeks to control the spread of the virus.

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. – On Wednesday Lake County’s Public Health officer said a third positive case of COVID-19 has been confirmed in the county.

Dr. Gary Pace said the case was identified on Tuesday.

“Apparently, the initial contact with an infected person occurred out of the county, but there may have been some interactions in our community over the past few weeks,” Pace said in a Wednesday evening press release.

“This third case illustrates the importance of everyone maintaining ‘shelter in place,’ and wearing a mask when in the public because virus transmission can occur from people with no obvious symptoms,” Pace said.

So far, 211 negative tests have been received by Lake County Public Health, which said the total number of tests administered is not available.

The first two positive COVID-19 cases in Lake County were confirmed on Sunday and Monday. Pace said those two cases are close family members, with the initial case coming from a contact with a known COVID-19 case at an out-of-county workplace.

Lake County News asked Pace if the third case was related to the first two and how it was tracked. He would not answer the questions.

The news about Lake County’s third confirmed case comes as California’s overall case count closes in on 19,000, with about 500 deaths.

Earlier this week, Pace extended the county’s shelter in place order through May 3.

The three patients identified so far in Lake County have been very observant of the stay at home orders and have been cooperative with Public Health’s contact tracing and isolation plans, Pace said.

“Even with all of these steps that are being taken to slow the spread of the virus, we continue to monitor for signs of community transmission,” said Pace.

Pace said there has been a great deal of interest in learning where these patients live, and people have been trying to obtain some information about them.

“Public Health is legally responsible for protecting personal health information, including demographics that may lead to identification. In order to protect the identity of those community members who test positive for COVID-19, Public Health will not provide city/town of residence at this time. That being said, should a Lake County resident test positive for COVID-19, it is their personal choice as to whether to release information publicly regarding their location and/or identity,” Pace said.

He added, “In a small, tight-knit community like ours, even location may lead to patient identification. Sharing location information does not provide any benefit to the public in helping to prevent illness.”

In order to prevent the spread of illness, Pace recommended that everyone wear a mask when leaving their homes.

N95 and surgical masks are in short supply, and should be reserved for use by healthcare professionals at this time, he said.

Now that there are confirmed cases in Lake County, Pace said the public should consider every public place as a place that one could be exposed.

He asked that community members continue to follow all other recommended precautions, including following shelter-in-place and other public health orders, stopping all nonessential activities, and practicing good hygiene and routine cleaning.

Guidance and options for making your own cloth masks are provided here.

For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website.

If you still have questions, send an email request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call Public Health during business hours at 707-263-8174.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday approved an executive order that gives the city more tools to enforce the county and state orders related to COVID-19.

On March 28, City Manager Margaret Silveira, acting as the city’s director of emergency services, issued Executive Order 2020-01, which renders violations of orders issued by the Lake County Public Health officer or the governor of the state of California related to the COVID-19 emergency as violations of the Lakeport Municipal Code.

The executive order and the accompanying report can be seen in the agenda packet published below, pages 62 to 65.

Silveira told the council in its virtual Tuesday night meeting that the order gives the Lakeport Police Department the ability to issue administrative citations to anyone who violates such orders.

The city currently is working to enforce the countywide shelter in place order that’s been in effect since March 19 and was extended to May 3, as well as the governor’s statewide stay at home order, which also became effective March 19.

So far, Silveira said the police department has done a lot of education and sought voluntary compliance.

The council voted unanimously to ratify Silveira’s order.

The Lakeport Police Department reported on Tuesday that over the weekend its officers contacted 38 additional individuals related to the shelter in place order but issued no citations.

Last week, it issued its only citation to a woman found drinking wine in a courthouse parking lot. She was cited after repeatedly refusing to go home, as Lake County News has reported.

Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said that only warnings have been issued since then.

Police said they also checked the security of 68 businesses, and conducted more than four hours of foot patrol and 1,251 miles of vehicle patrol.

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.



040720 Lakeport City Council Agenda Packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

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