LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Community members are invited to pitch in to help clean up Clear Lake’s shoreline during a special event this month.

The Clear Lake Shoreline Clean-Up Day will take place from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 19.

The Lake County Water Resources Department’s AmeriCorps CivicSpark Fellows, in partnership with Lake County Special Districts and the city of Lakeport, are hosting the cleanup.

No pre-registration is required.

Participants are asked to check in with Water Resources staff at tables in Library Park in Lakeport, Redbud Park in Clearlake, or Lucerne Harbor Park in Nice anytime during the four hours of the cleanup on the day of the event.

Gloves, masks and bags will be provided. Social distancing guidelines will be followed.

Contact Connie Warthen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with any questions or for more information.

 

When many people think of a school nurse, they imagine a person who hands out Band-Aids for boo-boos.

But school nurses do so much more. They are school leaders who address the physical, mental and emotional health needs of students.

As the COVID-19 pandemic played out, many school nurses took on even greater responsibilities. These include monitoring and evaluating staff and students for COVID-19 exposure and symptoms, contact tracing and educating students, staff and community partners on vaccine and prevention measures. School nurses are also developing initiatives to deal with the anticipated increase in mental health services that students, families and staff will need in the post-pandemic world.

And yet, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that public elementary, middle and high schools aim to have one school nurse for every 750 students.

As a former school nurse and current nurse scientist and professor of nursing, I know that this one-size-fits-all model does not consider the full role and responsibilities of the school nurse.

What’s more, as far as I can tell, no published research or evidence supports this ratio. It’s been traced at least as far back as the early 1970s and the Education for All Handicapped Children Act of 1975, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.

Safety net for vulnerable kids

School nursing is a specialized practice that operates in environments very different from an acute care hospital setting. School nurses work alone, practice independently and are typically the sole health care provider in the building.

As part of our public health system, they play a critical role in disease surveillance, disaster preparedness, wellness and chronic disease prevention interventions, immunizations, mental health screening and asthma education.

And they are a safety net for society’s most vulnerable children. For example, if a student is experiencing food insecurity, the school nurse might coordinate with a community partner or school social worker to help the student and their family not go hungry.

Most school nurses will tell you they are unable to carry out many of these functions, often due to huge workloads or poor staffing.

I know from personal experience. From 2009 to 2014, I was the sole school nurse responsible for the health and safety of over 900 public elementary school children. This included special education classrooms for preschoolers and students with nonverbal autism. I now research how school health policies and practices effect the work environment of school nurses, and the challenges and barriers they face.

Research shows how a positive work environment for school nurses increases job satisfaction, reduces turnover and improves academic outcomes for students. A study of school nurses in Massachusetts schools demonstrated that for every dollar invested in school nursing, society would gain US$2.20 as a result of kids’ better health and disease prevention.

No one-size-fits-all ratio

A school nurse’s workload depends on a number of significant variables. For example, how many students in the school have chronic illnesses and need medication administered? How many students attend the school? What ages are they? What is the average number of student visits to the health office each school day? Are students spread across multiple buildings? What level of experience and specialized skills does the school nurse have?

The number of students in a school who are dealing with poverty or other health equity issues – including access to quality education, safe housing and health care – also impacts and increases the workload for school nurses.

These evidence-based variables can be used to guide school administrators and school nurses on what constitutes safe staffing. Making sure school nurses have a safe, appropriate workload is critical to ensuring that students have their health needs met at school.

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Parents who are concerned about their child’s health at school may want to find out how many students their child’s school nurse cares for. How many students does the school nurse see on a typical day? Is a school nurse in the building every day? Does the school nurse cover more than one building? What happens when there is an emergency, such as a child with a life-threatening allergic reaction? Where are the emergency care plans kept? Is there stock medication available such as epinephrine and albuterol for students with severe allergies or asthma?

I believe school nurses need more manageable workloads in order to provide the safe care needed for better student health and academic outcomes. This leads to better health not just in individuals but in communities that need it most.

Beth Jameson, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Seton Hall University

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Vice-Commander Kevin Kealey of the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County decided to repeat history from more than 100 years ago in observance of National Safe Boating Week.

Kealey had read about Mary Downen, a pioneer woman who in 1903 built a cabin on Mount Konocti which is still standing.

Downen lived alone so each day at 2 p.m., using a mirror, she would signal down to her daughter in Lakeport that she was OK and her daughter would signal back.

To prepare for this project, Kealey distributed a cord to which was attached a daylight signal mirror and whistle to the teacher and a class at Clearlake Creativity School and Pomo Elementary School.

The students learned about Mary Downen and Kealey gave a presentation on the use of the mirror using the reflection of the sun and the whistles to attract attention.

On May 25, Kealey with his son, Nash, a member of the Navy Seabees Reserve to assist him, helper Nikki and Flotilla Public Affairs Officer Dorothy De Lope, drove up Mount Konocti to set up the equipment needed adjacent to the fire watch tower located there.

They had with them a huge mirror and all necessary equipment to perform a Zoom presentation to the schools at scheduled times.

A demonstration was performed by holding up the huge mirror and reflecting it on the hillside toward the location of the first school. The students used their small signal mirrors to sight in on the reflection of the huge mirror.

The project was being recorded via Zoom and the youngsters could be seen and heard laughing, jumping up and down screaming “I can see it” on seeing the huge mirror’s reflection on the hillside. The project was then repeated for the next school at their scheduled time.

Following the reflection demonstrations, the students returned to their classroom to watch Kealey via Zoom as he walked around the mountain, describing and naming the several peaks.

He included a bit of the history of each peak and Mount Konocti as well as Clear Lake and Lake Thurston.

The object of this mirror project was to teach youngsters safety by wearing the signal mirror and whistle when walking or hiking in unfamiliar countryside and to use that equipment should they become lost.

It’s also important for them to attach the signal and whistle to their life jackets in case of a boating emergency that causes them to end up in the water.

Flotilla 88 has fitted and distributed free life jackets to youngsters up to 12 years old but because of COVID-19 restrictions the flotilla was unable to do this in 2020 and this year as well.

The Flotilla urges everyone to practice safe boating habits and to always wear life jackets.

Dorothy De Lope is public information officer for United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 88 of Lake County.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — What to do about wild pigs that have been causing damage at the city of Lakeport’s sewer property was a topic of discussion at the Lakeport City Council’s Tuesday evening meeting.

City staff went to the council with a proposal to enter into a contract with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife through its Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement, or SHARE, program to allow for hunts on a portion of the 700-acre City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District property.

Ultimately, the council decided it wanted to further study the problem.

Utilities Superintendent Paul Harris told the council that wild pigs regularly roam the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District property, or CLMSD, rooting up grass which decreases the feed for cattle at the site.

He said they’ve received complaints from neighboring properties and have been asked to mitigate the problem.

Fish and Wildlife staffers Victoria Barr and Joshua Bush attended the virtual meeting to discuss the SHARE program, which can contract with private landowners, government agencies and anyone else, Barr said.

“It really is just a public access program,” Barr said, explaining that all hunting regulations apply on participating properties, with landowners dictating the property rules.

Barr said there currently are 50 properties enrolled, including one city — Merced, the wastewater treatment plant for which has been in the program for seven years — along with the county of Colusa, some trust organizations but most being private landowners.

Bush, Fish and Wildlife’s unit biologist for Lake County, said that the wild or feral pig — known by the scientific name of Sus scrofa — is invasive to California.

“They cause lots of damage on private lands all throughout the state,” Bush said.

Their ancestors include domestic pigs brought to the state in the early 1700s and allowed to become feral and Eurasian wild boars brought to Monterey County for sport hunting in the 1920s, Bush said.

Today, Bush said wild boars and feral pig hybrids are found in 56 of 58 California counties.

Bush said they’re a game mammal and can be hunted year-round with a license and tags. Landowners can apply for depredation permits to remove pigs from their properties.

The US Department of Agriculture estimates wild pigs cause $1.5 billion of damage in the United States annually, Bush said in his report.

Surrounding private lands experience heavy depredation pressure on pasture, grazing land, landscaping and fencing. “They don’t respect property boundaries,” Bush said.

He said eradicating the pigs isn’t possible. Instead, Fish and Wildlife is looking for ways to mitigate damage and offer strategies to utilize the pigs as a resource.

Bush showed a picture of the Crazy Creek glider port in Middletown where a new golf course is being built. In one night, the pigs tore up all the new sod that had just been placed.

Fish and Wildlife staff met with city officials to discuss ensuring safety and a quality hunt with proposed measures including signage, procedures to sign in and out of the property, an informational flyer, and a requirement to use only archery or shotguns, not rifles, Bush said.

Councilwoman Stacey Mattina said immediate concerns from the public had included the use of firearms and hunters not being guided while on the property.

Barr said having a guide would be up to the city, but based on permit draws a maximum of four hunters would be on the property at any time.

Bush said that, for the success of the hunt, he suggested it be limited to shotguns and archery, not just archery.

“Pigs are pretty dangerous,” said Councilman Michael Froio, adding that allowing archery only could put hunters at a disadvantage.

Businessman and hunter Bobby Dutcher said if pigs are hunted for a few weeks, they’ll leave. He said the CLMSD property has been a safe haven for the pigs for years due to no hunting there.

“It’ll get better very quickly” if there is a guide and hunters out there trying to get rid of them, with Dutcher adding that the property should be hunted.

Bruce Brugler, who owns property to the west of the CLMSD property, said he’s a big supporter of the SHARE program but he did not support the plan with no guides. He said he also was not happy that the proposal came up before anyone had talked to him about it.

Like Dutcher, he said that if pigs are hunted in an area, they learn not to come around. “I just don’t think it is the right property for a SHARE program,” Brugler said.

Another neighbor, Michael Keithly, submitted a letter in which he also raised concerns about hunters coming onto his land and harming cattle. He said supervised guided hunts or youth hunts would be better.

In the end, the council didn’t move forward on the SHARE program proposal on Tuesday night.

Councilman Michael Green said the Fish and Wildlife proposal was sound. “CDFW brought a good plan to you tonight,” he told fellow council members.

The council as a whole took the neighbors’ concerns into account and reached consensus to direct staff to look at other options that could involve hunting.

Also on Tuesday, the council held a workshop on its 2021-22 fiscal year budget and discussed plans for the July 4 celebration and revisions to its classification system.

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.

An analysis of California public health data shows that workers in high-risk job sectors have accounted for a large portion of deaths during the pandemic.

California is getting a closer look at exactly how workers in high-risk industries across the state have borne the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic.

For the first time, UC Merced's Community and Labor Center, or CLC, has analyzed the increase in the number of pandemic-era deaths of working-age people.

The analysis of data from the California Department of Public Health finds that deaths among Californians aged 18 to 65 increased by 25% during the first 10 months of the pandemic.

The number of deaths was recorded as 58,184 in 2019 and that figure went up to 72,554 in 2020. Out of the 14,370 additional deaths, 12,500 of them (87%) were workers.

The research found that workers in 10 California industries experienced an over 30 percent increase in deaths during the same 10 months.

Those 10 job sectors, which are considered “high risk,” are identified as warehousing, agriculture, bars, food processing, wholesale trade, restaurants/food services, nursing care, landscaping, grocery and building services.

The state has identified key job sectors at high risk of COVID-19 spread, including agriculture, food processing (including meatpacking), grocery or retail, restaurants/food services and warehouse/logistics.

Warehouse workers had the highest statewide increase in pandemic-related deaths, listed at 57 percent.

Between March and December 2020, 334 more warehouse workers died than in the same period in 2019. Agriculture workers ranked second with 565 additional deaths.

Food-chain workers were the most affected as employees in food-supply chain industries made up four of the 10 California industries with the highest increase in deaths.

Exactly who are these workers in the top 10 industries with the highest pandemic-era death increases.

Many of these job sectors have traditionally had high rates of migrant workers — from food-chain industries, building services (including janitorial work) and landscaping to nursing care facilities.

A prior analysis found California's high-risk workers, compared with those in non-high-risk sectors, were far more likely to be immigrants, particularly non-citizens.

Prior research also suggested that these high-risk workers lived in households that were, on average, larger, more likely to have children and twice as likely to have multiple families living under the same roof.

California's high-risk workers also earned lower wages, as a whole, had lower home ownership rates and experienced higher rates of poverty.

With this analysis of increases in pandemic-era deaths in high-risk industries, proponents are hoping to call attention to worker deaths on an industry-level basis, as well as express the need for more education and employer compliance.

"The increased rate of pandemic-related deaths among high-risk workers indicates a vulnerable workforce and suggests the need for more worker education and enforcement of worker rights," CLC executive director Ana Padilla said. "Education and outreach to low-wage immigrant, non-citizen workers should emphasize their rights as workers, workplace health and safety hazards and protections. Access to the same worker benefits and resources that workers who are citizens receive is also critical for preventing the spread of COVID-19."

Furthermore, rights advocates are urging stronger enforcement of workplace laws throughout all job sectors.

"Public agencies regulating workplace health and safety should be adequately funded and staffed to ensure robust enforcement of workplace health and safety standards across all industries, particularly those continuing to pose a high risk of COVID-19 spread," CLC co-director and sociology professor Edward Flores said. "Agency staffing should also reflect the many languages spoken by workers in California's high-risk industries."

Juan Flores works for UC Merced.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Changes are on the way for a south county program that helps those in need during the holidays.

As of July 1, 2021, Spirit of the Season will be under the leadership of the Hidden Valley Community Church.

Paula Brown Oh and her spouse Scott Brown will be the new coordinators, said former coordinator Hedy Montoya.

After almost 20 years of helping to feed families at Christmas from the Middletown, Hidden Valley Lake and Cobb areas, and making sure children's wishes for a modest gift were fulfilled, it was time to offer the holiday program to another group.

As a grassroots program, always supported only by the donations of individuals, businesses and clubs, Spirit of the Season has been able to gather volunteers to give out turkeys and food boxes to more than 120 families every year or more than 450 individuals.

The Wish Tree portion of Spirit of the Season made sure specific gifts that children asked for were fulfilled primarily under the guidance of Sandy Tucker and her helpers, including Mary Ann Kenny and Laura Pimentel.

Other volunteers who made the program a success are Cynthia Tice and Paula Brown Oh, working with data collection and volunteers respectively.

Montoya offered special thanks to Lorrie Gray of the former Lake County Hunger Task Force and Tammy Alakszay of North Coast Opportunities. Wendy Gattoni has also volunteered her time to assist with community outreach, especially in the local south county schools.

Letters of gratitude have been sent to Spirit of the Season’s 2020 holiday season donors and especially to entities such as Scully Packing, Foods Etc., Perry's Deli, the Middletown Community Methodist Church, the First Baptist Church of Middletown and Hardester's Markets for their loyal support and donations over the many years, Montoya said.

“To the many volunteers, too many to mention who have handed out food boxes, helped with registration, tracked down a lost gift or went shopping, and so much more I am deeply grateful," Ms. Montoya continued. "I pray that our donors and our volunteers will continue to support Paula and Scott Brown in the coming year.”

Paula and Scott Brown can be reached at 707-953-3088.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County residents ventured out by the thousands to events over the Memorial Day weekend, a time that has traditionally been the official beginning of the summer season but this year also marks a return to a more familiar pattern of community life and celebration.

As the transition from full COVID-19 lockdown to reopening continues over the coming weeks, several celebrations that had been canceled last year were back, in modified form, this weekend.

In Lakeport, the Lakeport Main Street Association presented the Memorial Day parade on Saturday.

While the association had encouraged people to watch it online, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen said it was a good turnout, with the crowd size in the hundreds.

“People were spread out well from Martin Street all the way to the end at Clearlake Avenue,” Rasmussen said, adding the event went well with no problems.

One of the changes this year was that there was no Kiwanis and 4-H breakfast before the parade, Rasmussen said.

In Lower Lake, the Lower Lake Daze event came back on Sunday with its parade but changed from a barbecue in the park to a street fair that stretched along the length of Main Street downtown.

It was a change that the event's organizers, members of the Lower Lake Community Action Group, hoped would offer more safety for the sake of social distancing, and community members who visited gave it their approval.

“I have never seen so many people there. We attend every year. I think everyone liked the change. I have only heard positive things about it,” said Clearlake resident Fawn Williams.

She added, “It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying themselves.”

The warm three-day weekend culminated on Monday morning with the Middletown Cemetery District’s Memorial Day service, focusing on the sacrifice that’s at the core of the holiday.

Despite very hot weather — it was around 90 degrees at the time the ceremony started at 9 a.m. — mistress of ceremonies Linda Diehl-Darms said it drew a “wonderful turnout,” estimating between 60 and 75 people were in attendance.

“People are ready to get out,” said Diehl-Darms.

This year’s ceremony featured the Lake County Military Funeral Honors Team, with the 4-H Club carrying out the flag ceremony, and Girl Scouts Troop No. 10403 and Daisy Troop No. 10917 assisting with wreaths, programs and flag placement on the 219 veterans’ graves at the cemetery on Butts Canyon Road.

Supervisor Moke Simon read the names the veterans buried at Middletown Rancheria, his predecessor on the board Jim Comstock read the names of the veterans buried in the Middletown Cemetery, Voris Brumfield gave the benediction, musicians David Neft and Kathleen Escude performed, and the Lions Club once again provided equipment and set up.

A special addition to this year’s ceremony was the dedication of headstones for three Civil War veterans, Hiram Cook, Phillip Maxwell and David Henry Thorne, who are interred at the cemetery. Dean Enderlin, past department commander of the Sons of the Union Veterans of the Civil War, and Cindy Eddy, past department president of the Auxiliary for three Civil War veterans, performed the dedication.

Diehl-Darms said she heard good comments about the memorial. “It was a really good celebration.”

She said another major summertime event — Middletown Days — will return this year over Father’s Day weekend.

The Middletown Central Park Association will hold the 60th annual event June 18 to 20.

There will be a parade, barbecue, cornhole tournament, dancing, cowboy team races, mutton bustin’, cutest cowboy and girl contest, and more.

“It’s a packed weekend,” Diehl-Darms 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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will honor a retiring police sergeant and consider development agreements with two cannabis operations when it meets this week.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, June 3, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The public may attend, however, the council chambers will have limited capacity and attendees must adhere to masking and social distancing mandates.

The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom.

The agenda can be found here.

Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to Administrative Services Director/City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. You can also visit the city’s town hall site and submit written comments at https://www.opentownhall.com/portals/327/forum_home. Identify the subject you wish to comment on in your email’s subject line or in your town hall submission.

To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. on Thursday, June 3.

At the start of the meeting, the council will present a proclamation commending Clearlake Police Sgt. Rodd Joseph on His retirement.

The council also will get a presentation by Housing and Community Development on the RecoverCA Owner-Occupied Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Program and offer a proclamation declaring June 2021 as LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

On Thursday, the council will hold public hearings to consider development agreements with two cannabis operations.

The first is with Akwaaba Inc., and the second is with Green Growth Solutions LLC.

Staff reports for the meeting explain that Akwaaba is proposing to modify its existing business operation involving a storefront cannabis dispensary located at 3995 Alvita Ave. (colloquially referred to as 14196 Lakeshore Drive) in order to engage in retail, cultivation, distribution and manufacturing.

Green Growth Solutions LLC is proposing a commercial cannabis operation located at 2560 Highway 53, on 15.37 acres of vacant, industrially zoned property on the east side of Highway 53.

City staff said the proposed operation would involve cultivation, processing and wholesale distribution from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. There would be up to six employees at normal peak shifts with extra staff to accommodate the harvest season.

It also will include a 10,000-square-foot single-story prefabricated metal building for processing and distribution, a two-story prefabricated metal building for indoor cultivation and administrative uses totaling 40,000 square feet, and hybrid greenhouses for indoor cultivation totaling 36,000 square feet between two structures.

If approved, the two agreements will be set for second and final readings at the council's June 17 meeting.

Under business, council members will consider rejecting all bids for the demolition of all structures at 14525 Lakeshore Drive after having received only one valid bid.

On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote — are the award of a contract with ECORP for the Dam Road Roundabout Project in the amount of $63,175.968 and authorize the city manager to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments; continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on March 14, 2020, and ratified by council action on March 19, 2020; continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9, 2017, and ratified by council action Oct. 12, 2017; consideration of Resolution No. 2021-28, approving a temporary road closure for the community block party; minutes of the May meetings; and warrants.

The council will meet in closed session following the public portion of the meeting to hold another conference in ongoing negotiations with the Clearlake Municipal Employees Association, Clearlake Police Officers Association and Clearlake Middle Management Association, and to discuss an existing case of litigation against the county of Lake, Board of Supervisors and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara C. Ringen.

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

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Police Department said its officers, along with agents with the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control, participated in a statewide underage drinking enforcement operation.

On May 22, the agencies took part in a statewide underage drinking enforcement operation, referred to as a “shoulder tap.”

A shoulder tap is a covert operation in which an undercover minor decoy volunteer solicits adults to purchase alcohol for them.

The minor decoy makes it clear to the adult that they are a minor and they have money to purchase the alcohol but cannot because of their age.

If an adult purchases the minor alcohol they are placed under arrest and either booked at the county jail or released on a citation at the scene.

During the operation, the team visited six separate businesses that sell alcohol. The minor decoy asked 28 adults to purchase alcohol for them.

At approximately 1:10 p.m. May 22, the minor decoy asked and was provided alcohol by Donald Johnson of Sunnyvale.

The team contacted Johnson and subsequently placed him under arrest for providing alcohol to a minor. Jonson was released with a citation at the scene.

The penalty for furnishing alcohol to a minor is a minimum $1,000 fine and 24 hours of community service. The program is intended to reduce the availability of alcohol to minors.

The Lakeport Police Department said it is committed to enforcing alcohol-related laws and keeping alcohol out of the possession of minors.

This project is part of the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control’s Alcohol Policing Partnership and was funded through grant funds the Lakeport Police Department was awarded through that program.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Looking at the housing market statistics from this past April versus April of 2020 shows that there continues to be low inventory and high demand.

Spring is traditionally a time of more activity in the market and we are seeing that again this year.

Compared to March, active listings are up slightly in April — March had 128 listings compared to April’s 136.

Sales quickly follow — March had 73, April had 96 — as many homes are selling as soon as they hit the market.

Here is a snapshot of the Lake County real estate market for April 2021 compared to April 2020.

Active listings throughout Lake County were 136, which is down 51.1% from April 2020.

That breaks down as follows:

— Lakeport: 21, down 19.2%.
— Kelseyville: 25, down 63.8%.
— Hidden Valley Lake: 17, down 63%. That’s notably up from March, when active listings in Hidden Valley Lake only totaled nine.
— Clearlake: 26, down 42.2%.

Existing home sales throughout Lake County totaled 96 in April 2021, up 57.4% from April 2020.

By community, those sales are divided this way:

— Lakeport: 11.
— Kelseyville: 19, up 18.8%
— Hidden Valley Lake: 24, 200% over last year. This could be due to lack of sales in that area due to COVID-19 restrictions.
— Clearlake: 17, up 54.5%.

The existing home median price throughout Lake County for April 2021 was $325,000, up 19.5% from April 2020.

Prices by community are:

— Lakeport: $385,000, up 2.7%.
— Kelseyville: $330,000, up 21.8%.
— Hidden Valley Lake: $361,000, up 8.9%.
— Clearlake: $220,000, up 5.3%.

Throughout Lake County, for April 2021, median days on the market were 17.

In Lakeport, days on market were 12; Kelseyville, 31; Hidden Valley Lake, 16; and Clearlake, 13.

Throughout Lake County, for April 2021, sales to list price was 100%, showing homes are
priced correctly are selling.

In Clearlake, Hidden Valley Lake and Lakeport, sales to list price also was 100%, while in Kelseyville it was 98.2%.

Throughout Lake County for April, 20.6% of active listings had price reductions, showing that even in a market with low inventory and homes selling quickly pricing correctly is crucial
for selling.

In Lakeport, 33.3% of active listings had price reductions, while in Kelseyville it was 24%, Hidden Valley Lake, 5.9%, and Clearlake, 3.8%.

It is always interesting to see how the market continues to change. Will we continue to see such low inventory and quick sales?

Tune in next month to see how May's statistics compare.

Tama Prokopowich is president-elect of the Lake County Association of Realtors.

LUCERNE, Calif. — Lake County Sheriff’s Office detectives are investigating a shooting incident that occurred in Lucerne on Sunday night.

Shortly before 9:45 p.m. Sunday deputies and firefighters were dispatched to a home in the 3300 block of Ogden Road on the report of a gunshot victim.

Firefighters requested an air ambulance to respond to Sutter Lakeside Hospital, according to radio traffic.

Scanner traffic indicated that it took nearly an hour for an air ambulance to get to Sutter Lakeside’s helipad, with no other helicopters available.

Lt. Corey Paulich confirmed to Lake County News on Monday that the sheriff’s office is investigating the shooting.

Paulich said the shooting victim was flown to an out-of-area hospital and is in stable condition.

No arrest has been made as detectives continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding the shooting, Paulich said.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Lake County Sheriff’s detectives at 707-262-4238.

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. — The Lakeport City Council this week will discuss a proposal to allow wild pig hunts on city sewer district property and will consider final plans for the city’s July 4 celebration.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 1.

The agenda can be found here.

To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799. The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the City Clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, June 1.

Indicate in the email subject line "for public comment" and list the item number of the agenda item that is the topic of the comment. Comments that read to the council will be subject to the three minute time limitation (approximately 350 words). Written comments that are only to be provided to the council and not read at the meeting will be distributed to the council prior to the meeting.

On Tuesday, Utilities Superintendent Paul Harris will ask the council to authorize City Manager Kevin Ingram entering into a Shared Habitat Alliance for Recreational Enhancement, or SHARE, agreement with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to address wild pigs on the City of Lakeport Municipal Sewer District property.

The district, or CLMSD, has 700 acres at the city’s southwest corner, from Linda Lane South to Highway 175.

“The bulk of this land is used for the disposal of treated wastewater. Numerous sprinkler fields apply water to the grass lands in which the cattle then graze. A lease agreement is in place to provide feed and water for cattle grazing,” Harris said in his written report.

“Over the past several months there has been a noticeable increase in the population of wild pigs. Numerous pigs regularly roam the property where large areas of grass are being destroyed by rooting. This creates issues with disposal efficiency and significantly decreases the feed for the cattle. We have also received complaints from neighboring properties asking if we can mitigate this issue,” Harris’ report continued.

He said the city has contacted the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to discuss ways to deal with the pigs, and the agency recommended the city consider the SHARE program, which allows public access for property designated by the owner for controlled hunting purposes as regulated by CDFW.

Harris said CDFW will be on hand at Tuesday night’s meeting to discuss the program and answer questions.

In other business, with the city of Lakeport planning to resume its annual July 4 celebration this summer, on Tuesday the council will be asked to approve event Application 2021-016, with staff recommendations, for the July 4 fireworks display.

Ingram’s report on the discussion explains that the council, at its April 20 meeting, directed staff to move forward with the July 4 event, with COVID-19 mitigation measures, and to enter into a contract for a fireworks display.

At that time, Ingram said the council asked city staff to reassess a lighting discharge area for fireworks and bring it back for review.

Ingram said the plan includes a discharge area for safe and sane fireworks that is being expanded to include Fourth Street and a large portion of the parking lot between Fourth and Fifth streets.

“This will not only provide adequate space for social distancing but also encourage the discharge in a secure, fire-safe, legal area,” Ingram said.

In addition to that change, he said staff are recommending mitigation measures including moving the fireworks barges to a location visible from the Natural High and Dutch Harbor areas and Library Park; allowing the public to view displays from Natural High and Dutch Harbor in order to spread attendees over a larger area; prohibiting alcohol sales or use; collaborating with Lake County Public Health on a COVID mitigation plan which includes noticing participants via signage and other means of the most current requirements on masking and social distancing; and using radio, social media, website and other outlets to communicate “broadly and frequently” with the public on the COVID mitigation plans.

“Staff believes that with these measures in place, the event can take place safely and requests approval,” Ingram said in his report.

Also on Tuesday, the council will hold a workshop to review the recommended FY 2021-22 budget, consider adopting a resolution approving revisions to the City’s Classification System and get a report from Ed Robey on the Public, Educational and Governmental cable television channel.

On the consent agenda — items usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances, minutes of the regular council meeting on May 18 and the special meeting on May 25; approval of event application 2021-015, with staff recommendations, for the 2021 Sponsoring Survivorship Fun Walk/Run on Oct. 2; approval of event application 2021-017, with staff recommendations, for the Summer Concert Series to be held Fridays in Library Park from July 16 through Aug. 20; approval of event application 2021-018, with staff recommendations, for the 2021 Rhythm and Brews event on June 26; approval of side letter agreement for the City of Lakeport Police Officers Association amending insurance provisions of the memorandum of understanding.

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.