New California Highway Patrol officers Jared Wade and Zach Cornel. Courtesy photo. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office is welcoming two new officers.
Jared Wade and Zach Cornel were among 142 new officers who graduated from the CHP Academy in West Sacramento, on Feb. 4.
After 27 weeks of intense training, the group was officially sworn in.
Officers Wade and Cornell will receive on-field training with experienced officers for approximately four months and later be on their own.
Lake County is a unique area and different from large metropolitan areas, and will challenge these new officers’ skills, the CHP’s Clear Lake Area office reported.
The office’s goal is to get these new CHP Officers ready to face the challenges they will encounter on a day-to-day basis so they can provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the people of California.
Officer Jared Wade is a Lake County local. He attended Upper Lake High School graduating in 2013. He chose the CHP because he knew local officers and was advised this was a great agency to work for. He got the chance to come back to his hometown and serve the community in which he grew up.
“The CHP academy was a great experience, tough, but great,” Wade said.
Wade wants to make our roads safer, change the overall negative views of law enforcement and serve his community.
Officer Zach Cornell is from Chico. He attended Chico High School, graduating in 2010.
Officer Cornell has friends and family in law enforcement including an uncle with the CHP. He chose CHP because of the diversity of the state and places to work.
He described his stay at the CHP Academy as “Challenging, but well worth it.
Cornell wants to give back to the community, build public trust, and make roads safe for family, friends and the motoring public.
Both officers encourage anyone thinking about joining the CHP’s ranks to go online and check it out.
Visit www.chpcareers.com or contact your local CHP Office for more information.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — A judge on Tuesday put off the sentencing of a former Lakeport business owner facing prison for possession of child pornography.
Judge Shanda Harry continued the sentencing hearing of Jeffery Scott Cramer, 60, to April, said District Attorney Susan Krones.
Two weeks ago, when Cramer’s sentencing hearing had been set to take place, Harry rejected a plea agreement Krones’ office had reached with Cramer, who was arrested in May 2020 as the result of a Lake County Sheriff’s Office investigation.
Investigators said Cramer, who formerly owned Main Street Bicycles, had uploaded child pornography through social media accounts.
The District Attorney’s Office offered a plea agreement to Cramer that had him entering a no contest plea to felony possession of child pornography in exchange for dismissing a charge of bringing obscene materials that depict a minor in a sex act into the state.
The agreement would allow him to serve no prison time but instead to do up to two years of probation, along with lifetime registration as a sex offender.
Among her reasons, Harry said Cramer didn’t just have child pornography in his possession, but that he created “tribute videos” of himself masturbating to the images and then uploaded them to pornography sites.
“This was not a passive exploration of pictures,” Harry said at the time.
Cramer’s attorney, Jane Gaskell of Santa Rosa, asked for more time, explaining that the plea was based on Cramer receiving probation, not prison time.
In response, Harry continued the hearing until Tuesday afternoon.
On Tuesday, the decision was made to continue the hearing again until 3 p.m. April 4 in Harry’s courtroom.
Krones said Harry wanted to update the information in the probation report that advises her on the sentence. The defense also asked for that report to be updated.
The defense indicated on Tuesday that Cramer will not withdraw his plea, Krones said.
Krones said Cramer is still looking at a prison sentence, as Harry had indicated at the previous hearing.
She said it’s likely to be a two-year sentence, “but obviously we will not know until the sentencing.”
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 Yuba Community College District is seeking applications from community members who wish to serve as an appointed member of the board of trustees until the next regularly scheduled election for governing board members, which is November 2022.
Trustee Bill Roderick of Lake County has resigned, and so the district is seeking to fill his seat for the remainder of this year.
Trustee Area 7 covers a portion of southern Lake County and the Northshore, as well as Colusa and Glenn counties.
The Yuba Community College District Board is responsible for the performance of Woodland Community College and Yuba College, which serve 13,000 students and provide vital educational services for the communities in the region.
Woodland Community College includes the Lake County Campus in Clearlake.
The board is seeking candidates who have the ability and time to fulfill the responsibilities of being a member of the board, which include:
• Participate fully in the work of the board, which includes attending all board meetings and key college events, studying and discussing policy issues, and participating in trustee education programs. • Be knowledgeable about the communities served by the District and be willing to act on behalf and for the benefit of those communities. • Be committed to community colleges and their missions; understand educational, social, and economic policy issues. • Engage in balancing the needs of many diverse groups; be able to contribute and build consensus. • Contribute to effective board functioning and support the authority of the board as a whole.
A person is eligible to be a member of the governing board if they are:
• At least 18 years of age; • A California citizen and registered voter; • Resident of the community college district and trustee area from which elected; and • Not disqualified by other laws to hold public office.
The board of trustees meets the second Thursday of each month at 5 p.m. Regularly scheduled monthly board meetings are held at the YCCD District Office in Yuba City.
Applications are due no later than March 10, 2022.
The board will consider candidates and make the provisional appointment on March 28, 2022.
Please contact the chancellor’s office at 530-741-6972 to indicate an interest or suggest a possible candidate for the position.
More information and application materials are available via email request to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or on the web at https://www.yccd.edu/board/provisional-trustee-appointment/.
Editor’s note: The district updated the date for consideration of the candidates to March 28.
California State Assembly Members Luz Rivas (D-San Fernando Valley) and Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), in partnership with Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara, formally introduced legislation on Wednesday that would be the first in the nation to create a statewide advance warning and ranking system of extreme heat waves in order to help save lives, reduce hospitalizations, and protect vulnerable communities.
State Senators Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles) and Bob Hertzberg (D-Los Angeles) are principal co-authors of this legislation.
California has experienced record-breaking heat waves in recent years that are projected to increase in frequency and severity.
In 2020, emergency room visits increased by 10 times the normal number during record-breaking heat as high as 121 degrees in Los Angeles County.
California’s 2021 heat wave broke records across the state, with Sacramento topping out at 109 degrees and the Coachella Valley having its hottest year ever with temperatures reaching 123 degrees. Temperatures climbed to near 90 degrees in Los Angeles during Super Bowl LVI, when many people are unprepared to experience high heat in mid-February.
The idea of ranking heat waves was first proposed by Commissioner Lara and the California Climate Insurance Working Group, which issued a new report in 2021 aimed at protecting Californians who are more vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
According to the newly introduced bill, “[h]eat waves and extreme heat are responsible for more deaths than all other extreme weather events, and disproportionately impact communities of color, persons with disabilities, seniors, and low-income communities.”
“Extreme heat waves are the deadliest climate threat that California is facing today. With more heat waves forecast in the years ahead, it is essential to public health and safety that we help Californians prepare, especially our most vulnerable,” said Commissioner Lara, who was a member of the Climate Insurance Working Group. “Giving advance warning and ranking these heat waves help us confront the growing threat of extreme heat with actions that people and communities can take to stay safe and healthy.”
“California’s climate has become increasingly erratic — we must take bold action to protect our residents from climate crises like extreme heat, which has intensified in both severity and occurrence,” said Assemblywoman Luz Rivas (D-Los Angeles), chair of the Assembly Natural Resources Committee. “For years, I have elevated extreme heat policy issues because we cannot keep leaving our most vulnerable residents exposed to dangerous heat waves without proper warning or preparation. I’m excited to work with Commissioner Ricardo Lara and my colleague Eduardo Garcia, both of whom are environmental leaders and champions for Californians disproportionately suffering from the effects of rising temperatures.”
“Extreme heat is a matter of life and death in my district and throughout California. We can no longer ignore this escalating climate consequence as it jeopardizes health and safety conditions for residents,” said Assemblymember Eduardo Garcia (D-Coachella), chair of the Assembly Utilities and Energy Committee. “Assemblymember Luz Rivas, Insurance Commissioner Lara, and I are taking legislative action and enlisting support to better prepare and protect our most vulnerable communities with this first-in-the-nation, lifesaving heat ranking system.”
"When it’s 110 and above in the San Fernando Valley, it's the people with medical issues who are homebound without shade, sufficient insulation, AC, or stable power supplies that I worry most about. This legislation is needed to notify everyone of what is coming and mobilize resources to those who need it," said Senator Henry Stern (D-Los Angeles), Chair of the Senate Natural Resources and Water Committee and Joint Legislative Committee on Emergency Management.
“We are no longer in the business of climate change as a distant problem to deal with in the future, we are seeing the devastating impacts of a changed climate today, especially here in California,” said Senate Majority Leader Emeritus Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys). “Extreme heat is killing Californians, disproportionately impacting communities of color and our most vulnerable. This heat ranking system is vital to protecting our state and will save countless lives.”
AB 2238 directs the California Environmental Protection Agency, or Cal EPA, to work in coordination with the California Department of Insurance and the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research, or OPR, to create and implement a statewide extreme heat ranking system.
Heat-wave ranking would include the projected health impact and meteorological data, such as maximum and minimum temperatures, as well as how long a heat wave is anticipated to persist.
The Integrated Climate Adaptation and Resiliency at OPR would undertake a communications strategy and planning guidance for local communities in consultation with a variety of local stakeholders.
This bill also directs the Department of Insurance to study the insured and uninsured costs related to past extreme heat waves in order to identify “insurance gaps” of uncovered costs and promote more effective risk communication and planning.
An early warning ranking system for heat waves would further empower local governments and communities to plan in advance and implement specific policies to reduce the impacts from the harshest heat waves, especially on vulnerable communities and those more susceptible to extreme heat.
Commissioner Lara and the authors of AB 2238 first proposed the bill last November at the international climate conference, COP 26 — the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference of Parties — in Glasgow, Scotland.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport Planning Commission is set to hold a special meeting on Wednesday during which it will elect its officers, discuss a proposal for a senior housing apartment complex and consider two applications for short-term rentals.
The commission will meet at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 16, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. In accordance with updated guidelines from the state of California and revised Cal OSHA Emergency Temporary Standards, persons who are not fully vaccinated for COVID-19 are required to wear a face covering at this meeting.
To speak on an agenda item, access the meeting remotely here; the meeting ID is 986 6166 5155. To join by phone, dial 1-669-900-9128.
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 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 16.
Please 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 are 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 before the meeting.
On Wednesday, the commission will hold its annual election of officers.
The commission also is set to consider approving a density bonus application from AMG and Associates for the Bevins Street Senior Apartments.
Community Development Director Jenni Byers’ report said the proposed project is a 40-unit senior rental apartment complex located on 3.1 acres at 447 Bevins St.
It will be located directly west of the Bella Vista senior housing complex, which AMG and Associates built, Byers reported.
Byers said the Bevins Street Senior Apartments will include a mix of 32 one-bedroom units and eight two-bedroom units, a 1,000 square foot community building with a common kitchen, exercise room, laundry facility and business center, a community garden with raised planter beds, bocce ball court and a fenced dog park. It will target seniors earning up to 30 to 60% of the area median income for Lake County.
Also on the agenda are two applications for short-term rentals.
Tea Tree LLC is seeking a use permit and a categorical exemption to allow for a short-term rental at 1950 Lakeshore Blvd.
Amber Chatwin of LNR Services also is seeking a use permit and categorical exemption to allow for a short-term rental located at 600 Esplanade.
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 Lake Family Resource Center is raising awareness in February of dating violence and how it affects teenagers.
Congress declared the month of February to be National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month in 2010.
National Teen Dating Violence Awareness and Prevention Month, also known as TDVAM, has become a national effort to raise awareness and protect teens from dating abuse and violence.
The national theme for TDVAM 2022 is “Talk About It.”
“Talk About It” is a call to action for young people and those who support them to engage in meaningful conversations about healthy relationships and navigate what may be unhealthy or even abusive. The ultimate goal is to stop teen dating violence before it begins.
Teenagers have their own unique stories. When they share their own experiences, it empowers others to listen and continue conversations surrounding support, rights, respect and love.
Some great ideas to talk about for teens and adults are common abusive behaviors, including checking cellphones or emails without permission; constantly being ridiculed; displaying extreme jealousy or insecurities; having explosive temper; isolating one from family or friends; making false accusations; mood swings; physical harm in any way; possessiveness and telling one what to do.
Violent relationships in teens can have serious ramifications by putting victims at higher risk for substance abuse, eating disorders, risky sexual behavior and further domestic violence.
Other possible signs include grades dropping, truancy, trouble at home, isolation from their friends, depression, unexplained injuries that might be passed off as running into a cabinet, lack of interest in activities that used to give them joy and feeling afraid to talk about anything that is going on in their life.
Nearly 1.5 million high school students nationwide experience physical abuse from a dating partner each year.
One in three adolescents in the United States is a victim of physical, sexual, verbal or emotional abuse from a dating situation.
Young women between the ages of 16 to 24 experience the highest rate of intimate partner violence — almost triple the national average.
Eighty-one percent of parents surveyed either believe teen dating violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.
Teen dating violence runs across race, gender and socioeconomic lines, and this dangerous epidemic can affect anyone.
Both males and females can be victims, and both males and females can be abusers.
Lake Family Resource Center encourages teens and parents to speak out, educate teens, be heard and be a part of bringing Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month to the forefront.
If you are or someone you know is in an abusive dating relationship, free and confidential help is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through the Community Crisis Hotline, at 888-485-7733.
Lake FRC provides a multitude of services to build family stability and strength. The agency supports Lake County residents in achieving stable, self-sufficient, and healthy families and communities. Call today at 707-279-0563 to find out more about what services they offer.
As parents and schools seek to support students’ social and emotional needs – and teach them what they need to learn – some education leaders are missing one particularly effective opportunity.
The U.S. Department of Education has offered guidance on how to help students navigate the stress and trauma of the pandemic and readjust to in-person schooling after long periods of closed schools. But as someone who studies recess in connection with child development, I couldn’t help but notice recess was missing from the federal guidance and from many local efforts to support students as the pandemic continues to unfold.
The physical activity and social connection that take place at recess help children’s brains work and develop properly by lowering their levels of stress, regulating their nervous system and allowing them to be more engaged once back in the classroom.
The brain function of a person in a calm state is largely governed by the prefrontal cortex, which handles what are often called “executive functions” and the ability to regulate behavior and emotions. This makes it possible for people to follow instructions, use context clues to solve problems, pay attention and incorporate new information into existing knowledge. People with higher levels of executive function tend to perform better in school and feel better about themselves.
The brain function of a person under high levels of distress shifts to less advanced areas of the brain that handle more reactive behaviors. This disrupts those executive functions and can make the person withdrawn, distractible or hyperactive. All of those can interfere with the person’s ability to learn.
This stress-related shift in brain function can also affect students’ motivation. Chronic, prolonged and unpredictable stress inhibits the release of dopamine, a brain chemical that helps people feel a sense of pleasure and reward during learning. In this state, learning challenges are likely to be perceived as threats, which will continue to activate more reactive brain regions and more deeply hurt the person’s ability to learn.
Research clearly shows the benefits of recess for children. Consistent, predictable recess time – even more than once a day – helps children reduce stress, form social connections at school and get their brains more ready to learn.
The Newsom Administration announced Tuesday that six California sites have been identified and leases have been signed to allow for the storage of shipping containers on state property to help alleviate congestion at California ports.
The effort is the result of Executive Order N-19-21, which aims to strengthen the resilience of California’s and the nation’s supply chains.
“California has taken swift action to keep goods moving at the state’s ports, leveraging our strategic partnerships to develop multifaceted solutions, including securing additional storage space for thousands of shipping containers,” said Gov. Newsom. “These efforts are a vital investment to help meet the needs of not only Californians, but our entire nation, and we’ll continue advancing innovative solutions to address this global challenge.”
Chunker, the national warehouse marketplace, has leased the six sites from the state Department of General Services for one year, with an option for a second year. The sites include three armories (in Lancaster, Palmdale, and Stockton), a former prison site (Deuel Vocational Institute in Tracy), and two fairground sites (San Joaquin County and Antelope Valley Fairgrounds). Chunker will coordinate between California ports, shipping/trucking companies, and cargo owners to help move containers and free up needed space elsewhere.
“The unprecedented challenges we face to resolve supply chain issues require action, and today’s announcement is just one of the many ways the Administration is working to ease congestion to help keep goods moving,” said Yolanda Richardson, Secretary of California’s Government Operations Agency.
Department of General Services Director Ana M. Lasso said her department is continuing to build on partnerships to ease supply chain issues.
“California is on top of prioritizing the storage needs that have slowed distribution at ports on our coast,” she said.
Since the Governor signed Executive Order N-19-21 in October, notable actions have included:
A strategic partnership between the California State Transportation Agency (CalSTA) and the U.S. Department of Transportation for up to $5 billion in loan financing to advance a comprehensive, statewide portfolio of freight, goods movement and supply chain resiliency projects.
Issuing temporary permits allowing trucks to carry increased loads on state highway and interstate routes between the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, and other statewide ports to expedite transport of international commerce between ports and distribution centers. Doubling the Department of Motor Vehicles’ capacity to conduct commercial driving tests to address the national shortage of workers in the industry.
Securing a 22-acre pop-up site, in partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Agriculture, located at the Port of Oakland to assist agricultural exporters in storing products and getting them onto containers. This site is expected to be operational on March 1.
“The ongoing supply chain crisis requires an all hands-on-deck approach, as we work with our partners to meet the needs of California’s families and businesses,” said Dee Dee Myers, director of the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development. “By creating additional storage space for shipping containers, we can relieve some of the congestion at our ports, keep our imports and exports flowing and strengthen our economy.”
In addition, the Governor’s California Blueprint proposes $2.3 billion for supply chain investments next fiscal year, including $1.2 billion for port, freight, and goods movement infrastructure and $1.2 billion for other related areas such as workforce training and zero-emission vehicle equipment and infrastructure related to the supply chain.
This funding would improve supply chain resiliency and be used to leverage federal funding.
The state also worked with the Biden-Harris administration to implement a new 24/7 environment across the supply chain, to improve collaboration, and to explore policies to remove obstacles and improve the movement of goods.
“Container storage is a major component of the congestion at the ports as well as a part of the nationwide supply chain crisis,” said Brad Wright, CEO of Chunker. “We are thrilled to partner with Governor Newsom and the state of California to create a solution that will have a major impact on the problem. Having access to the state property will allow us to store 20,000 containers or more, which will free up a significant amount of space at the ports.”
More U.S. adults are now reporting symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder than before the pandemic, according to a comparison of recent data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s experimental Household Pulse Survey, or HPS, and data from the National Center for Health Statistics from 2019.
Even so, the data also show that the share of adults reporting these symptoms is lower now than it was a year ago. However, frontline workers working outside the home are more likely to be experiencing these symptoms than all other workers.
The most recent data show that unvaccinated adults in surveyed househods reported experiencing these symptoms at a higher rate than adults who are vaccinated.
Concern over mental health
Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been concern that hardships associated with the pandemic could exacerbate mental health problems in the United States.
A recent U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) report stated that the “… effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and related economic crisis — such as increased social isolation, stress, and unemployment — have intensified concerns about the number of people in the U.S. affected by …mental health …disorders.”
In order to provide measures of self-reported mental health symptoms, the HPS includes questions about anxiety and depression developed with the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) at the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).
Two questions asked respondents if they had experienced symptoms of anxiety recently and if so, how often.
The questions offered the following choices that carry a certain value: not at all (0), several days (1), more than half the days (2), and nearly every day (3).
If a respondent’s answers to the two anxiety questions totaled “3” or higher, they were categorized as reporting symptoms of anxiety disorder. The same methodology was applied to two questions about depression to determine symptoms of depressive disorder.
These categories are in line with benchmarks developed by the NCHS for 2019. In HPS data collected in January 2021, respondents were asked if they’d experienced these symptoms “during the last 7 days”. In HPS data collected after August 2021, the period was expanded to “during the last 2 weeks”.
Reported symptoms of anxiety and depression during the pandemic
HPS data show that reports of symptoms of anxiety and depression are higher during the pandemic than they were pre-pandemic but that reports of these symptoms have declined over the past year.
Data from the HPS collected in January of 2021 showed that 41% of adults reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depressive disorder at that time.
That was higher than the NCHS data that showed 11% of adults reported experiencing these symptoms in 2019.
The most recent HPS data, however, showed a significant decline in the prevalence of reports of these symptoms from a year ago: In the first half of January 2022, 32% of all adults reported experiencing symptoms of anxiety and/or depression in the previous two weeks.
Where you work makes a difference
HPS data show that in January of 2022, individuals who worked at home were less likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder than those who worked in-person in the last week, 30% vs 34%, respectively.
The survey also shows that among in-person workers, there was a difference in the likelihood of reporting these symptoms.
The HPS identifies 17 in-person job settings that are often considered “frontline” workplaces in terms of risk of COVID-19. These include medical settings, first responders, K-12 schools, food manufacturing, and food retail, among others.
“Frontline” workers were more likely to report symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorders. For in-person workers in one of these frontline workplaces, about 35% reported symptoms of anxiety or depressive disorder, but for all other in-person workers, the share that reported these symptoms was about 31%.
In fact, in-person workers in non-frontline jobs were no more likely to report symptoms than people who worked at home.
Vaccination status also matters
Increased vaccination may help explain why anxiety and depression have declined over time.
In January of 2021, 33% of vaccinated adults were experiencing symptoms of anxiety or depression but 42% of unvaccinated adults experienced those symptoms. However, a very small share of adults had been vaccinated at that time.
The CDC’s COVID data tracker shows that on January 10, 2021, just over 10 million adults in the United States had received at least one shot.
Over the course of 2021, COVID-19 vaccines became more available. By January 20, 2022, the CDC tracker shows that 225 million adults had received at least one dose of a vaccine against COVID-19.
The share of adults reporting symptoms of anxiety or depression in January continued to be lower for adults who had received at least one shot than for unvaccinated adults.
While the share of vaccinated adults reporting these symptoms remained constant year to year, the share of the unvaccinated reporting anxiety or depression declined.
That could be because the vaccinated and unvaccinated populations have changed. In 2021, the unvaccinated included people who wanted the vaccine but could not get it.
In January 2021, the HPS data show that there were 173 million unvaccinated adults who said they would get a vaccine when available. By January 2022, only 37 million remained unvaccinated and 24 million of them reported they probably or definitely would not get a vaccine.
"Vaccinated" here refers to adults who have received at least one dose of any COVID vaccine, and "unvaccinated" refers to adults who have not received any.
About the Household Pulse Survey
The HPS is designed to provide near real-time data on how the pandemic is affecting Americans’ lives. Information on the methodology and reliability of these estimates can be found in the source and accuracy statements for each data release.
Data users interested in state-level sample sizes, the number of respondents, weighted response rates and occupied housing unit coverage ratios can consult the quality measures file available at the same location.
The latest data analyzed for this story were collected from December 29, 2021-January 10, 2022, during week 41 of the survey. The Census Bureau sent invitations to 1,044,701 households and received a total of 74,995 responses, for a weighted response rate of 7.2%.
Data collected from January 6-18, 2021, during week 22, are also referenced. In that data cycle, the Census Bureau sent invitations to 1,037,972 households, and received a total of 68,348 responses, yielding a weighted response rate of 6.4%.
Daniel J. Perez-Lopez is a survey statistician in the Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday evening got an update from the city manager on the progress to develop the new Lakefront Park.
The seven-acre park, at 800 and 810 N. Main St., is located on the former Natural High School property.
It is being funded primarily by a $5.9 million grant from the state’s 2018 Parks and Water Bond, also known as Proposition 68, which the city received in April 2020.
In November 2020, the council approved an additional $1,006,906 in funding for the project, which included $201,336 in one-time funding to the city through the California Parks and Recreation Prop 68 Per Capita allocation and the use of $805,570 from the city’s general fund reserve.
Ingram said the funding covers amenities including the promenade lakefront path, basketball court, ninja gym, amphitheater, splash pad, skate park, multiuse lawn area, large sheltered picnic area, bathroom/concession building, public art, parking lot, landscaping and lighting throughout park and a dedicated area for a future boathouse.
“We are nearing the completion of a very large milestone in this project,” Ingram said.
That milestone is that the city and SSA Landscape Architects — the firm it hired for the planning, design, engineering and project management of the park project — are finishing the 100% engineering plans and putting together the construction bid package.
Ingram said the staff expects to put the project out for construction bids in March, with physical construction anticipated to begin in May.
If it follows that schedule, Ingram said the park could be open to the public in the fall.
He said city staff has been working on removal of trees, demolition of small structures and construction of a small footbridge, which will be part of a continuous walkway that covers a third of a mile along the shoreline, from Library Park to Lakefront Park.
Because many park amenities require a long lead time, Ingram said a restroom facility has been ordered, along with gym and other equipment. Some notable park amenities, including the splash pad and skate park, require specialty contractors.
Ingram said the project budget also includes a set aside for inclusion of public art, with an emphasis on interactive art.
He said the park remains consistent with the adopted community vision. “We’re very excited to keep moving this forward.”
Mayor Stacey Mattina said people have been asking her about the demolition of the old Natural High Building.
Ingram said that’s not part of the park plan. Early on, that was removed, as were park amenities on the waterfront, in order to comply with the project's very ambitious timeline.
In August, the council approved declaring the 0.51-acre property that includes a building that was the old Natural High School, and which sits next to the Dutch Harbor site, as surplus for the purpose of potentially selling it to a developer for a hotel project.
Ingram said they do need to remove the building and would like to find a developer who would do it for the city as part of a separate project.
Councilman Michael Froio asked about landscaping, lighting and security.
Ingram said the park will be compliant with new state landscaping rules, that lighting is in place and that they are holding off until the park is constructed to look at the city’s entire parklands when considering where to place security cameras.
Zachary Ray, a member of the Scotts Valley Pomo and executive director for the California Tribal TANF Partnership, asked if there was any consideration to honor the area’s tribal peoples.
Ingram said the city has been in close contact with Scotts Valley about a native plant garden, the incorporation of interpretive panels along the waterfront and the environmental document calls for a tribal monitor to be on site during the work.
Councilman Michael Green asked if Ray was requesting the park be named in honor of the local tribes. Ray said yes, and that he could talk to his tribal council about that.
Green said it would be appropriate to pursue that request through a government to government consultation, with Ray responding that the tribal consultation process would be appreciated.
In other business, the council received a brief update from the All Children Thrive Youth Governance Council, held public hearings on Community Development Block Grant funding and changes to municipal code regarding skating and skateboarding in any skate park, parklands and the downtown district, voted to adopt a resolution to oppose Initiative 21-0042A1, The Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, and voted to approve resolutions naming the new playground structure to be located at Westside Park’s phase two the “Lakeport Lions Legacy Playground” and naming the futsal pitch in memory of the late political activist Marla Ruzicka.
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 Clearlake City Council this week will consider extending a consulting agreement relating to development of the former Pearce Field airport property as a commercial center and discuss taking action against a voter initiative that is expected to have damaging effects on local governments.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 17.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
On Thursday, the council will consider amending the consulting agreement between the city and Margetich/Sutter Equities for services related to the development at the city’s former airport property.
Staff is asking for an additional 60 days on the contract, through April 30, at a cost of $10,000 per month.
City Manager Alan Flora’s written report to the council explains, “The agreement creates a partnership that will hopefully lead toward a master development agreement of the entire property, but at this time focuses on determining retail interests and coordinating project planning efforts.”
He said the intent is to execute a purchase and sale agreement or option agreement by April 30.
“Based on the history of lack of action from developers on this site/project the City is taking a bit of a phased approach to determine ability, interest, and determination from a development partner. This type of agreement allows us to develop a relationship and trust prior to tying up the land. We are pleased with how things are progressing and recommend the Council authorize extending the agreement another 60-days, through April 30th,” Flora wrote.
In other business, the council will discuss possible action regarding Voter Initiative No. 21-0042A1, the Taxpayer Protection and Government Accountability Act, which would amend the State Constitution to change the rules for how the state and local governments can impose taxes, fees and other charges, according to the Legislative Analyst’s Office.
The Legislative Analyst’s Office said the measure “would lower annual state and local revenues, potentially substantially lower, depending on future actions of the Legislature, local governing bodies, voters, and the courts.”
The city staff report said the initiative is backed by major corporations and would have “far-reaching and yet undefined impacts to how local government, including the City of Clearlake functions,” including imperiling infrastructure funding measures and would make it difficult for the city to charge development fees.
Also on Thursday, the council will consider selling a vacant parcel at 3578 Redwood St. for $8,000, meet one of February’s adoptable dogs, and present proclamations declaring February as Black History Month and Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; continuation of the declaration of local emergency Issued on Aug. 23, 2021, and ratified by council action on Sept. 16, 2021; continuation of declaration of local emergency issued on Aug. 18, 2021, and ratified by council action on Aug. 19, 2021; continuation of declaration of local emergency Issued on March 14, 2020, and ratified by council action on March 19, 2020; continuation of authorization to Implement and utilize teleconference accessibility to conduct public meetings pursuant to Assembly Bill 361; and minutes of the January 2022 meetings.
After the public portion of the meeting, the council will meet in closed session to discuss litigation against the county of Lake and Treasurer-Tax Collector Barbara Ringen and a case involving Alondra Rodriguez’s suit against the city.
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 Lake County Registrar of Voters Office is opening its new office to the public this week.
On Monday, Feb. 14, at 8 a.m., Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez and her team of five staffers will be open for business at a new location — 325 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport.
Many local residents will recognize this space as, “The old PG&E building.”
They are leaving behind the 800-square-foot space on the second floor of the Lake County Courthouse — just a block away — for the new location, which Valadez said is about 2,000 square feet.
“We’ll have more room to work,” Valadez said.
She said the Auditor-Controller’s Office is set to expand into the space that formerly housed the Elections Office.
In July, the Board of Supervisors approved a lease for the space that runs through July 31, 2031, as Lake County News has reported. The lease rate is $2,200 per month for the first five years, after which increases can take place based on the Consumer Price Index.
Those that previously paid their PG&E bill at 325 N. Forbes will observe many modifications have been made to the space.
Renovations were managed by the outstanding Buildings and Grounds team from the county’s Public Services Department.
In addition, county Information Technology staff worked to ensure data infrastructure was secure, and would provide for continuous information availability.
Each step of the remodel was guided by a two-pronged focus: providing the best available customer service for Lake County’s voters while responsibly investing public funds, the county reported.
“Our office seeks to ensure every Lake County Resident is aware of their opportunities to vote, and provide for free, fair and transparent elections. This new office location will help us accomplish that,” said Valadez.
“During recent election cycles, particularly in light of COVID-19 precautions, it has been difficult to provide adequate space for people seeking to observe key public elections processes,” Valadez continued. “The configuration of this new office is purpose-built, and we believe it will enhance public confidence in the diligent work our staff undertake every day.”
She added, “We are excited to continue providing the highest quality service.”
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.
