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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A newly detected invasive mussel is posing a potential threat to Lake County’s water bodies.

The Lake County Water Resources Department, and Watershed Protection District urge residents and visitors to Clear Lake, and other Lake County water bodies, to be aware and on the lookout for invasive golden mussels (Limnoperna fortunei).

The newly detected invasive mussel (freshwater bivalve) found in several locations in the Port of Stockton and in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta region.

On Oct. 17, the California Department of Water Resources reported finding attached, adult mussels at a sample site location in the Port of Stockton.

Mussel specimens were sent to UC Davis Genomic Variation Laboratory and confirmed to be golden mussels, originally from China and Southeast Asia; the species had not previously been detected in North America.

Water Resource managers are concerned. While similar in appearance, biology and potential ecosystem effects to quagga and zebra mussels (the current focus of invasive mussel prevention programs in Lake County), golden mussels pose an even greater threat.

“Golden mussels have been found in soft surfaces [e.g., fine silt and sediments] and attached to hard surfaces. Adult mussels are mobile and have been observed to move freely within a waterbody,” notes California Department of Fish and Wildlife Regional Biologist, Angie Montalvo, who observes Clear Lake on behalf of the State agency. “[Golden Mussels] have a much wider tolerance threshold than Quagga-Zebra mussels. This discovery is serious.”

Much like quagga and zebra mussels, golden mussels, if established in Clear Lake or other Lake County water bodies, pose a significant threat to water conveyance systems, infrastructure, and water quality.

Effects golden mussels would have on sport fisheries, like bass, crappie, and catfish, native fisheries and wildlife species, like the Clear Lake Hitch and Clark’s and Western Grebes (which feed and forage in shallow lake areas on green algae), and plants whose populations can become heavily disrupted when invasive mussels establish, are not fully known.

Golden mussels were likely introduced to California by a ship traveling from an international port. Lake County water managers are concerned they may mobilize further from the Delta (likewise a popular California sport fishery) to Lake County overland on a visiting boat.

Therefore, the Lake County Water Resources Department is reminding the public, both residents and visiting boaters, to get their boat screened by trained and certified boat screeners and inspectors (the Lake County Invasive Mussel Prevention Program) whenever coming back to the county from Delta region or waters.

In addition to routine screenings, some boats may be inspected or required to undergo decontamination beyond what has been typical in Lake County. Please be patient and understanding with staff and certified screeners and vendors.

County water officials ask that boaters always remember to “clean, drain, dry” whenever moving a boat between water bodies — every time.

Visit www.nomussels.com for more information on the Lake County Mussel Prevention Program. To learn more about Lake County’s efforts to plan for an invasive mussel rapid response, visit https://www.clearlakemusselprevention.org/.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife are also encouraging boaters and water users to visit their new website, “California’s Invaders: Golden Mussel,” to learn more about this dangerous newly detected invasive species: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Invasives/Species/Golden-Mussel.

If you think you visually observe a golden, quagga or zebra mussel, please contact the Water Resources Department at 707-263-2344 or email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council is set to consider tribal consultation guidelines and an updated contract for the police chief.

The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 21, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

The agenda can be found here.

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 webinar ID is 833 4262 8911, the pass code is 355701. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,83342628911#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 253-205-0468.

On Thursday’s agenda is a discussion and consideration of the council’s adoption of tribal consultation guidelines.

City Manager Alan Flora’s report to the council asks members to “consider amending the City’s current environmental guidelines to include more detail on management of tribal cultural resources and consultation.”

He said that in 2016 the city adopted a set of environmental guidelines that included an appendix titled, “Native American Tribal Consultation Program,” to implement the requirements of AB 52 from 2015.

He said the council has been in a consultation process on the updated guidelines since October 2022.

“While in large part consultation and coordination between the City as lead agency and the tribes has worked quite well, that has not always been the case,” said Flora, a reference to several lawsuits the city is in that were filed by the Koi Nation, one of three tribes with ancestral ties to the city.

“Staff hoped that by adopting a more comprehensive policy framework related to tribal cultural resources would result in more predictability, less room for disagreement, and a more streamlined and economical project completion,” Flora wrote.

“The draft policy before you has undergone many iterations, but has ultimately been brought back in a format that more comprehensively summarizes the existing requirements of the City under state and federal law, but does not significantly expand the City’s responsibilities beyond those requirements,” Flora’s report stated.

In other business on Thursday, the council will consider an amendment to the employment contract with Police Chief Tim Hobbs to add a longevity incentive.

Hobbs has been police chief since January 2023.

Also on Thursday, there will be a presentation of certificates of appreciation to trunk or treat volunteers and donors, consideration of the 2024-25 salary schedule, and the introduction and first reading of three proposed new ordinances for fire mitigation fees, fire hydrant inspection and testing requirements and establishment of standards for relocation of underground utilities in the public right-of-way.

On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants; City Council minutes; minutes of the Oct. 9 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; adoption of amendments to the council’s norms and procedures; the second reading and adoption of Ordinance No. 272-2024, an ordinance establishing Article 6-10 of the Clearlake Municipal Code regulating tobacco retailers; and continuation of the director of emergency services/city manager proclamation declaring a local emergency for winter storms.

The council also will hold a closed session to discuss Kathleen Sherlock’s liability claim 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.
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CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Woodland Community College’s Lake County Campus invites the public to an open house this week, offering a chance to explore its academic programs and resources.

The open house will run from 4 to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 21, at 15880 Dam Road Extension in Clearlake.

Interested community members may find out more about the college’s academic programs, adult education, student support and financial aid programs. Information will also be shared on transfer services and dual enrollment opportunities at the open house.

“If anybody has ever dreamed or thought about going to college, they really should just come to campus and talk to someone,” said the Lake County Campus Dean Korinda Ebenhack. “We want to answer questions and help people see themselves.”

Ebenhack was appointed in the summer and has been serving as the dean for five months.

“Applying now, that is our big message,” Ebenhack said, adding that the open house is a “big day to help people figure out they need to apply.”

For the new academic year, school will start on Jan. 13, 2025.

All applications for admission will go through the state’s community college application system. It usually takes two days for applicants to hear back. Financial aid, however, can take up to eight weeks, Ebenhack said.

“Many students wind up paying no tuition, because almost every student is eligible for financial aid,” said Ebenhack.

Some sources of financial support include the California Cal Grant, the Educational Opportunity Program, the California Promise Program and grants that pay for students’ books.

Employment-oriented programs

Woodland Community College provides “over 50 different degrees and certificates” that serve a wide range of industries and student needs, according to Ebenhack. These programs are highly employment-driven and aim to tackle local needs and place students in local jobs.

The culinary program, for example, has a good employment rate and displays where all their graduates went to work on a board, Ebenhack said.

“It’s all written on the board and it’s pretty impressive — almost 100% placement out of our culinary program,” she added.

Ebenhack did not share an overall employment rate of the students. “We don’t track that.”

Dr. Lizette Navarette, president of the Woodland Community College, talked about the school’s “Drinking Water and Wastewater Technology Program” in a presentation at the Clearlake City Council meeting two weeks ago.

This program, said Navarette, leads students “directly to state certification” on water and/or wastewater treatment.

“Students that take that program find jobs before they even finish,” Navarette said. “Just the power of making sure that our programs are directly connected to labor demands in the regions that we serve.”

Ebenhack believes their programs are designed to help fill local jobs.

“I think community colleges try to teach and train people in the areas that can keep them local, so you don't have to move,” she said. “Not everybody wants to move.”

Possible pathway to university

Admission to a university after graduation is also a choice.

Woodland Community College has signed a memorandum of understanding, or an MOU, with California State University Chico on “guaranteed admission,” said Dr. Shouan Pan, chancellor of the Yuba Community College District, in the presentation at the Clearlake City Council meeting.

“When they graduate and they get good grades, [they are] guaranteed admission to Chico State,” Pan told the city council.

“It’s a great benefit to students,” said Ebenhack of the “nice peace of mind” for students.

Still, “it does take time to get organized,” she added.

In the meantime, Ebenhack acknowledged different student preferences.

“Not everybody has to transfer, right? Any goal is legitimate. And we just want to help people reach their goals and build their confidence and, you know, make more money,” Ebenhack said.

The campus in Clearlake now has eight full-time teachers and 20 part-time teachers, said Ebenhack. Lake County students may take in-person classes for some degrees on campus or online classes for others.

Some of the local in-person classes include accounting, baking, welding and early childhood education.

For Ebenhack, it’s essential for community colleges to stay flexible and “meet the needs of a broad spectrum of people.”

On the Scoreboard of the US Department of Education, Woodland Community College has a 23% graduation rate, with 35% transferred to another college and 42% withdrew from the school before graduation.

The scoreboard also shows an annual average cost of $4,449 at the college and just 1% of the enrolled students are on federal loans. Ten years after attending the school, regardless of whether the students had graduated or not, they are found to earn a median annual income of $40,042.

No specific data is available for the Lake County Campus alone.

After the Boyles Fire

The open house this Thursday is the first big event in the campus after the Boyles Fire in September that caused serious smoke damage on campus structures.

Last week, the YCCD Governing Board approved a resolution in honor of the City of Clearlake and Lake County Fire Protection District Members for their tremendous work during and after the fire.

“We have been busy with fire mitigation — including tree and brush removal after the Boyles Fire,” Ebenhack wrote in a newsletter on the open house in an email last week, adding a list of “great things happening on campus” from preventing fire and painting a new mural to expanding their welding program and remodeling student lounge.

For her, the open house is a must-attend for anyone interested in a college education or learning about their options.

“We are ready, rain or shine!” Ebenhack said.

Email reporter Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
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A bipartisan effort is seeking to create an important new weather forecasting program.

On Wednesday, U.S. Senators Alex Padilla (D-Calif.), chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Subcommittee on Fisheries, Water, and Wildlife, and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) introduced bipartisan legislation that will reduce flood risks and bolster emergency preparedness by improving atmospheric river forecasting to more precisely predict the timing and location of these storms.

The Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act would require the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, to establish a forecast improvement program within the National Weather Service.

The legislation was introduced as the first significant atmospheric rivers of the season made landfall in the Pacific Northwest and along the Gulf Coast.

Atmospheric rivers, often described as “rivers in the sky” that are hundreds of miles wide and can carry water vapor equivalent to multiple Mississippi Rivers, cause more than 80 percent of flood damage across the West.

Climate change will only make these storms increasingly catastrophic: by 2090, atmospheric rivers are expected to cost $2.3 to $3.2 billion in annual damages and increase in width by nearly 25 percent.

Over 50 atmospheric rivers made landfall across the West Coast during the 2024 water year, from Oct. 1, 2023 to Sept. 30, 2024.

“For the past several years, California communities have witnessed firsthand the ongoing threat of destructive flooding caused by intense and frequent atmospheric river storms,” said Sen. Padilla. “California scientists have led the way in improving our understanding of these storms, and this bipartisan bill will strengthen forecasts to both reduce flood risks and bolster our water supply and drought resilience.”

“It was one year ago today that the community of Wrangell was devastated by the loss of six people, including three children, due to landslide. Ketchikan also experienced a deadly landslide just months ago. Haines and Sitka have also lost friends, family, and property due to massive landslides. With greater frequency, we are seeing that atmospheric rivers instill dangerous climate conditions that pose deadly threats to Alaskan communities,” said Sen. Murkowski. “While there are numerous atmospheric river observatories in the Lower 48, none are in Alaska. This bill ensures that all states along the West coast, including Alaska, have at least one atmospheric river observatory. Along with improved modeling, data collection, and risk communication, this legislation will help protect our communities and ultimately save lives across Alaska.”

“Atmospheric rivers are responsible for 30-50% of annual precipitation along the western U.S. and cause the majority of the flooding, with more than $1 billion in annual average flood damage in the western 11 states,” said Marty Ralph, founding director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography. “The introduction of this act is critically important to advance forecasts of atmospheric rivers to enable more flexible and resilient water management, improved warning around flooding, safer transportation, and overall improvements to public safety. It will also enable reservoir operators to safely implement Forecast-Informed Reservoir Operations (FIRO) to save additional water after a storm for the dry summer, or release it if an AR storm is predicted in the next few days.”

Specifically, the Improving Atmospheric River Forecasts Act would direct NOAA to establish a standalone atmospheric river forecast improvement program that would:

• Develop accurate, effective, and actionable storm forecasts and warnings in collaboration with public and private partners across the weather enterprise;
• Evaluate innovative observation tools and emerging technologies to improve atmospheric river analysis, modeling, forecasts, and warnings;
• Authorize NOAA to procure equipment, aircraft, and personnel contracts to fully monitor atmospheric river events each winter; and
• Improve atmospheric river hazard communication.
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LAKEPORT, Calif. — In response to numerous requests for information from members of the media and public regarding the Nov. 5 election process and expectations for the canvass period, Lake County Registrar of Voters Maria Valadez provided an explanation of the process.

Valadez said she was giving the statement “in the interest of ensuring staff can focus on delivering reliable election results as soon as possible.”

The following is Valadez’s complete statement.

California County Election Officials now provide all registered voters a Vote-By-Mail ballot, and my office is committed to ensuring every eligible resident is aware of their opportunities to vote. While some voters cast their ballots ahead of Election Day, many wait until campaigns have fully concluded.

Final certification of election results, particularly for Primary and General Presidential Elections, takes time. It is essential the public has full faith in the final reported election results, and the methods and means it takes to certify those results. The Lake County Registrar of Voters Office takes these responsibilities very seriously; while we work as quickly as we can within staffing and resource limitations, accuracy and reliability are our highest priorities.

Extra verification steps must be taken before each Vote-By-Mail ballot can be officially counted.

Each signature on a Vote-By-Mail ballot envelope must be compared with that voter’s signature on file before it can even be opened. If the signature does not match, or the voter failed to sign their ID envelope, additional review and extra steps must be undertaken to contact the voter to allow them the opportunity to cure the issue with their signature. These voters have until December 1, 2024, by 5 p.m., to respond to the notice (two days prior to final certification), and the volume of votes cast in this manner creates a significant workload for our relatively limited staff. Our four permanent full-time staff are working 40-70 hours per week, at present, and eight Extra Help staff are working 30-70 hours, to complete this work as quickly as possible.

Vote-By-Mail ballots received (and whose signatures were verified) early were included in the first batch of results released shortly after 8 p.m. on Election Night. Updates provided on Election Night reflected ballots cast in-person at polling places. Getting those ballots to our office required two election workers, from each location, to safely and reliably transport ballots back to our office for processing and counting. The last two poll workers reached our office shortly after 1:30 a.m. Over Election Night and the early morning hours following, staff processed and counted over 2,000 ballots.

Once the final Election Day unofficial results were posted, staff spent the next two days organizing and preparing for post-Election Day work to finalize results and ultimately certify the election. California State law provides for a post-Election Day Canvass period of up to 30 days to certify most elections, and 28 days for a Presidential Election. Therefore, the 2024 General Presidential Election must be certified no later than December 3, 2024.

During the Canvass period, staff continues processing Vote-By-Mail ballots and applying voter history to those who voted in-person at their assigned polling place. In addition, our office is required to conduct a 1% manual tally of the votes cast and reported on the final Election Day results. This process, alone, took two days for staff to complete.

Vote-By-Mail ballots mailed to our office at the last minute can, by law, be accepted up to seven days following Election Day, as long as the envelope has an Election Day postmark. Of course, voters are encouraged to mail their ballots early or drop them off at Official Drop Boxes or the Lake County Registrar of Voters’ office. California voters may also return their Vote-By-Mail ballot to any Elections Office, Official Drop Box, Polling Place or Vote Center in California, which adds time before election officials can certify results.

In addition to voting by mail and voting in-person at a polling place, California offers Provisional Voting and Conditional Voter Registration (also known as Same Day Registration). Polls Provisional Ballots are cast at the Polling Places on Election Day. Reasons a voter may be issued a Provisional Ballot include:

• The voter is unable to surrender their Vote-By-Mail ballot to be issued a polls ballot;
• The voter’s name is not printed on the Roster-Index and/or the voter has moved and did not re-register to vote at their new residence address;
• A voter presents to a precinct other than their assigned voting precinct;
• A first-time voter required to provide ID is unable to do so; or
• The voter’s eligibility cannot be confirmed by the poll worker.

Conditional Voter Registration ballots are issued those who missed the regular voter registration deadline of October 21, but retain the option to vote in an Election by conditionally registering and casting a conditional ballot (i.e., “same-day voter registration”).

Provisional and Conditional ballots cannot be processed until after all Vote-By-Mail ballots have been processed and in-person history has been applied to ensure no voter has voted more than once.

As described here, there are many steps our office must complete to complete to certify an election. We provided unofficial election results on November 14, and will continue doing so once a week throughout the Canvass period, until the election is certified.

Staff and leadership are working evenings, weekends and holidays, and are committed to accurate and timely completion of our final certified results. We are committed to ensuring all legal requirements are met, and the integrity and transparency of the election process meets the highest of standards.

We understand and appreciate the interest many have in certified election results being delivered as soon as possible; as Registrar, I can confirm staff are working as quickly as possible while ensuring the results are reliable and accurate.

While all California Counties face the same requirements, Lake County’s resource limitations have meant our process regularly takes longer. Thank you for your continued patience as the Canvass process is dutifully completed.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With an atmospheric river expected to bring a large amount of rain this week, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Lake County.

The flood watch will be in effect from late Tuesday night through late Thursday night due to the possibility of excessive rainfall.

Forecasters are anticipating 2 to 5 inches of rain to fall from Tuesday night through Wednesday, with another 2 to 3 inches of rain expected on Thursday.

The National Weather Service said there will be an increased risk of rock and land slides along roadways, along with rapidly rising creeks and streams.

Beyond Thursday, the forecast calls for chances of rain from Friday through Sunday morning before conditions clear.

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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Caltrans, the California Highway Patrol, the Office of Traffic Safety and the Department of Motor Vehicles joined together this week as part of Crash Responder Safety Week to remind drivers to move over when safe to do so and slow down near traffic incidents and work zones to prevent serious injuries and deaths on California’s roadways.

California’s Move Over law requires drivers to move over a lane when safe to do so, and slow down when approaching stopped emergency or maintenance vehicles.

This week recognizes that the public’s health, safety, and well-being are often dependent on the commitment of first responders to conduct invaluable and often life-saving operations on the side of our roads. When first responders report to an incident, that is a work zone.

According to the National Safety Council, 891 people were killed and 37,701 were injured in work zone crashes in 2022 across the country.

During the same period, more than 10,000 work-zone crashes occurred on California roadways, resulting in 117 fatalities and more than 4,500 injuries.

While all 50 states have "Move Over" laws to protect roadway workers, one-third of the public are not aware of the law.

“Safety is our top priority,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “We are asking drivers that when near work zones, please slow down, pay attention and move over when you see flashing responder lights. There’s no excuse to speed and drive recklessly. Make the conscious decision to protect yourself, loved ones, fellow travelers and vulnerable highway workers.”

“Every day, our officers and first responders put their lives on the line to protect and serve our communities,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “Crash Responder Safety Week reminds drivers everywhere of the vital importance of moving over, slowing down and staying alert when approaching emergency scenes. Together, we can save lives and ensure that those who serve on California’s roadways make it home safely.”

“Keeping all road users safe is a priority for the DMV,” said DMV Director Steve Gordon. “That is why we do what we do to ensure all drivers know the rules of the road before we license them.”

Each year, first responders are struck by passing motorists, often while aiding motorists and clearing roadway incidents, resulting in serious injury or death.

Traffic-related incidents are the leading cause of death for on-duty law enforcement officers, firefighters, emergency medical services personnel, maintenance workers and tow/recovery professionals. Many of these incidents can be prevented if motorists follow the law.

For more information on the campaign, visit http://beworkzonealert.com/.
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Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced the continuation of the state’s effort to address the fentanyl crisis, with the California National Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force supporting the seizure of 1,541 pounds of illicit fentanyl in October. These seizures included over 1.7 million fentanyl pills at an estimated street value of $11.9 million.

“California continues the intensive work of keeping fentanyl out of our communities, helping law enforcement seize over 204% more fentanyl last month than the month prior,” said Newsom. “I thank the California National Guard and law enforcement for their diligent and lifesaving work at our ports of entry and across the state.”

In June, Newsom increased the number of Cal Guard’s Counterdrug Task Force service members supporting fentanyl interdiction and seizing other drugs at California ports of entry from 155 to nearly 400.

In 2023, the governor increased the number of Cal Guard service members deployed to support drug interdiction at California ports of entry along the border by approximately 50%.

Fentanyl is primarily smuggled into the country by U.S. citizens through ports of entry.

Cal Guard’s coordinated drug interdiction efforts in the state are funded in part by California’s $60 million investment over four years to expand Cal Guard’s work to prevent drug trafficking by transnational criminal organizations.

This adds to the governor’s efforts to address fentanyl within California, including by cracking down on fentanyl in communities across the state, including San Francisco.

Addressing the opioid crisis

California is taking aggressive action to end the fentanyl and opioid crisis.

The Governor’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis provides a comprehensive framework to deepen the impact of these investments, including aggressive steps to support overdose prevention efforts, hold the opioid pharmaceutical industry accountable, crack down on drug trafficking, and raise awareness about the dangers of opioids, including fentanyl.

The state launched opioids.ca.gov, a one-stop tool for Californians seeking resources for prevention and treatment, as well as information on how California is working to hold Big Pharma and drug traffickers accountable in this crisis.

In August, California launched the Facts Fight Fentanyl campaign to educate Californians on the dangers of fentanyl and how to prevent overdoses and deaths. This effort will provide critical information about fentanyl and life-saving tools such as naloxone.

As part of Gov. Newsom’s Master Plan for Tackling the Fentanyl and Opioid Crisis, over-the-counter CalRx-branded naloxone is now becoming available across the state.

Through the Naloxone Distribution Project, CalRx-branded over-the-counter naloxone HCL nasal spray, 4 mg, will be available for free to eligible organizations through the state or for sale for $24 per twin-pack through Amneal.

In support of President Joe Biden’s bilateral cooperation agreement with China on counternarcotics, the governor spoke with Chinese President Xi Jinping in October about combating the transnational shipping of precursor chemicals used to create fentanyl.
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The 2024 Lake County Wine Alliance beneficiaries on Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. Courtesy photo.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Wine Alliance held the 23rd annual Lake County Wine Auction with the theme Year of the Dragon on Sept. 21 at the Mercantile by Shannon Family of Wines.

Over 400 people attended the largest fundraiser in the county on a beautiful fall evening. The evening started with Tastes on the Lawn with samplings from 13 restaurants, 17 wineries and one brewery.

After being seated the crowd enjoyed a three course dinner that was served by the Lower Lake High School Culinary Program, Saw Shop Public House and Culinary Program at Lake County Campus of Yuba College.

The Wine Alliance was formed as a nonprofit organization in 2000. It is an all-volunteer board of seven community members. It was created to help support extracurricular programs in all five High schools, assist local nonprofits in achieving their yearly goals, all while highlighting and celebrating the amazing wineries and restaurants of Lake County.

With the funds raised from the 2024 auction the Wine Alliance has distributed $3,063,752 to programs in Lake County representing the arts, education, health and community.

On Nov. 13 at the Soper Reese Theatre, $210,000 was distributed to the following beneficiaries: Lake County 4-H Clubs, City of Clearlake Youth Center, Clear Lake High School Culinary Program, Give Back Track, Health & Wellness Expo, Highlands Senior Center, Hope Center, Jack’s Lavender Farm, Kelseyville High School Culinary Program, Laky Luck Ladies Tech Scholarships, Lake County Campus Culinary Program, Lake County Channel Cats, Lake County Sheriff’s Activities League, Lake County Young Life, Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, Lake County Silver Foundation, Lake County Youth Symphony Program, Lake Family Resource Center, Lake Links, Lakeport Senior Center Meals on Wheels, Lakeport Volunteer Firefighters, Live Oak Senior Center, Lower Lake High School Culinary Program, Middletown Composite Mountain Bike Team, Middletown Senior Center, Motherwise, Northshore Fire Fun, Operation Santa, Operation Tango Mike, Peoples Services, Shop with a Cop Program, South Lake Alliance of Arts, Totes for Teens, United Veterans Council, Vision of Hope Village and Worldwide Healing Hands.

Each year one third of all proceeds go to the five Lake County High Schools’ Fine Arts and FFA Programs.

These funds were made possible by the generosity of the sponsors: Presenting Sponsor Adventist Health Clearlake, Sutter Lakeside, Lake County Tribal Health, California Exterminators, Calpine at the Geysers, Wild Diamond Vineyards, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Sysco Foods, PG&E, Reynolds Systems, Sutter Lakeside, Tri Corbraun Wine Pak, Bella Vista Farming, Beckstoffer Vineyards, Community First Credit Union, Congressman Mike Thompson, Draxton Wine Cellars, West Coast Fire & Water, Holdenried Harvesting, Pabst Construction, Lake County Winery Association, Lake County Rural Arts Initiative, Bit Sculptor, Sullivan Construction, Mendo-Mill Lumber, Saw Shop Public House, Lake Event Design, John Clarke and the huge support from the attendee bidders.

The fine restaurants and wineries that so generously donated their time and samplings were: Aromas Café, BBQ by Biasotti, Clear Lake High School Culinary, Ferrigno’s Italian Baked Goods, Mother Lovin’ From the Oven, On the Waterfront, Red’s at the Skyroom, Ripe Choice Catering, Rosie’s Bread & Butter, Santana’s Cottage Café & Catering, Saw Shop Public House, Stein & Wei, Terped Out Kitchen, Beaver Creek Vineyards, Brassfield Estate Winery, Cache Creek Vineyards & Winery, Chacewater Winery & Olive Mill, Domaine Helena, Fults Family Vineyards, Gregory Graham Winery, Olof Cellars, R Vineyards, Rosa D’Oro Vineyards & Winery, Shannon Family of Wines, Six Sigma Ranch & Winery, Sol Rouge, Stonehouse Cellars, Thorn Hill Vineyards, Wild Diamond Vineyards and Kelsey Creek Brewing.

Next year’s wine auction will be held Sept. 20, 2025, at Konocti Harbor Resort.

Applications for beneficiaries will be available Feb. 1, 2025, and tickets will go on sale May 1, 2025.

This year’s event was sold out six weeks before the event.






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LAKEPORT, Calif. — Lake Family Resource Center is preparing to relocate its Lakeport facilities, including its child care services, from the Vista Point Shopping Center to a new site on Parallel Drive.

The relocation plan is moving forward thanks to a use permit approval by the Lakeport Planning Commission last Wednesday, allowing the new location — formerly an office building for Ruzicka Associates and owned by Nancy Ruzicka, who submitted the permit application — to house a day care facility.

The permit approval will allow the center to proceed with its plans to design and build a new child care center for its Early Head Start program, which serves children aged zero to 3 and their families.

Lake Family Resource Center, or LFRC, will first move its Lakeport offices and administrative staff to the new site by mid-December. Those offices will enter full operation in the new year, said Executive Director Lisa Morrow.

However, “Right this minute, the babies aren’t moving,” said Morrow at the Nov. 13 Planning Commission meeting, adding that the children in the Early Head Start program will stay at the Vista Point location until the end of June of 2025 when LFRC’s lease expires.

This delay in moving the children is due to the time required for funding applications, permitting and licensing, and building code-compliant facilities for children at the new location, Morrow explained in an interview after the meeting.

The Early Head Start program, once moved to the new facility, will serve a maximum of 23 infants and toddlers across four classrooms, according to Lakeport associate planner Victor Fernandez in his presentation at the planning meeting.

The facility will host 20 staff members onsite and have 22 to 24 parking spaces, operating Mondays through Thursdays from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The plan also includes play structures for children. Fencing will be required around the play structures for safety.

Conditions for the project’s approval include installing fire infrastructure such as sprinklers and submitting a new parking plan with a clear layout, said Fernandez, who also emphasized that the permit is only for the existing building.

For any future expansion or new infrastructure, “They will have to go through new additional permits,” he said.

Toward the end of the discussion, planning commissioners voiced concerns over the driving speed limit near the new location.

Commissioner Nathan Maxman asked if the facility would have a school zone marking with the reduced speed limit.

Fernandez said he would need to look into it with the Public Works Department on “the process of adding those zones in there.”

Commissioner Kurt Combs suggested reducing the speed limit at the zone to 35 miles per hour.

“We would have to coordinate with the other city departments on those items. We weren't prepared to speak on that,” said Lakeport Community Development Director Joey Hejnowicz. “We can definitely look into it.”

Planning for moving children to the new location

“The children are not allowed to go into the current building as it is,” Hejnowicz reiterated in response to a public comment through Zoom regarding children’s move-in.

“We must follow child care licensing regulations, the Head Start Act, all building codes that would be involved with new construction etc,” Morrow told Lake County News following the meeting.

Morrow said completing the required procedures will likely exceed the current lease term. Accommodating the children after the lease ends remains a challenge for now.

By June 30, 2025, “We have to be out of there,” Morrow said. “I don’t anticipate that the new facility will be built by then."

Morrow said the center will be applying for funding to build the new child care facility from the Administration for Children and Families, which is already funding the Early Head Start program.

“They have about 120 days once we get that submitted, but we can’t submit it until we have all the plans and architectural drawings and all of that stuff in place,” Morrow said, explaining how the various steps are tied to each other.

“We do have a plan,” Morrow said of the center hiring an experienced project manager who’s working on the design, adding that “with the holidays, it’s going to take a little bit of time.”

Morrow expected the child care portion of the relocation project to be completed by September 2026, more than a year after the lease ends.

“The wheels of government turn slow,” Morrow said.

She added with a smile, “At least they are turning.”

Now LFRC is evaluating “alternatives to the space we're not going to be able to occupy," said Morrow about finding a location for the children during the gap year.

"In the next few months, we should have a solid plan," she said.

The necessity to move: An expiring lease and safety concerns

Morrow said the final decision for LFRC to move out of the current location that it has occupied for the past 27 years was prompted by Vista Point’s change of ownership.

Tribal Health purchased the property in February.

“When the building was sold to Tribal Health, they let us know that they would not be renewing our lease in June of 2025,” said Morrow. That notice came immediately after the purchase.

“They attempted to give us as much time as they possibly could,” Morrow said.

While acknowledging that Tribal Health has been “very supportive,” Morrow said she did not want to speculate why they wouldn’t renew the lease with the center.

Morrow subsequently told Lake County News that the new owners are planning “a full demolition of the Shopping Center.”

In fact, the idea of finding a new home for its Lakeport office isn’t new to Morrow. Safety at the current location has long been a concern.

“We’ve been talking about it for a long time,” said Morrow.

In February 2023, a roof collapsed in winter storms on the “old bowling alley” at the Vista Point Shopping Center. LFRC’s facilities which were located at the other side of the same building were red-tagged by the city, Morrow said.

The city decided to “shut down everything in there and we were shut down for 90 days," Morrow said of the mandatory evacuation at that time. After that, the building was deemed safe for temporary occupation by the city.

The building’s former owner was Matt Riveras of Donica LLC. Riveras is the son-in-law of Buzz Bruns, Lakeport’s mayor in 2007 when the City Council voted to sell the property to him.

On Dec. 5, 2023, the Lakeport City Council conducted a public nuisance abatement hearing where city officials repeatedly brought up the concerns over the building’s safety and ability to withstand heavy winter rains. The discussion took up most of the meeting time.

The council then voted unanimously for moving forward on the abatement at the end of the three-and-a-half-hour-long hearing.

The abatement order came after 16 years of frustration during which city officials and residents felt that the blighted condition of the property had negatively affected the city’s ability to attract new businesses.

“It wasn’t a dilapidated shopping center when we moved in 27 years ago, but it was on its way, and it’s just, you know, fallen into disrepair over the years,” Morrow said.

For Morrow, the expiring lease is “necessitating an urgent and strategic response to secure a new, stable location to continue our vital services.”

Now LFRC has entered into a lease and purchase agreement with Nancy Ruzicka for the property on Parallel Drive, said Morrow.

“Plans are underway to construct a new child development center on the Parallel Drive property,” Morrow said.

Speaking about the new location, Morrow observed, “It’s going to be so much better.”

“It’s a beautiful building with a fountain out in front that never works,” said Ruzicka at Wednesday’s meeting. “It wasn’t the right thing to do because we had a water shortage.”

Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Posted On

State health officials said Tuesday that they have identified a possible bird flu case in a child in Alameda County who was tested for mild upper respiratory symptoms.

The child, who has been treated, is recovering at home. They had no known contact with an infected animal, but public health experts are investigating a possible exposure to wild birds.

The California Department of Public Health, or CDPH, said it is working with local public health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the cause of the initial positive test in the child.

The positive test showed a low-level detection of the virus, indicating the child was not likely infectious to others.

Officials said repeat bird flu testing on the child four days later was negative, and additional testing shows the child was also positive for respiratory viruses that could be the cause of their cold and flu symptoms.

The test specimens are being sent to CDC for confirmatory testing.

In its report CDPH said no person-to-person spread of the virus has been detected or is suspected.

Due to mild respiratory symptoms, all close family members of the child were tested — and all are negative for bird flu and not suspected of having the virus at all.

Family members were also confirmed to have the same, more common respiratory viruses as the child. They are also being treated with preventive medication.

Additionally, out of an abundance of caution, other individuals who had contact with the child are being notified and offered preventive treatment and testing.

Public health officials said they are aware that the child attended daycare with mild symptoms before the child’s test was reported as a possible bird flu infection.

Local public health officials have reached out to potentially exposed caregivers and families to conduct health checks for symptoms and offer connections to preventive treatment and testing if they develop symptoms.

“It’s natural for people to be concerned, and we want to reinforce for parents, caregivers and families that based on the information and data we have, we don’t think the child was infectious — and no human-to-human spread of bird flu has been documented in any country for more than 15 years,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer Dr. Tomás Aragón.

Human infections with bird flu viruses are rare, and no person-to-person spread has been detected in California or the United States. In the rare cases where bird flu has spread from one person to another, it has never spread beyond a few close contacts.

Limited and sporadic human infections with bird flu where there is no clear route of exposure or infection are expected and have occurred in the past and during the outbreak public health officials have been monitoring since 2022.

Regardless, CDPH said public health surveillance and investigations of such cases will continue at the local, state and federal levels to monitor for any concerning changes.

People working with infected animals are at higher risk

CDPH said people who have contact with infected dairy cows, poultry or wildlife have a greater chance of getting bird flu, which can happen if the virus gets into a person’s eyes, nose, mouth or is inhaled.

As a general precaution, whenever possible people should avoid direct contact with sick or dead wild birds, poultry, and other animals and observe them only from a distance, CDPH said.

Since early October, California has reported 26 confirmed human cases of bird flu, all following direct contact with infected dairy cows.

To date, all have reported mild symptoms (primarily eye infections), and none have been hospitalized.

Because bird flu viruses can change and gain the ability to spread more easily between people, public health officials have provided preventive measures and are monitoring animal and human infections carefully.

CDPH said it has been closely monitoring the bird flu situation in both animals and humans since the state's first detection in poultry in 2022.

To protect public health, and especially workers who may be exposed to infected animals, CDPH encourages those who work with infected dairy cows, raw milk, or infected poultry to use protective gear.

Individuals who have symptoms or a significant exposure (such as raw milk splashing into the eye) should get tested quickly and treated.

In humans, bird flu symptoms include eye redness or discharge, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, diarrhea, vomiting, muscle or body aches, headaches, fatigue, trouble breathing and fever.

Public health experts also encourage farm workers to get a flu shot this year. While a seasonal flu shot doesn’t stop bird flu, it protects against severe illness from seasonal flu and reduces the chance of human and bird flu viruses mixing and turning into new viruses that can spread more easily or be more severe.

Pasteurized milk products are safe to consume

Pasteurized milk and dairy products are safe to consume, CDPH reported.

Officials said drinking raw milk or eating raw milk products could be dangerous. They urge consumers to reduce their risk by choosing pasteurized milk and dairy foods like cheese and yogurt.

Pasteurization, the process of heating milk to specific temperatures for certain times, inactivates the bird flu virus and harmful germs that can be found in raw milk.
Posted On

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The city of Lakeport Utilities Department reported that it has completed the initial Lead Service Line inventory required by the U.S. EPA’s Lead and Copper Rule Revisions, part of a nationwide mandate for water systems across the United States.

Utility crews conducted inspections of all city service lines, working diligently from mid-August through the end of September to ensure a thorough and accurate inventory.

Through completing a historical records review, employee interviews and field investigations of all service lines, the city of Lakeport has determined that it has no lead or galvanized service lines requiring replacement in its distribution system. This includes any privately owned or customer-owned service lines.

The city of Lakeport reviewed all applicable sources of information, including:

• All available water system records, historical records of City Council agendas and minutes dating back to the 1920s, historical capital improvement and master plans, and historical building and plumbing code ordinances;

• All inspections and records of the distribution system that indicate service line material, including inspections conducted during the course of normal operations, such as checking service line materials when reading water meters or performing maintenance activities; and

• Interviews of current and past utility staff totaling over 80 years of service who also confirmed no lead lines were encountered during their tenure.

In addition to reviewing the above sources of information, the city of Lakeport physically inspected all service lines in its distribution system, regardless of ownership.

All service lines were verified non-lead, with 52% being plastic, 39% copper, 7.4% galvanized not requiring replacement and 1.6% non-lead other (cast iron).

To learn more about the lead service line inventory, visit the California Water Boards Division of Drinking Water’s information page.

Upcoming Calendar

14Dec
12.14.2024 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Christmas Bird Count
14Dec
12.14.2024 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Wreaths Across America
14Dec
12.14.2024 9:00 am - 10:00 am
Wreaths Across America ceremonies
14Dec
12.14.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
18Dec
19Dec
12.19.2024 4:00 pm - 6:00 pm
General plan agricultural focus group meeting
21Dec
12.21.2024 10:00 am - 1:00 pm
Farmers' Market at the Mercantile
24Dec
12.24.2024
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25Dec
12.25.2024
Christmas Day

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