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Lakeport City Council approves proposal to include beach handball court in Westside Park plan
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The first permanent beach handball courts in the country may soon become a part of Westside Community Park.
On Tuesday night, the Lakeport City Council voted unanimously to change the plans for the park's second phase to add the sand courts and a BMX pump track.
It's the latest update to the park plans that have gotten the go-ahead from the council in recent months.
At its June 2 meeting, the council also approved a proposal to add a disc golf course to the park, as Lake County News has reported.
Public Works Superintendent Doug Grider introduced the request, which he said would be a minor change to the ongoing development of the park.
The proposal by the Lake County Team Handball group calls for three sand courts, with areas for spectators, staging and cleaning.
The updated plans from the Westside Community Park Committee also call for a BMX pump track – a smaller track for practicing, not racing – rather than a full BMX track and skate park.
Grider said the proposal went to the Westside Community Park Committee and the Lakeport Parks and Recreation Committee, where it was unanimously accepted and forwarded to the council.
“These courts will be available to everybody,” said Grider.
Westside Community Park Committee Chair Dennis Rollins and beach handball enthusiast Adam Newell explained the proposal to the council.
Rollins said Newell and Jonathan Thorn approached the committee about adding the sand courts to the park plan. Meetings ensued with city officials – including the city engineer – and the plans were updated.
“It got to the point where we thought this was a good idea,” said Rollins.
Rollins said the proposal was for the beach handball group to have six months from council approval to provide documentation that the courts will be used. Representatives also are to meet with city staff to work on plan details, and will provide the funds to construct the courts.
The Westside Community Park Committee supported the proposal for a variety of reasons, including the fact that committee members don't believe a skate park belongs at the facility, Rollins said.
“It feels like the skate park should be more in town,” said Rollins, adding that there has been no sustained effort to build one from the skate park community.
He said a pump track is a good option, with lower costs and maintenance needs.
Newell said the goal is to have the courts available to the community for a variety of beach-based sports, in addition to beach handball. They also plan to make outreach to local schools.
He described beach handball as a fast-paced mix of polo, hockey and soccer that is part of the Pan American Games. The sport developed in Europe and is now catching on in the United States.
Players use their hands to pass a small rubber ball – there are different sizes for children, men and women – and attempt to get it into goals at the end of the courts using their hands. Four players for each team is on the court at any one time, with no contact allowed.
Everyone can play the sport, Newell said.
The local beach handball group is planning tournaments, said Newell. The team participates in tournaments across the United States, including a recent event in Alabama. Newell is planning to head to Los Angeles for another such event in August.
He said the goal is to build beach handball courts at Westside Community Park that are to the Pan American Games standard, which would allow them to host big tournaments here for beach handball, as well as beach volleyball and soccer.
Councilman Marc Spillman said he appreciated that the team is planning to reach out to local schools.
Newell said the courts will be the first permanent beach handball courts in the United States.
In response to questions about the sport from Councilman Kenny Parlet, Newell explained that the courts are about the size of a basketball court.
He said it is very fast-paced, with a lot of action and running, and offense and defense moving back and forth rapidly. There are two five-minute halves, with goals generally scored about every 15 to 20 seconds. It's a fun sport to watch in general, and not hard to learn, he said.
Newell said he and Thorn also are certified for coaching and refereeing for the sport, which can help them in working with the schools.
Rollins said he's watched a video of the sport. “There is a lot of movement going on. It's really quite energetic.”
“The first time I played, I threw up a couple of times,” added Newell, a comment which was greeted by laughter from the council.
Spillman moved to approve the request, which the council approved unanimously.
In other business on Tuesday, Finance Director Dan Buffalo took to the council a resolution declaring the council's intention to adopt increased solid waste collection rates, set a public hearing for Sept. 15 and issue a public notice under the auspices of Proposition 218, and a separate resolution adopting guidelines for submitting and tabulating protests in connection to the rate hearings.
Buffalo said the rates will increase by 1 percent to cover an administrative pass-through. City Manager Margaret Silveira said another reason for the increase is that the city is taking over commercial billing.
The council unanimously approved both resolutions.
The council also approved a request brought to them by Silveira to create a temporary community chalkboard on the north side of city hall in concert with the Regional Economic Development Committee's second annual Leadership Summit, which takes place in October.
Also on Tuesday, Grider introduced several new city staffers, including pool manager Reanna Hoaglen, mechanic Gary Lowblad, sewer and water construction crew member Tom Sheffer, Parks Department staffer John Banuelos and maintenance worker Steven Edwards.
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram introduced new city planner Dan Chance, who comes to the city with extensive experience and already has been busy with less than a week on the job.
Mayor Martin Scheel presented employee awards to Carl Touros, volunteer of the year; Martha Huerta and Rebekah Dolby, peer awards; and Jim Kennedy, management award.
School also presented to Buffalo a certificate of achievement for excellence in financial reporting given by the Government Finance Officers Association for the city’s annual financial report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Deputy Sheriff's Association assists with fundraiser for woman battling Hodgkin's lymphoma
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A local woman battling an aggressive form of cancer is getting some help from her friends, who are holding a dinner and silent auction this weekend to help her cover medical costs.
The Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association is helping host the event for Dawn Begun on Saturday, July 18.
The fundraiser will take place from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Lakeport Senior Activity Center, 527 Konocti Ave.
Begun, 29, is a lifelong Lake County resident, a longtime county employee and a past Lake County District Attorney's Office staffer who in August was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The disease is a form of cancer that attacks the lymphatic system, which is part of the body's immune system and, as a result, compromises the body's ability to fight infection, according to an explanation of the disease offered by the Mayo Clinic.
Begun completed chemotherapy for the lymphoma mass, but doctors rediagnosed her with Hodgkin's lymphoma in February.
The following month, she underwent surgery to remove clear cell and papillary renal cell carcinoma from her kidney, which had been discovered during her chemotherapy.
“Hodgkin’s disease does not typically reoccur as fast as it has in my case. My oncologist had never had a patient that had a reoccurrence, let alone one that reoccurred two months after completing chemotherapy,” according to Begun.
She said that, because her cancer is more aggressive than what is typical, she will have to undergo a bone marrow transplant, as well as stronger, more intense doses of chemotherapy.
That will necessitate her having to stay three weeks in the hospital for the transplant, along with making many pretreatment and followup visits with the doctors, with trips totaling nearly 200 miles roundtrip.
While she's managed to continue working and attending Santa Rosa Junior College up to this point, she said she will have to stop working and end her educational journey at this time due to the upcoming treatment.
“Because of these hardships I am asking for any help possible,” Begun wrote about her situation. “Since the doctors’ offices are so far away I need help with transportation, lodging and expenses from being unable to work. Support, prayers and positive vibes are all appreciated! With your help I can kick cancers butt for once and for all!”
She's getting help from her friends in law enforcement, who are asking for assistance and donations for Begun.
“As an association and as peace officers we are very committed in wanting to support our community and assist local community members in times of need,” said Lake County Deputy Sheriff's Association Secretary John Gregore.
Tickets for the Saturday dinner and silent auction are $20 each for adults, $10 each for children ages 5 to 12.
Dinner selections are a choice of chicken, beef or cheese enchiladas.
For those unable to attend the fundraiser dinner, a Go Fund Me account has been set up for Begun at http://www.gofundme.com/vs9ck8g .
For more information, contact Gloria Pulido, 360-969-5212 or
Clearlake Police K9 helps capture fugitive
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A man sought by police was taken into custody on Tuesday through the assistance of a Clearlake Police K9.
K9 “Dex” helped officers apprehend 23-year-old Devin Ray Walker of Clearlake, according to Lt. Tim Celli.
At approximately 12:42 p.m. Tuesday Clearlake Police Officers Travis Lenz and Michael Perreault observed Walker – who Celli said was a fugitive – enter a residence located near the 15000 block of 29th Avenue.
Walker had outstanding felony warrants issued for his arrest including assault with a deadly weapon, resisting a police officer and vandalism, Celli said.
Celli said the officers attempted to contact Walker at the residence and while they were contacting residents in the front of the location, Walker fled out the rear of the residence.
Officers pursued Walker on foot, giving him numerous commands to stop. Celli said Walker continued to flee, jumping over fences through nearby properties.
After a lengthy foot pursuit, Walker was finally boxed in near the 15900 block of 26th Avenue, Celli said. Walker ignored numerous commands to stop and ignored warnings from Officer Lenz that if he didn’t stop, the police K9 would be deployed.
As Walker attempted to escape over a wire fence to an adjacent property, Dex apprehended Walker, biting him in the leg, Celli said.
Celli said Walker pulled Dex over the fence with him. Dex continued to bite Walker, who subsequently was taken into custody without further incident.
Walker suffered a minor laceration from Dex's bite. Dex was not injured during the apprehension, Celli said.
Celli said Walker was treated at St. Helena Hospital Clear Lake for his injury and booked at the Lake County Jail, with bail set at $50,000.
Jail records indicated that Walker is set to appear in court on Wednesday.
Sheriff's deputies had arrested Walker in April for an incident in which he swung a machete at several Upper Lake residents after being confronted about squatting on private property, as Lake County News has reported.
In that incident, Walker had attempted to escape by swimming across Reclamation Cutoff. Deputies caught him a short time later, authorities said.
Clearlake Police Department issues update on bank robbery
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – On Wednesday afternoon the Clearlake Police Department released additional details on a bank robbery that occurred in the city earlier in the day.
Sgt. Rodd Joseph said the agency's officers responded to Bank of the West, located at 15050 Olympic Drive, on a report of an armed robbery at approximately 9:41 a.m.
Joseph said bank employees described a vehicle that was possibly connected to the robbery as a gold-colored SUV, similar to but not necessarily a Toyota 4Runner, which was last seen fleeing the scene north on Washington Street.
He said witnesses described the subjects who committed the robbery as a male and female pair wearing black hooded sweatshirts and sunglasses. The male subject was seen armed with a handgun.
Officers immediately began searching the area for any similar vehicles. From tire prints found near the scene, officers believe the gold SUV headed eastbound on Turner Street from Washington Street, Joseph said.
Joseph said the subjects managed to steal an undetermined amount of money from the bank.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has been notified and will be assisting in this investigation, Joseph said.
Anyone with information on this robbery is urged to contact Officer Joseph Myers at 707-994-8251, Extension 505.
