Committee: Effort to recall sheriff gathers more signatures, support

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Supporters of the effort to recall the county's sheriff said they are on track to gather more than the necessary number of signatures to place the recall on the fall ballot.

The Committee to Recall Rivero and Restore Integrity said it has collected approximately 5,000 signatures to date from citizens across Lake County in the effort to remove Sheriff Frank Rivero from office.

Signature gathering has been under way for just over a month.

The effort was launched following the district attorney's determination in February that Rivero lied about his actions during a nonfatal 2008 shooting, at which time Rivero was a sheriff's deputy.

Then, in March, the Board of Supervisors gave Rivero a unanimous no-confidence vote.

An exact signature count was not available this week. Committee members said the numbers are constantly changing because more signatures are being gathered every day. They also are awaiting many more completed petitions to be handed in and counted.

At the current signature gathering rate, the committee said it anticipates reaching or exceeding 9,000 signatures by the committee's self-imposed June 17 deadline, which is exactly one half of the time allowed for signature gathering, according to the California Secretary of State and the Lake County Registrar of Voters.

Approximately 7,026 signatures are required to put Rivero's recall on the November ballot, county election officials reported.

Over the past two weeks some signature gatherers were met with harassment and verbal attacks from the sheriff's supporters, which the committee said led to many potential petition signers withholding their signatures for fear of harassment or retaliation.

More recently, the committee said that it is finding that people who originally were afraid of retaliation from Rivero supporters are now willing to sign in order to make the recall happen. The harassment is not deterring recall supporters from continuing the effort, the committee reported.

A signature gathering drive and barbecue tri-tip lunch is planned for 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, June 9, in Kelseyville.

For more information contact the committee at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 707-671-5569, or visit www.recallrivero.com .

Written by: Lake County News reports

Police seek person of interest in Thursday stabbing

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Police are searching for a man who they say is a person of interest in the Thursday stabbing of a Clearlake resident.

Clearlake Police Sgt. Nick Bennett said 56-year-old Randy Beebe of Clearlake is believed to be connected to the stabbing, which occurred Thursday afternoon.

At approximately 4:29 p.m. Clearlake Police officers were dispatched to Clearlake Park in response to a report of a male who appeared to have been stabbed, Bennett said.

On arrival officers located Clearlake resident Donald Woita, 27, in the 3000 block of 10th Street, according to Bennett.

Woita had a stab wound to his chest. Bennett said Woita was given emergency treatment at the scene by Lake County Fire paramedics then transported to Austin Park where a REACH air ambulance picked him up and flew him to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Detectives located a witness who provided information that Woita had been involved in an altercation on the 13000 block of Arrowhead Drive in Clearlake, Bennett said.

The residence where the altercation was reported to have taken place was located and evidence at the scene indicated that the information was correct, according to Bennett.

Further information was developed that led Clearlake Police detectives to believe Beebe, who resides at the Arrowhead address, is a person of interest in this case. As of Thursday night, Beebe had not been located, Bennett said.

Bennett said that at approximately 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Clearlake Police officers were advised that Woita had been released from Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.

Anyone with information regarding this case is encouraged to contact Det. Ryan Peterson at 707-994-8251, Extension 320.

Written by: Lake County News reports

Lakeport Police looks to expand Neighborhood Watch program

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department coordinates an active Neighborhood Watch program throughout the city of Lakeport and is looking to expand its network of neighbors looking out for each other.

The program operates by groups of neighbors organizing to watch for suspicious or criminal activity and report this activity to the police.

Lakeport Police Department’s Neighborhood Watch coordinator in turn keeps these groups informed on up-to-date crime trends in their neighborhood and provides education on home security and safety concerns.

For more information, or if you would like to join an existing neighborhood watch group or help organize a new group in your neighborhood, contact Officer Joe Eastham at Lakeport Police Department, 707-263-5491 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

For additional crime information and emergency alerts, visit Lakeport Police’s Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lakeport-Police-Department/176101292414821?fref=ts , or its Twitter feed, @LakeportPolice.

Community members also can sign up for emergency alerts from Lakeport Police by email, smart phone and other wireless devices by visiting www.nixle.com .

Written by: Lake County News reports

Clearlake Police, Probation conduct enforcement operations; 12 arrested

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Twelve people were arrested Wednesday during an enforcement local authorities conducted focusing on probationers.

Sgt. Tim Hobbs of the Clearlake Police Department said that agency and Lake County Probation conducted the enforcement in the city of Clearlake and in Lower Lake.

He said the operation was focused on individuals on Post Release Community Supervision (PRCS).  

During the operation officers went to 16 locations that were preselected and which related to a list of individuals on PRCS probation.

As a result of this operation the following 12 individuals were arrested, Hobbs said:

– Joshua Merayo, 35, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of a dangerous weapon and violation of probation.

– Nicholas Brooks, 33, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for violation of
probation.

– David Row, 30, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of drug
paraphernalia and violation of parole.

– Richard Olivieri, 49, was arrested and booked into the Lake County jail for resisting a police officer and violation of probation.

– Paul Lambdin, 66, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for violation of probation.

– Matthew Jenson, 42, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for a parole warrant and violation of parole.

– Brandon Conwell, 25, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for a felony warrant and violation of probation.

– Brian Collins, 50, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

– Priscilla Lavalley, 52, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for a warrant and possession of a narcotic controlled substance.

– Thomas Morse, 29, was arrested for being under the influence of a controlled substance.

– Robert Logue, 39, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for a warrant.

– Joseph Logue, 18, was arrested and booked into the Lake County Jail for possession of a narcotic controlled substance.

Hobbs said Lavalley, Morse, Robert Logue and Joseph Logue were not on PRCS.

Anyone with information regarding individuals on Post Release Community Supervision who are violating the terms of their probation in Clearlake can contact the Clearlake Police Department at
707-994-8251.

Written by: Lake County News reports

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