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Perko’s Cafe demolition underway
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The building that housed a once-popular restaurant in Lakeport is coming down.
On Wednesday, demolition began on the former Perko’s Cafe at 829 11th St.
The building is located in the Willow Tree Plaza Shopping Center, owned by Safeway since August of 2007.
The condition of the building, which has not been used for a restaurant in over a decade, had reportedly deteriorated, and was the target of break-ins as well as suffering from significant pest infestations.
Work continued on Thursday as a crew worked to knock down the remaining walls and load up piles of debris into a trailer.
The city of Lakeport reported that the demolition work is expected to take place until next week.
Officials ask that people remain cautious and give the construction team space to work safely.
In 2014, Safeway was considering a gas station at the shopping center, although it wasn’t at that time to replace the Perko’s location.
“As of now, the future of the site remains unknown—stay tuned for updates!” the city of Lakeport reported on its Facebook page.
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Lake County community leaders engage in ‘Science of the Positive’ training
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — On Jan. 28, the Lake County Office of Education and community partners participated in a transformative training led by The Montana Institute to implement the Science of the Positive framework in Lake County.
The Science of the Positive, developed by The Montana Institute, emphasizes amplifying strengths to inspire hope, connection and growth. By focusing on what is working well in communities, this approach establishes a foundation for sustainable change and healthier outcomes.
The training centered on fostering positive cultural norms and addressing challenges such as substance abuse prevention, mental health, and overall well-being through a strengths-based approach.
“At the Lake County Office of Education, we are committed to fostering environments where students and families can thrive,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg. “This training provided our community with invaluable tools to shift focus toward solutions and create a stronger, healthier Lake County.”
Throughout the day, participants explored the eight core principles of the Science of the Positive: being positive, present, perceptive, purposeful, perfected, proactive, passionate, and paradoxical. These principles provide a powerful foundation for positive leadership and effective communication.
A key outcome of the training was the development of personalized “big, bold statements” — declarations aligning with the core principles to guide participants' leadership and engagement efforts.
These statements will serve as guiding commitments as community partners deepen their collective understanding of how positive factors shape culture and experiences in Lake County.
“It’s inspiring to see this community come together to celebrate strengths and build upon them. This framework is not just a philosophy — it’s a call to action, and Lake County is answering that call with enthusiasm and dedication,” said Carla Ritz, managing director of The Montana Institute.
As these partners move forward, they will apply the principles learned in the training to transition from being busy to being truly effective.
This framework will help them navigate change and ambiguity while strengthening the positive and protective factors that already exist in the community.
Ana Santana, Healthy Start director for the Lake County Office of Education, highlighted the importance of ongoing collaboration and community involvement. “By working together, we can amplify the positive and create meaningful, lasting change. This training was an important step in that journey, and we are excited to see its impact unfold throughout Lake County.”
Looking ahead, the next Science of the Positive training is scheduled for March 5 at Konocti Vista Casino & Resort.
This upcoming session will build on the momentum from January’s training, offering community leaders, educators, and local partners another opportunity to deepen their understanding of the framework and apply it to their ongoing efforts.
Participants will continue exploring the core principles while developing strategies to sustain positive change in Lake County.
For more information about the Science of the Positive initiative and future events, visit https://www.lakecoe.org/edservices/positive.
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Governor partners with 21 Brazilian state governors to protect the environment, cut harmful pollution
California and a consortium of 21 Brazilian states are partnering together to combat pollution and foster sustainable economic growth.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and Gov. Renato Casagrande of the Brazilian state of Espírito Santo signed a memorandum of understanding on Thursday that establishes a four-year partnership between California and the Brazilian consortium of states leading on environmental protections, Consórcio Brasil Verde, or CBV.
"Together with these 21 Brazilian states, California is committed to advancing a bold, collaborative action plan that tackles pollution, protects public health and safety, and creates good-paying jobs,” said Newsom.
Newsom’s office said this collaboration encompasses clean air, transportation and energy; adaptation; forest management; and more.
The full text of the MOU is available here.
R20 Regions of Climate Action — an organization founded by former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to support subnational climate work — played a key role in supporting this MOU.
“This is a historic opportunity to join efforts and share knowledge between Brazilian states and California, which is a reference in combating climate change. The partnership not only reaffirms our commitment to sustainability but also highlights the importance of active participation from everyone in building solutions that benefit our planet,” said Gov. Renato Casagrande.
California met its 2020 climate target six years ahead of schedule thanks to world-leading climate policies and partnerships across the U.S. and around the world, created to share best practices and support cooperation on climate work.
Last year, Gov. Newsom welcomed a new international partnership with South Korea’s Gyeonggi Province to collaborate on climate and economic efforts.
Also last year, Newsom welcomed delegations from Sweden and Norway and signed renewed climate partnerships with the two governments.
In 2023, Governor Newsom led a California delegation to China, where California signed five MOUs — with China’s National Development and Reform Commission, the provinces of Guangdong and Jiangsu, and the municipalities of Beijing, and Shanghai.
The trip also resulted in a first-of-its-kind declaration by China and California to cooperate on climate action like aggressively cutting greenhouse gas emissions, transitioning away from fossil fuels, and developing clean energy.
Also in 2023, California signed a MOU with the Chinese province of Hainan, as well as with Australia.
In 2022, California signed memorandums of cooperation with Canada, New Zealand and Japan, as well as Memorandums of Understanding with China and the Netherlands, to tackle the climate crisis.
The governor also joined with Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia to recommit the region to climate action.
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Clearlake Animal Control: ‘Spud’ and the dogs
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control continues to offer new dogs to approved homes.
The shelter has 50 adoptable dogs listed on its website.
This week’s dogs include “Spud,” a 5-month-old mixed breed puppy with a brown and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is very playful, and loves other dogs and toys.
The shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
For more information, call the shelter at 707-762-6227, email
This week’s adoptable dogs are featured below.
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