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Lakeport Police logs: Saturday, Jan. 10
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026
00:00 EXTRA PATROL 2601100001
Occurred at Lake County Law Library on 3D....
County library system increases public programs, sees drop in circulation
LAKEPORT, Calif. – While it has a small staff and tight finances, the Lake County Library system nonetheless has managed to significantly expand the educational programs it offers to the community while noting a slight drop in circulation.
Those were some of the key items reported by County Librarian Christopher Veach as he delivered the Lake County Library 2014/15 Annual Report from the Library Advisory Board to the Board of Supervisors last week.
The Lake County Library system has four branches, including the main branch in Lakeport; the Redbud Library in Clearlake, the county's biggest library; the newest library, in Middletown; and the historic library, in Upper Lake, Veach said.
“The main activities of the library are providing materials to the public free of charge for their informational, recreational and cultural needs,” Veach said, as well as providing free Internet access, and promoting reading, literacy and lifelong learning through a variety of program and events.
The library is primarily funded through a dedicated local property tax passed by voters in 1974, while Veach explained that library materials are primarily funded through donations from Friends of the Library groups and community members.
Veach said the library's four branches are staffed by six permanent full-time staff members, three permanent part-time staff members and six extra-help part-time staff members. He said there is one vacant full-time position, and a reduction of the total number of temporary extra help positions in use compared to the year before.
“The library is very leanly staffed compared to the rest of the state,” he said, adding that the library has been expanding its use of volunteers.
Library circulation in the 2014-15 fiscal year was down 5.5 percent compared to the previous year, Veach said.
While he said there are a variety of factors influencing those numbers, he mainly attributed the decrease to the lack of new materials purchased for the library.
He said the level of funding for library materials has dropped dramatically while demand for materials in different formats has increased.
Historically, as spending on library materials increases, so does circulation, with Veach explaining that as materials get older they are less likely to be relevant or checked out.
The public's use of the library computers increased by 5 percent over the previous year, with Veach noting that the growth percentage did not include library patrons using the free wireless Internet provided at all four library branches.
The average number of computer sessions per day on the library's public computers was 175, Veach said.
He said the library launched a grant-funded program to provide library staff technology training, and also offered workshops to the public on new technology, such as use of tablets.
Services and programs offered for children also showed growth in the 2014-15 fiscal year, Veach said.
He said the programs for children such as the story times have goals including preparing them for school, building interpersonal skills and developing early language.
Attendance at story times – now offered at all four library branches – has increased 87 percent over the previous year, he said.
At the same time, the library had its biggest summer reading program ever, with 618 students registering and 218 finishing the program, Veach said.
The summer reading program is important because reading during summer vacation helps children retain their skills over the school break, he said.
Altogether, during this past fiscal year the library offered 454 programs and events – double what it made available the previous year, according to Veach.
New programs for adults included “Book to Action,” which drew 105 participants, and the “Know Lake County” series, which had 330 attendees in the first half of the year, Veach said.
Regarding the library's adult literacy program – partially supported by a state grant and a donation from the Lake County Literacy Coalition – there were 100 adult learners receiving tutoring. Veach said the program trains volunteer tutors and matches them with adult learners.
He said the program's Families for Literacy component provides free books to children of adult learners as well as instruction and encouragement for adult learners to read to their children. The English language and literacy intensive portion of the program helps schools improve the literacy skills of students who struggle to learn English.
Through those programs, 34 children received free books and 83 children in four classes received English literacy assistance, Veach said.
Veach said the Friends of Lake County Library and Friends of Middletown Library donated more than $13,900 in 2014-15 to support the library.
Supervisor Jim Comstock asked about the online check out of books, a service he said his family uses a lot.
Veach said use of the online service is going up, but still constitutes a small portion of the overall use of the library's materials.
The annual report also included four key recommendations that the Library Advisory Board made to the Board of Supervisors.
Those recommendations are:
– Maintain and increase the current level of library staffing and service at all four of the library branches and support expansion of the collection of library materials.
– Increase funding for library materials to better serve the community and keep the library collection up to date.
– Continue to develop and improve library computer systems and technology, with the assistance and cooperation of the Lake County Information Technology Department.
– Support renovation and remodeling of the Lakeport branch of the Lake County Library to update the facility, and include a meeting room and additional parking.
The Lake County Library is on the Internet at http://library.lakecountyca.gov and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LakeCountyLibrary . Library events are also posted at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Calendar.htm .
Find the catalog online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Catalog.htm and the e-books and audiobooks section at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Lake_County_CA__Library/Downloads.htm .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Abandoned shopping cart ordinance goes to Clearlake City Council
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council is set this week to hold the first reading of a proposed ordinance to deal with the issue of abandoned shopping carts in the city.
The council will meet in closed session beginning at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive, to discuss an existing case of litigation and negotiations for three properties – the proposed sale of the city's airport property, and possible city purchases of land at 2185 Ogulin Canyon Road and 2560 Highway 53 – before convening in public session at 6 p.m.
City Manager Greg Folsom is taking the proposed ordinance to the council.
His report to the council explains that, while state law requires that all shopping and laundry carts be signed with the owners' identification, that it's illegal to remove carts from business premises and to be in possession of a cart off the premises, “These State laws have not been effective in Clearlake.”
Folsom goes on to explain, “Abandoned shopping carts litter the streets of Clearlake.”
He said the city council asked staff to come up with an ordinance to help reduce the number of abandoned shopping carts throughout the city.
City staff came up with the document after working with the California Grocers Association and providing draft copies to the managers of each of the impacted retailers on or before Nov. 2, including Dollar Tree, Foods Etc., Grocery Outlet, Ray's Food Place, Rite Aid, Safeway and Walmart, he said.
Modeled closely on an ordinance in effect in the city of Livermore, Folsom said it applies to all businesses that provide five or more shopping carts at any one business location; applies to any person in possession of an off-site shopping cart; requires shopping cart identification signs on each cart; requires a plan to prevent cart removal; requires retrieval measures; provides for penalties for failure to submit a plan or implement a plan; and allows the city to impound abandoned carts.
In the first year the ordinance is in effect, the city would emphasize education and assistance to businesses before moving into the realm of administrative warnings, fines and citations, Folsom said.
In other business, the council will consider a resolution approving revisions to the Highlands Senior Center's rental rates for fiscal year 2015-16, and also will look at adopting a resolution consenting to the inclusions of properties within the territory of the city in the California Statewide Communities Development Authority Open PACE Program and a resolution adopting revised council norms and procedures and Rosenburg's Rules of Order.
On the meeting's consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the council's Oct. 15 and 22 meetings; consideration of adoption of Resolution No. 21015-37 to allow a temporary street closure for the annual Christmas parade and tree lighting; agreement between the cities of Clearlake and Lakeport and the county of Lake for the operation of the public, educational and governmental cable television channel; adoption of Resolution No. 2015-35 for designation of agents for purposes of applying for an processing applications for disaster assistance with the California Emergency Management Agency; consideration of a memorandum of understanding with the Konocti Unified School District for a school resource officer; and the general plan update economic technical review.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Valley fire long-term recovery coordinator begins office hours in Middletown
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County residents will now have an opportunity to get recovery questions answered one-on-one with Valley Fire Long-Term Recovery Coordinator Carol Huchingson.
Huchingson, who is the Lake County Social Services Department director, has been tapped by the Lake County Board of Supervisors to lead the Valley Fire Long-Term Recovery Task Force.
The task force focuses on bringing residents the resources they need to recover from the Valley fire.
“Carol has excellent management skills and really cares about Lake County. She’ll do an outstanding job leading the recovery,” said District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown.
Two days a week, Huchingson will hold open office hours at the Gibson Museum and Cultural Center, located at 21267 Calistoga St. at Callayomi Street in Middletown.
Fire survivors and residents can drop by in person to discuss or ask questions about the recovery process.
“I may not know all the answers to every question, but if I don't know an answer, I will find the person who does,” said Huchingson.
Office hours will be held on Mondays from 1 to 3 p.m., and Thursdays, 9:30 a.m. to noon. These hours do not include Thanksgiving or Christmas week.
Last week, Huchingson held the Long-Term Recovery Task Force meeting in public at the Twin Pine Casino Event Center and will continue to do so on each Tuesday at 6 p.m., as long as necessary. Locations may change.
“This is an opportunity for Lake County residents to hear firsthand about the progress being made in the Valley fire recovery. It will also provide an opportunity for the community to ask questions and provide input towards the recovery process,” said Huchingson.
Besides several county departments, the California Office of Emergency Services, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Middletown Rancheria, and Team Lake County are some of the partners that participate in the task force.
Huchingson hopes that the open Valley Fire Long-Term Recovery Task Force meetings along with her office hours will provide the community with much needed opportunities to get first-hand answers to their recovery questions.
The Lake County Valley Fire Recovery Task Force is a partnership of local, state, federal, and tribal representatives.
These agencies are working together to provide comprehensive services to aid in the recovery of Valley fire survivors and Lake County residents.
The group was convened at the end of September immediately following the deactivation of the Lake County Emergency Operation Center.
For the latest news and information on the Valley fire recovery, please visit www.LakeCountyRecovers.com or Lake County OES’s social media sites on Twitter, @LakeCountyOES, and Facebook, LakeCountyOES.
MATH to host Sen. McGuire Nov. 12
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – The Middletown Area Town Hall this week will host a visit by special guest state Sen. Mike McGuire.
MATH will meet in the senior center dining room at the Middletown Community Center, 21256 Washington St., beginning at 7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12.
Meetings are open to the community.
MATH Mike Tabacchi will introduce McGuire at the Thursday meeting.
McGuire took office last December as Lake County's – and the North Coast's – representative in the State Senate.
MATH on Thursday also will hold nominations for open board seats and discuss the Dec. 10 meeting agenda.
The board of directors includes Chairman Fletcher Thornton, Vice Chair Claude Brown, Secretary Ken Gonzales, and members Charlotte Kubiak and Mike Tabacchi.
MATH – established by resolution of the Lake County Board of Supervisors on Dec. 12, 2006 – is a municipal advisory council serving the residents of Anderson Springs, Cobb, Coyote Valley (including Hidden Valley Lake), Long Valley and Middletown.
Meetings are subject to videotaping.
For more information email
Email Elizabeth Larson at