How to resolve AdBlock issue? REGIONAL: Human trafficking defendant from Alabama to stand trial for pimping, child endangerment
NORTH COAST, Calif. – In a case that illustrates how human trafficking affects the North Coast, an Alabama resident on Wednesday was ordered to stand trial for four felonies in connection with allegations that he was pimping two teenage girls.
Jeremy Tyrone Mickens, 30, of Hoover, Ala., was held to answer to four felonies following a three-hour preliminary hearing, according to Sonoma County District Attorney Jill Ravitch.
Mickens is charged with two counts of pimping and two counts of child endangerment and is being held in custody on $250,000 bail, Ravitch said.
“We will aggressively prosecute those who engage in this practice, which amounts to modern day slavery,” said Ravitch.
She noted that this is a growing issue in Sonoma County and that this case was heard on the same date that the Board of Supervisors issued a resolution recognizing January as Human Trafficking Awareness Month.
Ravitch said that due to the efforts of the Human Trafficking Task Force, there will be billboards placed on Highway 101, advising citizens of the importance of reporting suspected trafficking.
Elicited facts during the hearing revealed that Mickens works for a company that employs people to travel to various Walmart stores to restock shelves.
Mickens traveled from Alabama, across the country to Oregon and ultimately to Rohnert Park. During the day, Mickens would work at Walmart but during the evening, he would pimp two females – ages 17 and 18 – who were also traveling with him.
Rohnert Park public safety officers began their investigation when the 17 year old victim called 911 after being beaten by Mickens in a hotel room at the Good Nite Inn in Rohnert Park on Dec. 17, 2012.
Noting the youthful appearance of the minor victim and the severity of her facial injuries, officers questioned the second pimping victim and discovered the cross country abuse.
Using computer analysis, officers were able to follow the method in which Mickens would advertise the pimping from state to state.
Holding Mickens to answer, Judge Kenneth Gnoss set the case for filing of the information in Department 13.
This case is being prosecuted by Chief Deputy Bill Brockley and investigated by Rohnert Park Public Safety Officer Kelly Koffler and Det. Pat Fahy.
Follow Lake County News on Twitter, @LakeCoNews , or on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/pages/Lake-County-News/143156775604 .
- Details
- Written by: Lake County News reports
Supervisors to hold first meeting of the year on Jan. 8; new leadership to be chosen
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Three reelected members of the Board of Supervisors will take their oaths of office next week during the board’s first meeting of 2013.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 8, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport. The meeting will be broadcast live on TV8.
At the start of next Tuesday’s meeting, board members Jim Comstock, Anthony Farrington and Rob Brown will take their oaths of office. All three men were reelected in the June primary.
Brown, who was board chair for 2012, is expected to be succeeded as chair in the new year by Jeff Smith.
The supervisors also will select from among their number the leadership for various boards and commissions, and will appoint or reappoint Lake County Planning Commission members, who also will be administered their oaths of office.
Also on Tuesday, the board will consider in concept a lease agreement between the county of Lake and Kelseyville Unified School District for the Gard Street School Campus, located at 3955 Gard St.
The discussion, scheduled for 10:20 a.m., will center on using the campus for the Child Support Services Department. In addition, the board will consider appointing negotiation team members.
The full agenda follows.
TIMED ITEMS
9 a.m., A-1: (a) Administer oath of office to District 1, District 4, and District 5 Supervisors; (b) election of chair of the Board of Supervisors and vice-chair of the Board of Supervisors for 2013; (c) election of representative and alternate to the Regional Council of Rural Counties (RCRC); and to the RCRC affiliate joint powers authority CRHMFA Homebuyers Fund (CHF) Boards of Directors; (d) election of chair and vice-chair of the Lake County Local Board of Equalization for 2013; and (e) election of chair and vice-chair of the Lake County In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Board of Directors for 2013.
9:05 a.m., A-2: Appoint/reappoint members of the Lake County Planning Commission and administer oath of office.
9:10 a.m. A-3 to A-6: Approval of consent agenda, which includes items that are expected to be routine and noncontroversial, and will be acted upon by the board at one time without discussion; presentation of animals available for adoption at Lake County Animal Care and Control; consideration of items not appearing on the posted agenda, and contract change orders for current construction projects.
9:15 a.m.: Citizen’s input. Any person may speak for three minutes about any subject of concern, provided that it is within the jurisdiction of the Board of Supervisors and is not already on the agenda. Prior to this time, speakers must fill out a slip giving name, address and subject (available in the clerk of the board’s office, first floor, courthouse).
9:25 a.m., A-7: (a) Consideration of request to waive the policy regarding automated voicemail systems; and (b) consideration of request to approve the development of an automated voicemail system for the Animal Care and Control Department.
9:40 a.m., A-8: Consideration of proposed agreement between the county of Lake and SCS Engineers for engineering services for the Eastlake Landfill Gas Recovery System.
9:50 a.m., A-9: (a) Consideration of proposed agreement between the county of Lake and Blue Water Satellite for image analysis of Clear Lake and its watershed; and (b) consideration of request for board direction regarding the creation of a “technical advisory group” to determine the images to be analyzed.
10:05 a.m., A-10: Consideration of request for board direction regarding efficacy of current coordination of inter-facility ambulance communications.
10:20 a.m., A-11: (a) Consideration in concept of lease agreement between the county of Lake and Kelseyville Unified School District for the Gard Street School Campus, located at 3955 Gard St., Kelseyville for use by the Child Support Services Department; and (b) consideration of appointments to negotiation team for lease agreement.
NONTIMED ITEMS
A-12: Supervisors’ weekly calendar, travel and reports.
A-13: Consideration of chairman’s recommended 2013 committee assignments for members of the Board of Supervisors.
A-14: Consideration of the following appointments: Animal Care and Control Advisory Board; Audit Committee; Countywide Parks and Recreation Advisory Board; Emergency Medical Care Committee; Fish and Wildlife Advisory Committee; Glenbrook Cemetery District Board; Hartley Cemetery District Board; Kelseyville Cemetery District Board; Lake County Child Care Planning Council; Law Library Board; Library Advisory Board; Lower Lake Cemetery District Board; Maternal, Child, Adolescent Health (MCAH) Advisory Board; Middletown Cemetery District Board; Public Defender Advisory Board; Solid Waste Task Force; Spring Valley CSA No. 2 Advisory Board; Vector Control District Board.
A-15: (a) Consideration to appoint Supervisor Farrington to the Marymount College Long Range Planning Advisory Committee; and (b) consideration of request to approve travel and reimbursement for Supervisor Farrington to attend Marymount College Long Range Planning Advisory Committee Annual Meeting.
A-16: Consideration of proposed certification statement regarding composition of Local Planning Council membership.
A-17: Consideration of request for board determination under anti-nepotism policy regarding appointment of correctional officer.
CLOSED SESSION
A-18: 1. Conference with Labor Negotiator: (a) County Negotiators: A. Grant, S. Harry, L. Guintivano, M. Perry and J. Hammond; and (b) employee organization: Deputy District Attorneys Association, Deputy Sheriff’s Association, Lake County Correctional Officers Association, Lake County Employees Association and LCSEA.
A-18: 2. Public employee performance evaluations: County Librarian Susan Clayton and Human Resource Director Kathy Ferguson.
A-18: 3. Conference with legal counsel: Significant exposure to litigation pursuant to Gov. Code Sec. 54956.9, subd. (b)(1)(c): claim of the city of Lakeport.
A-18: 4. Employee Disciplinary Appeal EDA 2013-01.
CONSENT AGENDA
C-1: Approve minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held on Dec. 18, 2012.
C-2: Approve subordination, non-disturbance and attornment agreement and estoppel certificate for property located at 6302 13th Ave., Lucerne, leased for the Behavioral Health Department, and authorize the chair to sign.
C-3: Approve letter of support for the Golden Bear Broadband Limited Liability Corp.’s Regional Middle Mile Infrastructure application to the California Advanced Services Fund for broadband infrastructure deployment funds, and authorize the chair to sign.
C-4: Approve request to waive 900 hour limit for extra-help Park Maintenance Worker Jon Littrell.
C-5: (a) Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2012-106 to amend the Adopted Budget for FY 2012-13 by adjusting revenues and appropriations in Budget Unit 2205 - Sheriff - Marine Patrol; (b) Award bid No. 13-5b to River Marine Sales and Service, in the amount of $28,669.18, for the purchase of one 18-foot Alumaweld Stryker Sport boat; and (c) authorize the sheriff/assistant purchasing agent to issue purchase order.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
LAFCO suggests supervisors, Lakeport City Council meet to discuss annexation disagreements
LAKEPORT, Calif. – With the city of Lakeport and the county of Lake at loggerheads over the city’s goal of annexing the South Main Street corridor, the Lake Local Area Formation Commission is proposing the two governments sit down and try to find a solution.
At its Nov. 14 meeting, Lake LAFCO decided to recommend that the city council and supervisors meet with a facilitator and try to work things out, according to Lake LAFCO Executive Office John Benoit.
The city of Lakeport has long had as a goal the annexation of the full stretch of South Main Street, lined mostly by businesses and therefore the most lucrative commercial area in the county for sales tax, according to county officials.
County administrative staff previously have estimated that the corridor accounts for about 25 percent of the county’s annual sales tax revenue, or about $600,000 a year.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said no current annexation application is on the table. However, beginning more than a year ago, as the city started taking the necessary preliminary steps to add the corridor’s 197 acres to the city limits, the county came out against the plan, citing what it felt were shortcomings in the planning process the city was following.
This fall the Board of Supervisors sent the Lakeport City Council two letters asking to meet to discuss the South Main Street annexation area and a water main loop project.
On Nov. 6 the city council approved a letter that, essentially, said no thanks to a meeting until after some level of negotiations between the staffs of the two governments resumed relating to, among other things, a tax sharing agreement for the annexation area, as Lake County News has reported.
The following week LAFCO – which ultimately must approve any annexation the city proposes – decided that it wanted the issues between the city and county sorted out ahead of its proposed adoption of a policy on how to charge agencies for sphere of influence updates, which must precede annexations, Benoit explained.
The issue came up because Benoit said here have been numerous letters circulated to the city regarding its general plan environmental impact report, which LAFCO must reaffirm when a sphere of influence is considered.
Benoit said the commission – the membership of which includes city council and Board of Supervisors members – intended to send a letter proposing the meeting between the city and county after Christmas in order to allow Lakeport’s new council to be seated. Three new council members were sworn in on Dec. 18.
He told Lake County News that the commission also was proposing a facilitator be used to assist in the process.
Benoit said ultimately the commission would like to see the city and county come to terms on the annexation issue which, he added, “is really financial.”
That’s because the county stands to lose those hundreds of thousands of annual sales tax dollars if the city absorbs all of South Main Street. That’s why revenue-sharing agreements have been part of the discussion between the two governments previously.
While Benoit said the commission can understand the financial concerns, “We would like to see the two entities get together and come to some sort of resolution rather than just fighting,” he said.
He suggested that LAFCO could hire the facilitator, who he said should be someone familiar with both the law and local government finance. Benoit said he has a few people in mind.
Benoit suggested that such a meeting likely wouldn’t take place before March.
“I’d like to see some resolution to the city's and county’s differences. This has been going on for years,” said Benoit, who had been a county planner in the 1980s.
He added, “It just seems better that the two entities work together.”
However, it’s uncertain that the county and city will in fact come to the table.
County Administrative Officer Matt Perry told Lake County News he wasn’t comfortable commenting on the matter until he had a chance to discuss it with the Board of Supervisors.
Silveira, who Benoit said seemed to be open to the meeting, told Lake County News she felt such a meeting was premature.
“We haven’t even sent in an application to LAFCO for an annexation,” she said.
That step would need to be taken before any kind of facilitation would be appropriate, she added.
Silveira said that, with three new council members, the city needed time to bring them up to speed on the issues.
The city doesn’t have a timeline for an annexation application, and Silveira said the city was waiting for a response from the county regarding the November letter asking for negotiations to continue.
If the county won’t negotiate, Silveira said, she’s not sure why the Lakeport City Council would pursue the facilitated meeting LAFCO proposes.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Comment period still open on Smart Meter opt-out program costs, allocation
The California Public Utilities Commission is continuing to take comments from utility customers across the state regarding a proposed program for opting out of having a Smart Meter on one’s home.
The opt-out program allows residential customers of Pacific Gas and Electric Co. and other utilities around the state – including Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric and Southern California Gas Co. – who do not wish to have a wireless gas or electric Smart Meter installed at their home to instead have an analog meter.
The commission last week held a series of two-hour public participation meetings at five locations around the state – Bakersfield, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Clemente and Santa Rosa.
The CPUC approved Smart Meters for customers of PG&E – which serves Lake County – in July 2006, according to commission records.
Early last year, in response to concerns from Lake County residents, the Board of Supervisors, Lakeport City Council and Clearlake City Council all passed temporary moratoriums on Smart Meter installations in their jurisdictions, as Lake County News has reported.
However, PG&E said it would not stop the installations because only the CPUC holds the power to pass a binding installation moratorium, and the CPUC reported that it didn’t plan to do so.
The commission ordered PG&E to create an opt-out program, and on Feb. 1 of this year the CPUC issued a decision that modified PG&E’s Smart Meter program to include that opt-out option. It issued similar decisions for Southern California Edison, San Diego Gas & Electric.
Based on the CPUC’s decisions, customers who opt out of the Smart Meter programs must pay fees for the service.
Those additional costs currently include and initial $75 fee and a monthly $10 charge, the commission reported. Customers enrolled in the CPUC’s low income program, California Alternate Rates for Energy, are assessed an initial fee of $10 and a monthly charge of $5 if they opt out.
Written comments on the Smart Meter opt-out program may be submitted to the CPUC Public Advisor, 505 Van Ness Ave., Room 2103, San Francisco, CA 94102, or via email to
Refer to Application number A.11-03-014 on any written or email correspondence.
The CPUC said all public comments received are provided to the CPUC’s commissioners and the administrative law judge assigned to the case.
For more information on Smart Meters, visit www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Demand+Response/ami.htm or http://www.turn.org/issues/energy/item/446-opting-out-of-smart-meters.html .
For more information on the CPUC, visit www.cpuc.ca.gov .
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Businesses, families compete in annual holiday lighting contest
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A number of local families and businesses participated in this year’s annual Lakeport Lighted Holiday Decorating.
The Lakeport Main Street Association announced the winners this past week.
President Barbara Breunig presented the awards at the Dec. 18 Lakeport City Council meeting.
“I was pleased with all of them,” said Breunig.
This year’s winners include Sanducci’s Cottage, winning first place in the business category for a stunning show in white lights.
Second place went to Rocky Point Care Center, 625 16th St., for an elegant display running across its entire facade.
The whimsical wonderland at the home of Lance and Kristi Domagalski, located at 1075 N. Forbes St., was runner up in the residential category.
“We had a lot of fun doing it,” Kristi Domagalski said.
First place in the residential category went to Jared and Tiffany Bussard, who also won in the 2011 competition and have been among the top finishers for several years.
Their home at 842 Central Park Ave. has a light show set to holiday music.
Breunig said she had taken her niece to see the Bussards’ home several days before, but the lights were off.
Tiffany Bussard said that was because they had blown a breaker due to the rain.
First place winners were awarded $300 each and second place winners received $100 each.
The contest is sponsored by the city of Lakeport, the Lakeport Main Street Association and the Lake County Chamber of Commerce.
The map below shows the locations of contest participants, along with pictures and video clips, as well as other notably decorated homes around the community.
If you would like to have an address from anywhere around the county added to the map, email
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
