GLENHAVEN, Calif. – Medication is believed to have been a factor in a Thursday afternoon crash near Glenhaven that claimed the life of a Crescent City woman.

Joyce Rakestraw, 77, died in the single-vehicle wreck, which occurred shortly after 12:37 p.m. on Highway 20 at Mary Street, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Her husband, Raymond Daniel Rakestraw Jr., 80, sustained major injuries, the CHP said.

Raymond Rakestraw was driving a 2005 Buick Park Avenue eastbound on Highway 20 approaching Mary Street, driving between 45 and 50 miles per hour, when – for an unknown reason – he allowed the vehicle to drift off the highway's south edge, according to the CHP.

The CHP said the car struck a pier and overturned.

Joyce Rakestraw, riding in the front passenger seat, was pronounced dead at the scene by Northshore Fire Protection District personnel, according to the report.

While the wreck remains under investigation, the CHP believes prescription medication is a factor.

Raymond Rakestraw was arrested for driving under the influence and then released for treatment of his injuries to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital, where he was transported by a REACH air ambulance, the CHP said.

Both of the Rakestraws were wearing their seat belts, and the vehicle's airbags deployed, the CHP said.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The initiative that proposes to institute rent control in senior mobile home parks in the unincorporated areas of Lake County has moved another step closer to getting onto the June 2014 ballot.

The group “Save Our Seniors” collected enough signatures to qualify its initiative to be placed before the county's voters next summer.

Save Our Seniors also has a similar initiative that will appear on the city of Lakeport's November 2014.

The county initiative defines a senior mobile home park as one where 80 percent of the homes have at least one person over age 55.

It also would roll back rents to Jan. 1, 2012; and require that rent hikes be based on the percent of Social Security benefit increases.

Save Our Seniors submitted the signatures they had begun collecting in the spring to Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley's office on Oct. 4, as Lake County News has reported.

According to a certificate of examination completed by Fridley, Save Our Seniors collected 3,636 signatures for the county initiative, with 2,523 found to be valid. The effort needed a minimum of 2,115 signatures.

Fridley has sent her report to the Board of Supervisors, which will discuss the initiative at its meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 5, at the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St. in Lakeport.

It's scheduled to be discussed at 11:15 a.m. Seniors and other interested parties are invited to attend and give comments on the initiative.

According to Fridley's report, the board has three options – accepting the initiative, without changes, as an ordinance; order it be placed on the June 3, 2014, ballot; or order a report from county departments on the potential impacts of the initiative.

That report would be completed within about a month; once submitted to the board, the supervisors would have 10 days to accept the ordinance or order it go on the June 2014 ballot, Fridley reported.

The Lakeport City Council had city department heads complete that report for the city initiative. With the report in hand, the council at its Sept. 17 meeting voted to place the initiative on the next municipal ballot in November 2014.

Park owners and their representatives have warned that they are preparing to take legal action against the initiatives, which they say are unconstitutional.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

110513 BOS - Senior rent control initiative petition.pdf

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control announced that it has begun a new partnership with the SPCA of Clear Lake.

The partnership, which began Oct. 21, will allow for the city of Clearlake Animal Control Division to focus solely on animal-related complaints, abuse cases, violations, welfare checks and community awareness.

This summer, the Clearlake City Council approved a three-year contract with the local SPCA, which – among other things – is to provide a drop off location for animals, veterinary service, low-cost vaccination clinics in the city limits, and maintain a Facebook page and Web site for adoptions.

All animals that are impounded by the Clearlake Animal Control officer are transported daily to the SPCA of Clear Lake and animals are no longer boarded at its Clearlake facility.

For citizens of the city of Clearlake, you should contact the Clearlake Animal Control officer at 707-994-8201, Extension 118, when reporting any and all animal complaints, welfare checks, reports of abuse, vicious or dangerous animals at large, animal bites, injured animals and all other animal nuisance reports.

Clearlake Animal Control operates out of the Clearlake Police Department, located at 14050 Olympic Drive in Clearlake.

Clearlake Animal Control’s normal business hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. After-hour and weekend emergencies only will continue to be handled by Clearlake Police Department patrol officers.

For citizens of the city of Clearlake only, you should contact the SPCA of Clear Lake at 707-995-CARE or 707-279-1400 to inquire about city of Clearlake dog licensing, lost, found or impounded animals, redeeming or surrendering an animal, public drop off of animals, adoptions, low cost spay/neuter clinic, vaccination clinics and microchipping.

The SPCA of Clear Lake is located at 8025 Highway 29 in Kelseyville, just south of the Kit’s Corner intersection by the Clear Lake Riviera.

The SPCA of Clear Lake accepts public drop off of animals from the city of Clearlake only with proof of address required at the time of drop off. It is recommended that you contact their office prior to drop off. Public drop off hours are Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to noon.

In addition, citizens of the city of Clearlake can still license their dogs at Clearlake Veterinary Clinic, located at 3424 Emerson St. in Clearlake; Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive; or by visiting the SPCA's Kelseyville office.

The city of Clearlake Animal Control is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CityOfClearlakeAnimalControl .

The SPCA of Clear Lake is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/SPCAofClearLake .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council announces the availability of four positions on the city of Lakeport Parks & Recreation Commission.

These voluntary positions have two-year terms that will begin in January 2014.

The Parks & Recreation Commission currently meets on the second Thursday of each month at 3 p.m.

The commission acts in an advisory capacity to the Lakeport City Council in matters pertaining to the city parks and recreation.

It cooperates with the Lakeport Planning Commission and civic organizations to advance the sound planning of new recreation areas and facilities.

The commission, from time to time, recommends policies on city recreation facilities to the city council for consideration and approval.

Interested applicants should contact acting Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton at 707-263-5615, Extension 12, for an application.

Applications are also available on the city’s Web site, www.cityoflakeport.com .

Applications must be returned to the acting deputy city clerk by 5:30 p.m. Dec. 5, and appointments will be scheduled for the Lakeport City Council meeting of Tuesday, Dec. 17.