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Opinion
It’s in these times of crisis, as we face the worst epidemic in a century and financial turmoil of epic proportions, that leadership and community really matter.
I want to thank District 5 supervisor candidate Jessica Pyska for leading the charge for a food drive that will help those facing hunger in our community.
She organized a team effort to raise money and get food donations for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
There were two drop-off locations, one at Common Grounds Coffee in the Clear Lake Riviera and the other at Smiling Dogs Ranch in Kelseyville.
She promoted these drives well in advance and on May 1 brought her masked and gloved team of volunteers to both locations.
Her leadership raised $7,720 in donations and 3,455 pounds of food. They also handed out 75 masks.
These types of efforts make me grateful for the small, caring community I live in and reinforce my decision to support Jessica for District 5 supervisor this November.
Valerie Meyer Nixon lives in Kelseyville, California.
I want to thank District 5 supervisor candidate Jessica Pyska for leading the charge for a food drive that will help those facing hunger in our community.
She organized a team effort to raise money and get food donations for the Redwood Empire Food Bank.
There were two drop-off locations, one at Common Grounds Coffee in the Clear Lake Riviera and the other at Smiling Dogs Ranch in Kelseyville.
She promoted these drives well in advance and on May 1 brought her masked and gloved team of volunteers to both locations.
Her leadership raised $7,720 in donations and 3,455 pounds of food. They also handed out 75 masks.
These types of efforts make me grateful for the small, caring community I live in and reinforce my decision to support Jessica for District 5 supervisor this November.
Valerie Meyer Nixon lives in Kelseyville, California.
- Details
- Written by: Valerie Meyer Nixon
On Sunday, March 22, the fourth day of Lake County’s Shelter-in-Place Order, I had to make the very difficult decision to close Clear Lake.
At the time, COVID-19 activity was blossoming in the Bay Area and neighboring Sonoma County, and representatives of Lake County’s hospitals and other key medical partners were indicating they needed time to make preparations to deal with a potential local surge. Relatively little was known about the virus at that time, and we had very little capacity to test, due to global supply chain restrictions. With 23 percent of our population over the age of 65, and many more known to be otherwise vulnerable to severe viral complications, I felt we had to take every precaution we could.
The weekend of March 21 and 22 came, and we had a considerable influx of visitors from outside of the County using our lake and other adjacent services, despite the fact Gov. Newsom had already issued a statewide stay-at-home order. The risk of a devastating surge in Lake County was significant, and Clear Lake was serving as a magnet, drawing activity that threatened public health.
I felt I had to shut it down, to protect the well-being of all Lake County residents. However, I am aware what a central feature Clear Lake is for Lake County, and what it means to residents; for many, it is a point of pride or even the reason you moved here.
More than six weeks have passed since March 22, and thanks to the tremendous efforts of local residents, we are in an importantly different place.
We have confirmed just eight total cases of COVID-19, and there has been less evidence of community spread here than had been anticipated. While multiple infections within households have been documented, we have not seen geographic pockets of significant community viral activity. Raw sewage has been tested, and the most recent results seem to indicate a positive trend.
While success of preventive measures is difficult to verify, I am convinced the evidence available affirms shelter-in-place has had a meaningful effect, and it is likely lives have been saved as a result of the precautions we have taken.
Now, with the economy reeling, and true human costs associated with cessation of normal activities and isolation mounting, it is time to take additional steps to move forward, and do so safely.
Nearly two weeks ago now, on April 23, we began to allow fishing from Clear Lake’s shorelines, and fishing from kayaks and other hand-propelled vessels shortly followed. I have been encouraged that social distancing practices have generally been observed, and we have not seen a related rise in local infections.
Unless there is a significant change in COVID-19 activity that must preclude the possibility, I expect Clear Lake and its public boat ramps will once again be open to the public Saturday, May 9, allowing lake use by residents to resume, while observing social distancing. Ramp monitoring for the Quagga Mussel program will likewise resume. More detail will be provided later this week.
This long-anticipated change will come as a part of our efforts to align with Governor Newsom’s changes to the statewide stay-at-home order, and the beginning of Stage 2 of COVID-19 recovery. In time for Mother’s Day, low-risk retail businesses such as florists, clothing stores, booksellers, home goods stores and sporting equipment stores, and the manufacturing and supply chain businesses that support them, are expected to be allowed to reopen on a limited basis. Retail stores are expected to offer curbside delivery, and “big box stores” and shopping malls are expected to remain closed.
Very probably as early as Thursday, Gov. Newsom will issue new orders, and Lake County will align with those, and work in earnest to evaluate our current readiness to proceed through the phases of Stage 2 recovery. More information on what that process is expected to look like is available here: https://www.counties.org/csac-bulletin-article/governor-announces-loosening-state-order .
I have a need to emphasize that shelter-in-place is expected to continue beyond this week.
Nonessential travel will remain restricted, and with that, hotels will remain closed except in limited circumstances; as a service to our lodging partners, we expect to maintain our current exemption process, to ensure lodging is provided only for permitted and essential purposes. Even though the lake will be open, now is not the time to visit Lake County.
Many businesses will remain closed, including both indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants; to-go orders will stay the norm for a while longer.
All of this will be in consistency with the governor’s orders, and if his directives are not what we expect, I will have to revise our plans, as well; the state orders control, and we can be more restrictive, not less. To the extent we are granted local control, we must remain vigilant in taking steps that are consistent with the threats we face.
I also cannot emphasize enough that significant risks associated with COVID-19 remain present in our communities. While hospitalizations and patients in intensive care have generally declined, of late, there are areas around the country, particularly areas outlying those where earlier outbreaks occurred, where infections remain a serious concern, and cases and even deaths will likely rise, to some degree, as the economy is reopened.
If we see a surge in cases in Lake County, or the state experiences a significant uptick, we may have to go back to greater restrictions. The governor has described this process as likely to include some “toggling” back and forth, loosening and retightening of restrictions, as opposed to reopening being a “switch” that can be flipped.
Particularly as we loosen restrictions, it is essential that people:
– Maintain social distancing and keep good hygiene.
– It remains strongly recommended that people wear masks when out.
– Vulnerable populations (over 65 and/or with chronic medical conditions) should continue to stay safe at home.
– We discourage people from crossing county lines, since this is an important way that the virus spreads.
For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, please continue to visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website, http://health.co.lake.ca.us .
The Lake County Coronavirus Response Hub has additional valuable resources: https://lake-co-ca-coronavirus-response-lakecoca.hub.arcgis.com/ .
If you still have questions, send an email request:This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
You can also call during business hours: 707-263-8174.
Dr. Gary Pace is Public Health officer for Lake County, California.
At the time, COVID-19 activity was blossoming in the Bay Area and neighboring Sonoma County, and representatives of Lake County’s hospitals and other key medical partners were indicating they needed time to make preparations to deal with a potential local surge. Relatively little was known about the virus at that time, and we had very little capacity to test, due to global supply chain restrictions. With 23 percent of our population over the age of 65, and many more known to be otherwise vulnerable to severe viral complications, I felt we had to take every precaution we could.
The weekend of March 21 and 22 came, and we had a considerable influx of visitors from outside of the County using our lake and other adjacent services, despite the fact Gov. Newsom had already issued a statewide stay-at-home order. The risk of a devastating surge in Lake County was significant, and Clear Lake was serving as a magnet, drawing activity that threatened public health.
I felt I had to shut it down, to protect the well-being of all Lake County residents. However, I am aware what a central feature Clear Lake is for Lake County, and what it means to residents; for many, it is a point of pride or even the reason you moved here.
More than six weeks have passed since March 22, and thanks to the tremendous efforts of local residents, we are in an importantly different place.
We have confirmed just eight total cases of COVID-19, and there has been less evidence of community spread here than had been anticipated. While multiple infections within households have been documented, we have not seen geographic pockets of significant community viral activity. Raw sewage has been tested, and the most recent results seem to indicate a positive trend.
While success of preventive measures is difficult to verify, I am convinced the evidence available affirms shelter-in-place has had a meaningful effect, and it is likely lives have been saved as a result of the precautions we have taken.
Now, with the economy reeling, and true human costs associated with cessation of normal activities and isolation mounting, it is time to take additional steps to move forward, and do so safely.
Nearly two weeks ago now, on April 23, we began to allow fishing from Clear Lake’s shorelines, and fishing from kayaks and other hand-propelled vessels shortly followed. I have been encouraged that social distancing practices have generally been observed, and we have not seen a related rise in local infections.
Unless there is a significant change in COVID-19 activity that must preclude the possibility, I expect Clear Lake and its public boat ramps will once again be open to the public Saturday, May 9, allowing lake use by residents to resume, while observing social distancing. Ramp monitoring for the Quagga Mussel program will likewise resume. More detail will be provided later this week.
This long-anticipated change will come as a part of our efforts to align with Governor Newsom’s changes to the statewide stay-at-home order, and the beginning of Stage 2 of COVID-19 recovery. In time for Mother’s Day, low-risk retail businesses such as florists, clothing stores, booksellers, home goods stores and sporting equipment stores, and the manufacturing and supply chain businesses that support them, are expected to be allowed to reopen on a limited basis. Retail stores are expected to offer curbside delivery, and “big box stores” and shopping malls are expected to remain closed.
Very probably as early as Thursday, Gov. Newsom will issue new orders, and Lake County will align with those, and work in earnest to evaluate our current readiness to proceed through the phases of Stage 2 recovery. More information on what that process is expected to look like is available here: https://www.counties.org/csac-bulletin-article/governor-announces-loosening-state-order .
I have a need to emphasize that shelter-in-place is expected to continue beyond this week.
Nonessential travel will remain restricted, and with that, hotels will remain closed except in limited circumstances; as a service to our lodging partners, we expect to maintain our current exemption process, to ensure lodging is provided only for permitted and essential purposes. Even though the lake will be open, now is not the time to visit Lake County.
Many businesses will remain closed, including both indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants; to-go orders will stay the norm for a while longer.
All of this will be in consistency with the governor’s orders, and if his directives are not what we expect, I will have to revise our plans, as well; the state orders control, and we can be more restrictive, not less. To the extent we are granted local control, we must remain vigilant in taking steps that are consistent with the threats we face.
I also cannot emphasize enough that significant risks associated with COVID-19 remain present in our communities. While hospitalizations and patients in intensive care have generally declined, of late, there are areas around the country, particularly areas outlying those where earlier outbreaks occurred, where infections remain a serious concern, and cases and even deaths will likely rise, to some degree, as the economy is reopened.
If we see a surge in cases in Lake County, or the state experiences a significant uptick, we may have to go back to greater restrictions. The governor has described this process as likely to include some “toggling” back and forth, loosening and retightening of restrictions, as opposed to reopening being a “switch” that can be flipped.
Particularly as we loosen restrictions, it is essential that people:
– Maintain social distancing and keep good hygiene.
– It remains strongly recommended that people wear masks when out.
– Vulnerable populations (over 65 and/or with chronic medical conditions) should continue to stay safe at home.
– We discourage people from crossing county lines, since this is an important way that the virus spreads.
For Lake County-specific Coronavirus information, please continue to visit the Lake County Health Services Department’s website, http://health.co.lake.ca.us .
The Lake County Coronavirus Response Hub has additional valuable resources: https://lake-co-ca-coronavirus-response-lakecoca.hub.arcgis.com/ .
If you still have questions, send an email request:
You can also call during business hours: 707-263-8174.
Dr. Gary Pace is Public Health officer for Lake County, California.
- Details
- Written by: Dr. Gary Pace
In late March following the shelter in place order, Andy Beckstoffer called me to lay out a program his company was offering to laid-off workers in three counties including Lake County.
His program request was extremely heartwarming and simple, I thought! Gather the names of two of the lowest-paid employees of each restaurant and each lodging facility, provide their names, direct mailing addresses, job description, length of time with the business, weekly average pay, were they laid off or had reduced hours. Andy was in hopes that other companies would make similar offers.
My first thought was, “What a wonderful gesture!” My second thought was, “It will be a breeze to give away $33,000 in Lake County,” and how quickly would we fill up those 110 slots?
Much to my surprise, it’s been a struggle to get employers to respond. We immediately published it to every community business association requesting they distribute to their memberships, it also went to the Clear Lake Chamber and to our membership plus many emails of businesses that are not Lake County Chamber members. We placed the notice more than once on our Facebook page asking people to share.
We have published this information a multitude of times since March 24, sending it to local newspapers and I contacted Bicoastal Media about two weeks ago. They made a public service announcement that has been aired multiple times. To my utter amazement, there are still 41 open slots on my spreadsheet!
To clarify the role of the Lake County Chamber in this process, I offer the following: The chamber is only a conduit of information from the employers to Andy Beckstoffer and his firm. Beckstoffer Vineyards is in charge of issuing the checks directly to the employees whose names/info we supply. The chamber does not pick or choose which employees and to my understanding every name we submit is being sent a check.
I truly hope that this letter to the editor will encourage businesses who have not responded yet, to contact me directly at 707-263-5092 with their employee submissions, providing the information I outlined above. Your employees who have been out of work can certainly use a $300 check.
Beckstoffer Vineyards began issuing checks the week of April 20 and will continue until the limit of 110 people is reached per county. You can also send your names toThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
Melissa Fulton is chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, based in Lakeport, California.
His program request was extremely heartwarming and simple, I thought! Gather the names of two of the lowest-paid employees of each restaurant and each lodging facility, provide their names, direct mailing addresses, job description, length of time with the business, weekly average pay, were they laid off or had reduced hours. Andy was in hopes that other companies would make similar offers.
My first thought was, “What a wonderful gesture!” My second thought was, “It will be a breeze to give away $33,000 in Lake County,” and how quickly would we fill up those 110 slots?
Much to my surprise, it’s been a struggle to get employers to respond. We immediately published it to every community business association requesting they distribute to their memberships, it also went to the Clear Lake Chamber and to our membership plus many emails of businesses that are not Lake County Chamber members. We placed the notice more than once on our Facebook page asking people to share.
We have published this information a multitude of times since March 24, sending it to local newspapers and I contacted Bicoastal Media about two weeks ago. They made a public service announcement that has been aired multiple times. To my utter amazement, there are still 41 open slots on my spreadsheet!
To clarify the role of the Lake County Chamber in this process, I offer the following: The chamber is only a conduit of information from the employers to Andy Beckstoffer and his firm. Beckstoffer Vineyards is in charge of issuing the checks directly to the employees whose names/info we supply. The chamber does not pick or choose which employees and to my understanding every name we submit is being sent a check.
I truly hope that this letter to the editor will encourage businesses who have not responded yet, to contact me directly at 707-263-5092 with their employee submissions, providing the information I outlined above. Your employees who have been out of work can certainly use a $300 check.
Beckstoffer Vineyards began issuing checks the week of April 20 and will continue until the limit of 110 people is reached per county. You can also send your names to
Melissa Fulton is chief executive officer of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce, based in Lakeport, California.
- Details
- Written by: Melissa Fulton
I want to thank all of the voters who turned out and voted in the March 3 primary election in Lake County.
Now it is down to two candidates for the November election. I am honored to be one of those two candidates.
We appreciate all the efforts all candidates put into this election, and feel fortunate to be the other candidate running for the Board of Supervisors in District 5 of Lake County.
For me, the choice is clear. I have been a resident of Lake County continuously for the past 40 years. As well as being a successful business person, and health care advocate in Lake County, I have received The Search of Excellence Award, and recently the Lifetime Achievement Award from Congressman Mike Thompson and the 20th Annual of Stars of Lake County Community Awards.
I have been president of the Early Lake Lions twice, and president of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce twice. I was on the Sutter Lakeside board of directors nine years and the board chair the last three years. I participated in the Lake County Special Olympics Polar Plunge the past few years.
I have been appointed to the Napa State Hospital Advisory Board, and helped with a team to enforce regulations in two county jail pharmacies – one at the San Joaquin County jail, and one at the San Francisco County jail. Our pharmacies provided medication for the inmates in the Lake County jail system for many years.
I understand if all of this seems unnecessary for a thank you vote. I also want you to feel confident in your voting for me because I entered this contest much later than my opponent. I was still managing two pharmacies until last August. As you can see, I have been very community involved during my forty years.
We are going through some very serious times with the COVID-19 virus. Being in the health care field for all my adult life I feel very confident to help guide us through this crisis, along with guidance from Dr. Gary Pace and our experts from Sutter Health and Adventist Health, with the help of Sheriff Brian Martin, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and Chief Andrew White of the Clearlake Police Department assisting in the enforcement of the shelter in place ordinance.
I am who I appear to be – a man filled with community spirit and love for Lake County. Nothing would make me prouder than being the supervisor for District 5 for the next four years.
Thank you for your votes getting me to the elections in November.
Bill Kearney lives in Kelseyville, California.
Now it is down to two candidates for the November election. I am honored to be one of those two candidates.
We appreciate all the efforts all candidates put into this election, and feel fortunate to be the other candidate running for the Board of Supervisors in District 5 of Lake County.
For me, the choice is clear. I have been a resident of Lake County continuously for the past 40 years. As well as being a successful business person, and health care advocate in Lake County, I have received The Search of Excellence Award, and recently the Lifetime Achievement Award from Congressman Mike Thompson and the 20th Annual of Stars of Lake County Community Awards.
I have been president of the Early Lake Lions twice, and president of the Lake County Chamber of Commerce twice. I was on the Sutter Lakeside board of directors nine years and the board chair the last three years. I participated in the Lake County Special Olympics Polar Plunge the past few years.
I have been appointed to the Napa State Hospital Advisory Board, and helped with a team to enforce regulations in two county jail pharmacies – one at the San Joaquin County jail, and one at the San Francisco County jail. Our pharmacies provided medication for the inmates in the Lake County jail system for many years.
I understand if all of this seems unnecessary for a thank you vote. I also want you to feel confident in your voting for me because I entered this contest much later than my opponent. I was still managing two pharmacies until last August. As you can see, I have been very community involved during my forty years.
We are going through some very serious times with the COVID-19 virus. Being in the health care field for all my adult life I feel very confident to help guide us through this crisis, along with guidance from Dr. Gary Pace and our experts from Sutter Health and Adventist Health, with the help of Sheriff Brian Martin, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen and Chief Andrew White of the Clearlake Police Department assisting in the enforcement of the shelter in place ordinance.
I am who I appear to be – a man filled with community spirit and love for Lake County. Nothing would make me prouder than being the supervisor for District 5 for the next four years.
Thank you for your votes getting me to the elections in November.
Bill Kearney lives in Kelseyville, California.
- Details
- Written by: Bill Kearney