LAKEPORT, Calif. – Official nomination papers are now available for candidates who are interested in running for the Lakeport City Council.

There are two seats available, each for a four-year term.

Those two seats currently are held by Stacey Mattina and Mireya Turner.

Interested candidates must be registered to vote and reside within the Lakeport city limits.

The deadline to file nomination papers for the seats is Friday, Aug. 10, at 5 p.m.

Each candidate must be nominated by not less than 20 nor more than 30 registered voters; therefore, it is recommended that you pick up your nomination papers well in advance of the deadline for filing to allow time to gather signatures.

If you are interested in running for Lakeport City Council, please contact City Clerk Kelly Buendia at 707-263-5615, Extension 101, or Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton at 707-263-5615, Extension 102, for further information and to set up an appointment to pick up and go over the nomination packet.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol will offer a free “Start Smart” traffic safety class for soon to-be-licensed, newly licensed, and teenage drivers and their parents or guardians on Wednesday, July 25.

The class will take place from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Clear Lake Area CHP office, located at 5700 Live Oak Drive in Kelseyville.

The CHP said a teenager is killed in a traffic collision every four hours nationwide. That equates to more than 1,870 teenagers killed each year. Another 184,000 teenagers are injured in traffic collisions.

These deaths and injuries can be substantially reduced or prevented by eliminating high-risk driving behaviors through education, and the CHP said its “Start Smart” program can help prevent these tragedies.

The Start Smart program focuses on providing comprehensive traffic safety education classes for teenagers and their parents.

Start Smart employs innovative techniques to capture the attention of teenagers and parents, providing a lasting experience.

The curriculum includes information on collision statistics, teen driver and passenger behaviors, graduated driver’s license laws, cultural changes in today’s society and the need for stronger parental involvement in a teenager’s driving experience.

Space is limited for this class. For more information or reservations, call Officer Kory Reynolds at the CHP office, 707-279-0103, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The California Department of Public Health announced Tuesday that pertussis, better known as whooping cough, claimed the life of a San Bernardino County infant.

The agency said this is the first confirmed infant death from the disease since 2016, when two deaths occurred.

“This baby’s death is a tragedy for the family and for California as a community, as this is a preventable disease,” said Dr. Karen Smith, CDPH director and state public health officer. "This serves as a grim reminder that whooping cough is always present in our communities, and immunizations are the first line of defense."

Each year, 50 to 200 California infants are hospitalized with pertussis, CDPH reported.

CDPH and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that expectant mothers receive the whooping cough booster shot – also called Tdap, or tetanus, diphtheria and acellular pertussis vaccine – at the earliest opportunity between 27 and 36 weeks of every pregnancy, even if previously immunized.

Getting immunized during pregnancy boosts a mother’s immunity and passes on protective antibodies directly to their babies before birth.

This helps protect newborns until they are old enough to begin receiving their own whooping cough immunizations at 6 to 8 weeks of age.

“No baby should have to be hospitalized due to a vaccine-preventable disease, and certainly no baby should die,” said Dr. Smith. “To give babies the best protection, I urge all pregnant women to get vaccinated against whooping cough as early as possible during the third trimester of every pregnancy.”

To avoid the spread of whooping cough, CDPH also recommends that:

· Parents immunize their babies against whooping cough as soon as possible. The first dose is recommended at two months of age, but can be given as early as six weeks of age.
· California 7th grade students receive the whooping cough booster, Tdap.
· Adults receive a whooping cough booster once in their lives.

The symptoms of whooping cough vary by age. For children, whooping cough typically starts with a runny nose and cough for one to two weeks. The cough then worsens and often results in rapid coughing spells that end with a whooping sound. Young infants may not have typical whooping cough symptoms and may have no apparent cough. Parents may describe episodes in which breathing briefly stops and the infant’s face turns red or purple.

For adults, whooping cough may be a cough illness that lasts for several weeks.

Most health plans cover Tdap immunizations, and many pharmacies offer it. Medi-Cal members may be able to get their Tdap shots at the pharmacy where they usually pick up their prescriptions.

Call your health plan to learn more. If you do not have health insurance, call your local health department to find a low- or no-cost location.

More information about pertussis is available on CDPH’s Web site.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Library Park will soon be transformed into a far out, psychedelic scene thanks to the set design and building team of Shakespeare at the Lake's third production, “As You Like It.”

The production will take place at 6:30 p.m. Saturday, July 28, and Sunday, July 29.

Set painter Adam Garrett is a master with a can of spray paint and has created the grooviest trees and skyscrapers you've ever seen.

In addition to these permanent fixtures, eight plywood boxes, painted differently on each side, are moved around the set. In one scene they may represent a gate, in the next a throne, in the next a campfire, and in the next a wedding altar.

The set itself is a multi-leveled 20-foot by 32-foot platform upon which the actors skillfully bring the Shakespearean comedy to life.

From the dynamic set to the actors' colorful threads to the breathtaking backdrop of Mt. Konocti and Clear Lake, “As You Like It” will truly be a feast for the eyes.

Thanks to an incredible cast – and some new sound equipment – this play should be a feast for the ears as well. You may even hear some of your favorite 60s tunes, and they won't mind if you sing along.

The play is completely free of charge and is brought to the community by Mendocino College and the Lake County Theatre Co., in association with the Lake County Friends of Mendocino College and the city of Lakeport.

Food and beverages will be available for sale to benefit scholarships for theater students.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake reported that it has received a half a million dollar grant to assist it with its cleanup efforts.

Making Clearlake a visibly cleaner city is one of the priorities of the Clearlake City Council as identified in the Clearlake Strategic Plan and the Code Enforcement Division is a major factor in making those visual improvements to blighted properties, according to City Manager Greg Folsom.

Thanks to the Community Development Block Grant, or CDBG, program, Code Enforcement will continue to make a positive impact on the community, Folsom said.

Folsom said that on Monday the city received written notification that the California Department of Housing and Community Development has awarded the city a $500,000 CDBG grant to continue Code Enforcement activities.

“Obtaining this grant to continue supporting our Code Enforcement is critical to achieving our goal to make Clearlake a cleaner city,” said Mayor Bruno Sabatier.

“We are extremely excited to be awarded $500,000 in CDBG funds for Code Enforcement,” added Folsom. “We have recently reorganized Code Enforcement to be under the supervision of the police department to give our Code Enforcement Officers even more tools in combating blight in our city. These funds will go a long way toward our Code Enforcement efforts over the next several years.”

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council will hold a special meeting this week to award pavement rehabilitation contracts and accept state funding for cleanup projects.

The meeting will begin at 4 p.m. Wednesday, July 18, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.

On the agenda is consideration of awarding two pavement rehabilitation projects to Granite Construction, one for Pine Street in the amount of $198,816 and the second for the Country Club/Kings Lane area, for a total of $311,436.

The council separately will consider executing a contract with Green Valley Consulting Engineers for an amount not to exceed $68,572, with up to 10 percent in future contract amendments, for the inspection and materials testing for the Country Club/Kings Lane and Pine Street pavement projects.

Council members also will consider a letter of support for Councilwoman Joyce Overton who has indicated she would like to represent the Redwood Empire Division of the League of California Cities as a state league director.

In other business, staff is asking the council to amend the fiscal year 2018-19 adopted budget in the amount of $214,030 to include funding from CalRecycle for cleanup and abatement of blighted properties throughout the city.

The council also will consider submitting a letter of authorization for the Regional Used OIl Payment Program to the county of Lake.

Following the open portion of the meeting, the council will hold a closed session to discuss property negotiations for 14130 Tuli Lane.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee this week will discuss business survey results and city projects.

The committee, or LEDAC, will meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, July 18, at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The meeting is open to the public.

As part of the Lakeport Economic Development Strategic Plan 2017-2022, Chair Wilda Shock said the committee on Wednesday will review results from the Business Walk surveys and discuss the report to the Lakeport City Council, scheduled for Aug. 21.

In addition, LEDAC members will begin a discussion of the Economic Development Element of the City’s General Plan.

There also will be an update on city projects.

Following the Wednesday meeting, the next LEDAC meeting will take place on Sept. 12.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members are Chair Wilda Shock and Vice Chair Denise Combs, Secretary Terre Logsdon, Candy De Los Santos, Bill Eaton, Melissa Fulton, Pam Harpster, Judith Kanavle, Andy Lucas, Dan Peterson and Panette Talia. City staff who are members include City Manager Margaret Silveira and Community Development Director Kevin Ingram.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council is set this week to discuss a proposed ballot measure that would ban fireworks and consider supporting the county’s formation and operation of a tourism improvement district.

The council will meet in closed session beginning at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday, July 17, to discuss negotiations with the Lakeport Unified School District for property at 800 N. Main St. and conference with labor negotiator regarding the Lakeport Police Officers Association before the open portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

On Tuesday’s agenda is a proposal to place before city residents in November a ballot measure “to prohibit the use, discharge and explosion of all fireworks, including the ‘safe and sane’ fireworks.”

Lakeport voters adopted Measure C in 2009, which amended the Lakeport Municipal Code to allow for the sale and use of California state fire marshal approved safe and sane fireworks within the city of Lakeport.

The sale of the fireworks are conducted by four local non-profit groups in accordance with the ordinance adopted by Measure C.

“Over the years, residents have lodged complaints about the sale and use of fireworks, including County residents outside of the incorporated area of Lakeport. With the devastating wildland fires occurring in Lake County, the number of protests has continued to rise,” said City Clerk Kelly Buendia in her report to the council.

She said that, in response to those protests, the city’s Public Works and police departments began public education campaigns which included placement of signs at the city limits warning passersby that fireworks were illegal beyond the city limit.

“The Police Chief conducted outreaches via social media regarding the law and providing safety precautions for legally purchased fireworks. Finally, communication was provided reminding residents about Measure C adopted by voters in 2009,” Buendia wrote. “Regardless of these efforts, public outcry has continued; prompting the item to be placed on the agenda for discussion.”

On Tuesday morning, the Board of Supervisors will consider offering a letter in support of the proposed ballot measure to ban fireworks.

The council on Tuesday also is scheduled to consider a resolution granting consent to the county of Lake to establish the Lake County Tourism Improvement District.

There also will be a public hearing as part of the proposed adoption of a resolution ordering Community Development Director Kevin Ingram to abate properties where nuisance weeds, rubbish, refuse and dirt have been identified.

In other business, the council will hold a public hearing to consider a general plan amendment and zone change to revise the existing general plan and zoning land use classification for the Pacific West Communities housing project at 1255 Martin St.

Finance Director Nick Walker will take to the council a proposal for the city manager to enter into an agreement with Lake County Broadband Solutions for the Library Park and Downtown Wi-Fi Project, and Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will seek authorization for staff to conditionally cancel the council’s regular meeting on Aug. 7 and approve the participation of the city of Lakeport in the National Night Out event, with street closures and the gazebo in Library Park reserved for the event.

Also on Tuesday, the Lake County Chamber of Commerce will present a donation for the annual July 4 fireworks show in Library Park.

On the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are ordinances; minutes of the council’s regular meeting on June 19 and hte special meeting on June 26; the July 10 warrant register; rejection of Claim No. 2018-005, filed by Mario and Lyann Williams, as recommended by REMIF; approval and authorization for the city manager to execute a professional services agreement with Polestar Computers for the provision of IT support services; approval and authorization for the city manager to execute the professional services agreement with JJACPA for independent auditing services; authorization for the city manager to sign a contract with West Consultants Inc. not to exceed $35,541 for the preparation of reservoir inundation maps and an EAP for the dam serving CLMSD’s wastewater reservoir; adoption of the proposed resolution electing to have delinquent water and sewer user charges, fees, and penalties for fiscal year 2017-2018 collected on the tax roll, and set a public hearing for Aug. 7 at 5:15 p.m.

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.

071718 Lakeport City Council meeting agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors this week will look at sending a letter to the city of Lakeport in support of a ballot measure to ban fireworks and is scheduled to continue a discussion on a proposed ordinance that would go before voters for approval this fall to establish a cannabis business tax.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 17, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx . Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

In an untimed item, the board will consider a letter to the city of Lakeport in support of a proposed ballot measure for the November election that would ban the sale of fireworks inside the city.

The city of Lakeport is the only place in Lake County where “safe and sane” fireworks can be sold or used. On Tuesday night, the Lakeport City Council is considering taking the ballot measure to the community based on fire concerns residents have raised.

In another untimed item, the board will continue its discussion and consideration of a county ordinance to establish a new cannabis business tax. The ordinance is anticipated to go before county voters on the November ballot.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

6.1: Adopt Proclamation designating the week of July 16 to 22, 2018, as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Lake County.

6.2: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and Lake County Office of Education - Safe Schools Healthy Students Program for School-Based Specialty Mental Health Services for Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a contract maximum of $250,000 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.3: Approve second amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and CALSERVE Inc. for Service of Process for the period from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2019, for an amount not to exceed $25,000, and authorize the chair to sign.

6.4: Adopt resolution establishing an in-lieu reimbursement method for the Lake County Juvenile Justice Commission Pursuant to Welfare and Institutions Code Section 231 and confirming the designation of the Juvenile Justice Commission to serve as the Lake County Delinquency Prevention Commission.

6.5: (a) Adopt resolution accepting official canvass of the Statewide Direct Primary Election held on June 5, 2018; declaring certain county officials duly elected; declaring certain county officials duly elected; and declaring the results of the county measure under the board’s jurisdiction; and (b) accept the elections officials certification of the official canvass of the election results with the statement of vote as well as the certification of results of write-in votes cast for qualified candidates election prepared by the Registrar of Voters Office.

TIMED ITEMS

7.2, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of July 16 to 22, 2018, as Invasive Species Awareness Week in Lake County.

7.3, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, Sitting concurrently as Clearlake Keys CSA#1, #3,#6,#7,#13, #16, #18, #20, #21, #22, Kelseyville County Waterworks District #3 and Lake County Sanitation District, Board of Directors, consideration of (a) resolution confirming collections of annual lighting fees; (b) resolution confirming collections of delinquent water fees; (c) resolution confirming collections of delinquent water and sewer fees; and (d) resolution of delinquent sewer fees for lake county sanitation district.

UNTIMED ITEMS

8.2: Consideration of Letter to the city of Lakeport in support of a ballot measure, for the November 2018 election, banning the sale of fireworks.

8.3: Consideration of Advisory Board Appointments Lake County Resource Conservation District .

8.4: Continued from July 10, discussion and consideration of a county ordinance adding Article VII to Chapter 18 of the Lake County Code Establishing a Cannabis Business Tax

8.5: Discussion and consideration of a draft ordinance effecting administrative fines for violations of lake county code relating to adult-use cannabis operations.

8.6: Consideration of amendment to agreement between the county of Lake and Clean Lakes, Inc. to Treat Nuisance Aquatic Vegetation in 2018 and 2019 for a total not to exceed $397,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

CLOSED SESSIONS

9.1: Public employee evaluations: Special Districts administrator.

9.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(1): LCCOA v. County of Lake, et al.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library’s Summer Reading Program is in full swing.

Librarian Christopher Veach announced that so far 634 people have signed up. That’s 40 teens, 449 kids and 145 adults who have accrued a combined total rapidly approaching 311,000 points. Each page read counts as a point.

The Summer Reading Program has a few more weeks to go so there is still time to join the fun. You can sign up at any Lake County Library branch.

The last day to return books for credit is July 28. Prizes will be awarded in August.

Awards parties for kids will be held at all four branch libraries. Lakeport Library will have its party on August 4 at 10 a.m. Redbud Library will hold its party on Aug. 4 at 10 a.m. Middletown Library’s party will be Aug. 7 at 11:30 a.m. Upper Lake Library will celebrate on August 2 at 2 p.m.

The teen Summer Reading Program party will be Aug. 1 at 4 p.m. at Lakeport Library.

For adult participants, the prizes will be announced on Aug. 4. Winners will be notified that they can pick up their prizes.

Your prize will be available to pick up at the same library where you signed up even after the Summer Reading Program party. Prizes will be held until Sept. 1.

Jan Cook is a technician with the Lake County Library.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Staff of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region, will hold a board workshop on Wednesday, July 18, to discuss the status and the board’s potential next steps associated with the Clear Lake Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load Control Program.

The Central Valley Water Board workshop will take place in two sessions: an on-site discussion from 11 a.m. to noon at Library Park with a meeting to take place from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St., across the street from the park.

In August 2017, Central Valley Water Board staff conducted a public meeting in Lake County regarding the status of the Clear Lake Nutrient TMDL Control Program. The upcoming board workshop is a response to the concerns heard during that meeting.

Stakeholders expressed concerns regarding a proposed extension of the June 2017 TMDL compliance date.

In response to the stakeholder concerns associated with an extension to the TMDL, board staff is recommending revising the next steps for the TMDL.

Though an extension of the compliance date continues to be a potential option, staff is prioritizing assessment of attainment of the waste load allocations by further gathering and evaluating water quality data and information from the responsible parties identified in the TMDL.

Once the board makes additional determinations regarding attainment of allocations, appropriate next steps will be identified.

At the August 2017 workshop, stakeholders also expressed a desire to speak directly to the board decision makers.

To address this request, and to provide an update to stakeholders on the status of TMDL implementation activities, the Central Valley Water Board will be hosting a workshop in Lakeport.

Board members and management will attend and be available to hear input directly from stakeholders on the TMDL, priorities the board should focus on within the Clear Lake watershed, and recommended next steps.

Stakeholders will also hear updates on various water quality efforts currently taking place within the watershed by other organizations.

At the afternoon meeting, board staff will present their current assessment of each responsible party’s load allocation progress, next steps in this process, and other board activities taking place related to the Clear Lake Nutrient TMDL Control Program.

In addition, other organizations will give presentations on their current efforts within the watershed. This will allow board members and the public an opportunity to learn about current water quality initiatives in the Clear Lake watershed.

A technical memorandum for the meeting can be found here.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A decade ago, a project of the Lake County Arts Council, the Soper Reese Theatre, reopened as the only dedicated performing arts center in Lake County.

The facility provides the community with a stage and venue for live music and dancing, theater productions, movie screenings, a space to rent for conferences and meetings, and is home to the Lake County Symphony – but fundraising is still under way.

Committed to providing a venue for a variety of performing arts, Soper Reese Executive Director Michael Adams – one of the many volunteers pitching in to make this center a success – said recently that, to date, they have raised more than $1.7 million.

However, the next phase – refurbishing the restrooms and constructing ADA-compatible access to the theatre – is still not quite funded.

The fundraising goal for the first phase of renovation, the “Restroom Re-Do,” is $350,000, Adams said.

“When we reach $300,000, we will break ground,” Adams said, noting that they have raised over half of that goal to date.

Being fiscally responsible for the funds raised, Adams explained that it made no financial sense to repaint the outside of the building, when it will have stucco applied for waterproofing and painted in the future.

“I don’t want to spend money doing the same thing twice,” Adams said.

Early on after reopening the theatre, a major donor chose another community project in Ukiah to give their $1 million donation to because, at that point, the Soper Reese did not have a financial reserve, nor had they raised all of the funds to complete projects once they were under way.

“We learned a valuable lesson from losing that major donation,” Adams explained, and they now have a policy that requires them to maintain a financial reserve, and added that they have no debt.

After Phase I, the Restroom Re-Do, Phase II will expand the lobby facade and the stage at an estimated cost of $250,000, Adams said.

He said Phase III will create a multipurpose room that can be used for conference breakout rooms on the Martin Street side and add another marquee for $200,000, for a total of $800,000 that will need to be raised to complete all major renovations.

Depending on the type of event, seating capacity at the Soper Reese ranges from 271 to 300 guests, making it an ideal venue to rent for large meetings and trainings, as well as musical and theatrical productions, movie screenings and more.

Regularly scheduled events at the theatre include two movie series – Classic Cinema and Gen X Cinema – which can be sponsored by an individual or business, the Lake County Symphony, Chamber Music series and Third Friday Live, along with other recurring events like Bastille Day Fete, Harmonica Slapdown, comedy shows, fundraisers with live music and more to come, including a jazz music series.

Beginning in October, another way to help the theatre – and have a good time – will be to sponsor a movie that you would like to see again on a big screen in a theatre.

“For $150, any member of the public will be able to sponsor a movie, as long as we can get the licensing and we’ll show it,” Adams said, and the sponsor will get to take the copy of the movie home.

For more information on events, to donate, or to volunteer with the Soper Reese theatre, visit www.soperreesetheatre.com or call 707-263-0577.

Terre Logsdon is a freelance correspondent for Lake County News.