LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Forecasters are predicting chances of rain through much of Thanksgiving week.
The National Weather Service said a weather system that moved in overnight is expected to bring rain throughout the day on Monday and on Monday night.
Conditions are expected to clear on Tuesday and Wednesday, with a slight chance of showers during the day on Thanksgiving, according to the forecast.
Chances of rain are expected to increase on Thursday night, with the potential for more rain through Sunday, the National Weather Service reported.
The National Weather Service’s rainfall total estimates predict amounts ranging from about a tenth of an inch in southern Lake County to more than an inch of rain in the higher mountain areas in the northern portion of the county.
The forecast also calls for winds of up to 8 miles per hour during the day on Monday.
Temperatures this week will range from daytime highs into the high 60s down to nighttime lows in the high 40s.
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 this week will consider ordinances related to commercial marijuana operations and personal cultivation.
The council will meet in closed session to discuss labor negotiations and a potential case of litigation beginning at 5:05 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 21, before convening in open session at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram will introduce the new ordinance to permit and regulate commercial marijuana, or cannabis, operations, with a public hearing to be set for Dec. 19.
Ingram also will present to the council an ordinance amending current rules permitting and regulating personal cannabis cultivation, with a Dec. 19 public hearing also to be set for that ordinance, which Ingram has reported is necessary due to changes in state law.
In other business, the council will consider a budget adjustment for an additional $25,000 for the purchase for the Public Works Department of a 10-wheeler dump truck and authorize the city manager to sign the associated purchase order and purchase agreement.
Police Chief Brad Rasmussen also will ask the council to authorize the city manager to sign a purchase order and supporting documents to buy two fully equipped 2018 Dodge Charger police vehicles Thurston Auto along with mobile audio visual units.
City Manager Margaret Silveira will present to the council amendments to Application No. 2017-015 for the Lakeport Main Street Association to close Main Street between Second and Third streets at 2 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 24 until the conclusion of the Dickens’ Faire event on Saturday, Nov. 25.
Items 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 Nov. 7; the Nov. 14 warrant register; adoption of the proposed resolution accepting construction of the Downtown Tree Installation Project by Neary Landscape Inc. and authorize the filing of the notice of completion; reject Claim No. 2017-005, filed by Laurel Garabiles, as recommended by REMIF; and receive and file draft minutes of the Nov. 6 Measure Z Advisory Committee.
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.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Lake County Winery Association has announced the hiring of Maria Brunn as executive director for the regional trade association.
Brunn comes to this position from Sonoma County Vintners where she managed operations and finances for the nonprofit trade association with 250 winery members.
As business operations manager, Brunn not only managed all legal and financial reporting, HR, and IT needs, but also was an integral part of the Sonoma County Barrel Auction team and traveled nationally and internationally to promote Sonoma County wines.
Prior to her role at Sonoma County Vintners, Brunn worked in marketing and operations at the wine industry trade publication, Wines & Vines.
She built responsive Web sites for the company’s trade events, created widely distributed newsletters and represented the company at wine industry conferences.
A native of Northern California’s wine country, Brunn earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Sonoma State University. She also completed the U.C. Davis Wine Executive Program in 2015 and is sitting for the WSET 3 exam this coming year.
“I am so excited to have this opportunity,” Brunn said. “Lake County is perfectly positioned for growth in this market. With over 9,400 acres planted to winegrapes, the volcanic soil and high elevation vineyards have led to wines of character and distinction and I am looking forward to elevating the profile of Lake County’s outstanding wines and this beautiful region.”
The Lake County Winery Association is a nonprofit organization founded in 2007 by a dozen wineries.
It LCWA serves more than 40 vintners and associate members who share a mission to promote awareness of Lake County’s excellent wine industry, high elevation wines and tourism opportunities.
For more information visit www.lakecountywineries.org or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating an early Sunday morning shooting in Manchester that killed a woman and injured a teenager.
The agency reported that just before 5:45 a.m. Sunday it began receiving 911 calls from the 500 block of Rancheria Road in Manchester regarding a shooting that occurred at a residence.
The callers indicated there were two females, a 32-year-old and a 15-year-old, who had been struck by gunfire, according to the report.
The sheriff’s office reported that patrol deputies responded from Point Arena, Fort Bragg and Ukiah Upon their arrival they discovered the adult female unresponsive and the juvenile wounded but alert, officials said.
Medical personnel were summoned but the woman was pronounced deceased at the scene, the sheriff’s office reported.
Authorities said the female juvenile was transported to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital where she was treated for a gunshot wound and was later released from the hospital.
The Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Detective Unit responded to assume the investigation, assisted by investigators of the Mendocino County District Attorney's Office, as well as criminalists from the California Department of Justice Criminal Laboratory in Eureka, according to the report.
The sheriff’s office said witnesses indicated that an unknown assailant came to the house while the occupants were sleeping and fired numerous shots from the outside, striking both females who were inside the residence. There were numerous other parties inside the residence at the time but no one else was injured.
A vehicle was heard leaving the area in a rapid manner, and the Mendocino County Sheriff's Office is asking anyone who may have information related to this incident to please contact the Sheriff's Communications Center at 707-463-4086 or to contact the Sheriff's Office Tip Line at 707-234-2100.
A crew works on cleaning up a parcel burned by the Sulphur fire in Clearlake, Calif. Photo courtesy of the city of Clearlake. CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The city of Clearlake has implemented its own deadlines for property owners impacted by the Sulphur fire who are not taking part in the government-led debris cleanup program.
Debris removal crews are currently working seven days per week to expedite the removal of Sulphur fire-related debris.
Officials said this debris is a public health hazard and presents a potential danger to the public and the environment.
On Nov. 15, the California Office of Emergency Services announced that jurisdictions will be required to submit to the state on Dec. 1 a list of properties where there is an order to abate.
In order to meet that deadline, at a special city council meeting on Nov. 16 the Clearlake City Council set Nov. 29 as the deadline to provide a written debris cleanup plan to Lake County Environmental Health.
“It is critical that property owners meet with Lake County Environmental Health and file their debris removal plan within the next few days,” said Clearlake City Manager Greg Folsom. “Unfortunately, due to the public health hazard potential of the fire debris, properties that have neither filed a right-of-entry nor a debris self-removal plan will be subject to summary abatement proceedings through the city’s Code Enforcement Department.”
For more information, or to document your intent to use a private contractor and file your opt-out plan, please contact Lake County Environmental Health, at 707-263-1164.
Sue Condit, Judith Mayorga and Greg Bushta from the Lake County Symphony were among the local performers who presented the Big Read’s Traveling Symphony event at the Soper-Reese Theatre in Lakeport, Calif. Courtesy photo. LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library’s Big Read for 2017 has wrapped up its month-long series of events that explored the themes of the Big Read novel, “Station Eleven,” by Emily St. John Mandel.
Lake County Library is one of 75 nonprofit organizations across the country that received NEA Big Read grants to host community reading programs between September 2017 and June 2018.
During October the library distributed 500 free copies of the novel to the public and held public events related to the book. The events drew a combined total of more than 350 people.
Speakers included author, playwright and Mendocino College professor Jody Gehrman, Dr. Karen Tait from Lake County Public Health and Tammy Carter from Sutter Lakeside Hospital.
Other events included a showing of the Star Trek Voyager episode that inspired Mandel’s book, and an on-air book discussion on KPFZ FM 88.1.
Discussions and events explored the book’s themes of the importance of art, the insufficiency of mere survival and what it means to be human.
Book clubs held discussions. Local breweries produced special Station Eleven-themed brews. Members of the Lake County Symphony and the Shakespeare in the Park program performed at the Soper-Reese Theatre.
The Lake County Arts Council’s First Friday Fling in Lakeport, Calif., featured a discussion of the Big Read book, Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. Courtesy photo. The NEA Big Read in Lake County featured Station Eleven by Emily St. John Mandel. The NEA Big Read is a community-wide reading program where community members are all encouraged to read and discuss the same book.
The public joined the Lake County Library’s Big Read to discuss Mandel’s post-apocalyptic novel that examines life and death, faith and fate, music and drama, arts and technology, and power and control. Recurring images from the book include graphic novels, Shakespeare, classical music, tattoos, and museums.
The library salutes the partner agencies that helped bring about the success of the program. Friends of the Lake County Library, Friends of Middletown Library, Lake County Friends of Mendocino College, Friends of the Mendocino College Library, Mendocino College Lake Center, Lake County Office of Education, Lake County Campus Woodland Community College, KPFZ 88.1FM Lake County Local Radio, Lake County Museums, Lake County Arts Council, Middletown Art Center, Sutter Lakeside Hospital, O'Meara Bros. Brewing Co. and Kelsey Creek Brewing Co.
The Lake County Library is planning to submit a grant for a program during the month of October 2018.
You can help the library choose Lake County’s Big Read book for 2018 through the survey on the Web site www.lakecountybigread.com. Click on the link to the survey to read the book descriptions.
Please read the descriptions in the survey and then choose which book you would most like to see selected for the Big Read in Lake County.
Jan Cook is a technician with the Lake County Library.
Jody Gehrman was the keynote speaker for the 2017 Big Read in Lake County, Calif. Gehrman spoke about the arts and why people pursue them. Courtesy photo.
Dino Beltran. Photo by Kathleen Scavone. LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – I had the good fortune to meet Dino Beltran at Twin Pine Casino's Indian Days event in October.
Beltran sits on the tribal council of the Koi Nation of Northern California.
He wears many hats, the least of which is narrator and a producer for the Emmy Award winning film called "A Walk Through Time."
The film won the Governor's Historic Preservation Award in 2015 in Sacramento, and went on to garner an Emmy Award in the category of "Historic/Cultural-Program/Special" at the 46th annual Northern California Emmy Awards ceremony in San Francisco in June.
On hand to collect the Emmy Award, as Lake County News previously reported, were: "production team members Director Dan Bruns of the Advanced Laboratory for Visual Anthropology at California State University, Chico; archaeologist Dr. John Parker, another of the producers, along with his wife, Cheyanne, who also is an archaeologist; Executive Producer Leslie Steidl, a retired associate state archaeologist with the California Department of Parks and Recreations; and Eduardo Guaracha, the superintendent of the California State Parks Northern Buttes District, which includes Lake County".
Beltran underscored the fact that the making of the film was truly a team effort, and genuinely thanks the supervisors of Lake County, his tribal council and the Upper Lake Pomo, as well.
"A Walk Through Time" portrays the importance of Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, and how the park came to be.
The short film, only 28 minutes, made its world premier in Clearlake during the summer of 2015, when actor Peter Coyote was on hand to introduce the film to the public.
The film came about due to the efforts of the local Koi Indian Tribe, California State Parks, Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association, archaeologists Parker and Greg White, geoarchaeologist Jack Meyer, retired State Parks Ranger Tom Nixon, Koi Nation Chair Darin Beltran and Vice Chair Drake Beltran.
The richly informative film gives an overview of our local gem, Anderson Marsh State Historic Park, incorporating interviews with key players in the making of the park, stunning cinematography and outstanding narration by Dino Beltran.
The intense efforts to preserve the land that is now Anderson Marsh State Historic Park began with Parker's hard work, along with many, many local supporters, which culminated in the creation of the 1,300 acres park in 1982.
The film discusses Anderson Marsh's wetlands, oak woodlands and grasslands. It talks about the park's cultural aspects which includes dozens of American Indians archaeological sites located here, some of which are over 14,000 years old.
The film, along with a corresponding curriculum which I authored, were released to all Lake County elementary schools by Raeann Bossarte, State Park interpreter, Northern Buttes District and recently retired State Parks Archaeologist, Leslie Steidl,.
The hopes are that teachers in grades third through fifth will make use of the invaluable teaching resources within their classrooms to educate students on this unique and important site.
Beltran grew up in Santa Rosa. His great-grandfather, John Johnson, and his brother, Tom, owned a produce business in Sonoma County.
Beltran was very familiar with his people's cultural history in Lake County, since he made many trips to Lake County in his youth to visit family.
He has made it his job to learn about his past, and states in the Anderson Marsh Interpretive Association's bulletin: "The Koi people had a simple way of life based on the complex spiritual connection with the living environment of the surrounding area. All natural things are considered to have been created by the Creator and should be embraced and respected. Spirituality and one's connection with their higher power is a way of life. The Koi ancestors and those of the Elem and Kamdot tribes shared a common language which is of the Hokan language root. It is believed to be one of the oldest languages in the entire state. Today the Koi has revived our language and along with resources found at UC Berkeley we have language classes today."
Beltran does not plan to “rest on his laurels” and, instead has been diligently working on a new documentary which focuses on sacred site protection work that is currently taking place in Lake County.
A consortium called Ancestors 1 has been instigated by the Koi Nation as well as the Upper Lake Habematolel Pomo to make the film.
Beltran is very encouraged with the work Sheriff Brian Martin is doing to help ensure protection for sacred sites and artifacts with his "Archaeological Crimes Class" which was co-sponsored by the Koi Nation, and hosted by the Habematolel Pomo at Running Creek Casino in Lake County.
A memorandum of agreement was signed in December of 2016 to enforce a previous state law and is called AB 52. The AB 52 agreement states that the tribes are to be consulted prior to land development to ensure that their cultural resources are not lost.
Beltran also holds a great deal of respect for District Attorney Don Anderson and his work with Beltran's tribe on these matters.
The documentary will discuss how looting of American Indian artifacts is on the rise in our state and county, and how the illegal practice disregards both the relics and the tribe's spiritual relationship with the land. The thefts often go hand-in-hand with drug users and their insatiable quest for drug money.
This new documentary, which not only has Gov. Jerry Brown's support – since he is a landowner in Colusa County and wanted to learn about American Indian artifacts – will also feature an appearance by the governor in the film.
Another boon to the film and its goal of informing the public on its important topic, is that award-winning actor, director Peter Coyote will narrate the new documentary.
Beltran has expressed his good fortune with his friendship with Coyote, who has encouraged Beltran in his endeavors, and invited Beltran to attend a voice acting class.
Beltran said, "We say 'O!' for appreciation, in our tribe.
To purchase a DVD of "A Walk Through Time" call the tribal office at 707-575-5586. One hundred percent of the monies go toward the Koi Nation personnel to patrol Anderson Marsh State Historic Park.
Kathleen Scavone, M.A., is a retired educator, potter, writer and author of “Anderson Marsh State Historic Park: A Walking History, Prehistory, Flora, and Fauna Tour of a California State Park” and “Native Americans of Lake County.” She also formerly wrote for NASA and JPL as one of their “Solar System Ambassadors.” She was selected “Lake County Teacher of the Year, 1998-99” by the Lake County Office of Education, and chosen as one of 10 state finalists the same year by the California Department of Education.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has several new dogs one one remaining Sulphur fire dog available for adoption this week.
The dogs offered adoption this week include mixes of German Shepherd, pit bull and shepherd.
Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.
The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).
This female pit bull mix is in kennel No. 2, ID No. 8736. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Female pit bull mix
This female pit bull mix was found on Lakeshore Drive in Clearlake Park in the Sulphur fire area on Oct. 13.
She has a short red and white coat. She is not spayed.
She is available for adoption on Nov. 14.
She is in kennel No. 2, ID No. 8736.
This male pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 3, ID No. 8817. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Pit bull terrier
This male pit bull terrier has a short blue and white coat.
Shelter staff said he was tested with a female dog and got along great with her.
He is in kennel No. 3, ID No. 8817.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 7. ID No. 8893. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short blue coat.
She is in kennel No. 7. ID No. 8893.
“Marley” is a female pit bull terrier mix in kennel No. 15, ID No. 8857. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Marley’
“Marley” is a female pit bull terrier mix with a short tan coat.
She already has been spayed.
She’s in kennel No. 15, ID No. 8857.
This female German Shepherd is in kennel No. 22, ID No. 8943. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. German Shepherd
This female German Shepherd has a medium-length brown and black coat.
She’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 8943.
“Jack” is a male shepherd mix in kennel No. 25, ID No. 8721. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. ‘Jack’
“Jack” is a male shepherd mix.
He has a long black and white coat and has already been neutered.
He’s in kennel No. 25, ID No. 8721.
This female pit bull terrier is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 8916. Photo courtesy of Lake County Animal Care and Control. Pit bull terrier
This female pit bull terrier has a short fawn and white coat.
She is in kennel No. 26, ID No. 8916.
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
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.
This artist’s rendition shows MEME-X’s dual spacecraft as they observe the aurora from an altitude like that of the International Space Station. Credits: NASA. A team of NASA scientists want to use Earth as a laboratory to understand how planets lose their atmospheres and has proposed a mission that the agency recently selected as one of five for further consideration as a possible NASA Explorer mission.
In the proposed mission that some believe is a potential keystone in the study of the Sun and its effects on planetary atmospheres, the team at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, is advancing a dual-satellite, polar-orbiting mission to study the universal processes that control atmospheric erosion and its interaction with stellar winds, the continuously flowing stream of charged particles released from the Sun’s corona.
Called Mechanisms of Energetic Mass Ejection-Explorer, or MEME-X, the mission was one of five proposals that received Phase-A funding under NASA’s Small Explorer Program. NASA also selected another Goddard mission, Focusing Optics X-ray Solar Imager [link to story]. Of the five, NASA is expected to select one or two for development and implementation.
Cross-disciplinary mission
MEME-X’s two spacecraft would fly in a polar orbit to find out how plasma escapes from Earth’s ionosphere.
“MEME-X has strong cross threads across NASA’s scientific disciplines – planetary, heliophysics, astrophysics, and Earth science,” said Thomas Moore, a Goddard scientist and the MEME-X principal investigator. In addition to providing details about the loss of mass in Earth’s upper atmospheric layers, the mission could enhance scientists’ understanding of the role that solar wind played in transforming Mars from a warm and wet environment that might have supported surface life on Mars to the cold, arid planet of today, he said.
To that end, MEME-X will focus on one principal question: How do particles escape from Earth’s upper atmosphere into the magnetosphere – the protective bubble that shields the planet from incoming radiation from the Sun – and then further, out into space.
“Atmospheric escape is a fundamental process with wide-reaching consequences across space and planetary sciences,” Moore said.
Plasma, the dominant material in space, consists of negatively charged electrons and positively charged ions; that is, atoms that have lost their electrons.
It is a fourth state of matter – not a gas, liquid, or solid – which conducts electricity and is affected by magnetic fields.
On an astronomical scale, plasma is common. It’s found in the Sun, in the constant stream of material that flows from the Sun – the solar wind – and throughout space. However, on Earth’s surface, it’s rare, found mostly in fires and in fluorescent and neon lights.
For heliophysics, understanding the outflow of plasma from near-Earth space is particularly crucial, Moore added.
The upflow of plasma from the high-latitude polar cap and auroral regions appears to affect the magnetosphere’s response to variations in the solar wind and in turn influences space weather, which adds to the challenge of predicting space weather.
“For 40 years, we’ve had a long-standing mystery about how a portion of the atmosphere is heated by a factor of a hundred or more and ejected into space, where it dramatically modifies the near-Earth environment,” said Doug Rowland, MEME-X deputy principal investigator and a heliophysicist at Goddard. “MEME-X, with its pair of miniaturized spacecraft and advanced instrumentation, will finally give us the tools we need to solve this problem.”
Equipped with plasma analyzers, which will be mounted on short booms extending along the spacecraft’s spin axes, and other instruments developed in part with research-and-development funding, MEME-X would provide the first multipoint measurements of plasma to determine if the matter is being ejected by pressure, as in a geyser, or vacuumed away from Earth, as in a waterspout.
MEME-X’s two spacecraft would fly in a polar orbit to find out how plasma escapes from Earth’s ionosphere, which lies 50 to 620 miles above the surface, into the protective magnetosphere that shields the planet from potentially harmful solar wind and other space weather, and then out into space. Credits: NASA.
Atmospheric evolution and habitability
In addition to revealing the plasma outflow’s effect on space weather, the mission could help answer important questions regarding the evolution of planetary atmospheres and planet habitability, Moore said.
A case in point is Mars. Once wetter and warmer, and possibly congenial for life, the planet now looks dead. It’s a desert world, with a sparse atmosphere and virtually no protective magnetic field.
NASA’s Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution mission, recently discovered that most of the planet’s atmosphere has been lost to space, violently scraped from the planet by solar wind.
The question scientists want to answer is the role of the magnetosphere in atmospheric loss, particularly as it relates to solar wind.
“This is a quest to discover and characterize fundamental processes that occur within the heliosphere and throughout the universe,” Moore said. “We want to use the Earth’s atmosphere as a laboratory.”
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county of Lake has reported on an update to the deadline to remove Sulphur fire debris, which is required due to wet weather conditions.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors appreciates the many Sulphur Fire survivor-property owners who have acted quickly to ensure hazardous debris is removed from their properties in a timely manner.
Thanks to the vigilance of these survivors and effective outreach by the Health Services Department, Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski and County staff, more than 120 properties were signed up for debris removal services by the State program’s Nov. 13 deadline.
Wildfire debris still poses significant risk to public health and must be removed as soon as possible.
The Board of Supervisors had previously set a deadline of Dec. 15 to declare intent to have debris removed by a private contractor, with abatements expected in January.
The California Office of Emergency Services, or CalOES, recently clarified that, due to expected winter rains, an earlier deadline is required.
With the state debris removal program’s deadline past, survivor-property owners in the unincorporated areas of Lake County have two options:
– Secure a private contractor to remove wildfire debris, and provide a written opt-out plan to Lake County Environmental Health no later than Friday, Dec. 1; or
– Wildfire debris will be abated as a Code Enforcement matter beginning in December.
Abatement is the most costly option, in most cases.
Property owners are strongly discouraged from cleaning up their own structural debris, out of concern for their health and the health of their neighbors.
Per the state deadline, all county properties with no opt-out plan on file by Dec. 1 will be subject to abatement orders.
Properties located within the city of Clearlake are subject to the Clearlake City Council’s deadline of Nov. 29.
“The best [privately contracted] jobs are when the contractor files the paperwork and submits their work plan,” said Ruminski.
“In the wake of wildfire, there are many priorities that require attention, and we are sorry for any inconvenience caused by the adjustment of these deadlines. Unfortunately, it is beyond our control,” said County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson.
For more information, or to document your intent to use a private contractor and file your opt-out plan, please contact Lake County Environmental Health, at 707-263-1164.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – This week the Board of Supervisors reversed a decision it made at the end of October and now will allow debris from the Redwood fire to be taken to the Eastlake Landfill in Clearlake.
The board initially discussed the matter at a special Oct. 31 meeting in response to a request from ECC, the US Army Corps of Engineers’ debris removal contractor for Lake and Mendocino counties.
ECC had asked if the county would allow the debris to be taken to the Eastlake Landfill rather than having to truck it to the next closest available landfills, which are located in Vacaville and Suisun City, as Lake County News has reported.
The matter was brought back after board members last week asked for it to be discussed again.
Public Services Director Lars Ewing explained that the landfill is currently at 87-percent capacity, a number which covers the 2017 disposal projections, including the fire debris estimates for the Sulphur fire.
The remaining capacity is expected to last 13 years if there are no other disasters, Ewing said. However, adding in unanticipated debris takes that number down to nine and a half years.
He said Mendocino County has an estimated 400 properties to be cleaned of fire debris. Ewing’s calculations put the Redwood fire debris at a total of 10 months of landfill capacity. That brings the landfill’s life expectancy down to eight and a half years, which puts the facility’s life out to 2026. The expansion project is expected to be completed by 2024.
“We have about two years of wiggle room,” said Ewing, noting that his schedule doesn’t include assumptions of the county getting clearance from state agencies to accelerate the expansion project.
Ewing estimated that it will cost the county $67.62 a ton to handle the additional debris.
Board Chair Jeff Smith said the county needed to help collect a portion to benefit the city of Clearlake and road repairs necessary from the truck traffic to the landfill.
Ewing said that in talks with the city they have identified the impact of the landfill traffic on the city’s roads. Repairs will have to wait until the contract between the city and county to cover those repairs is rewritten, with the contract expected to expire in June.
In response to questions about the revenue potential, Ewing said that because the landfill isn’t a for-profit business it has to base its costs on estimates of how much it will take to manage the landfill.
“Lars is correct that it’s a revenue-neutral proposition,” said County Counsel Anita Grant.
Grant added that overhead expenses and other costs are things that the county can be reimbursed for in setting its tonnage charges.
Smith did a quick calculation and estimated that the county could take in more than $3 million for the Redwood fire debris.
Ewing said the funds that the extra debris would bring in would be revenue neutral, and offset operating costs.
Smith said he wanted it emphasized that the debris not be trucked over Highway 20 – and through the Northshore communities and along the lakeshore – but that it be taken to the landfill on Highway 29.
Lake County Environmental Health Director Ray Ruminski supported accepting the debris.
“This decision is a chance to help someone else when so many others over the last two years gave so much help to us,” he said, adding that it’s important to never forget the human element. “If we can help someone else, it’s always a good thing.”
Supervisor Jim Steele moved to direct staff to develop an agreement with ECC, with the debris to be moved on an appropriate highway route and the agreement to cover the costs Ewing has forecast.
The board voted 4-1 – with Supervisor Tina Scott casting the lone no vote – to approve the motion.
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 city of Lakeport is continuing the complex work of seeking federal assistance to repair city facilities damaged by the flooding earlier this year.
At the Lakeport City Council meeting last week, city staff updated the council on the efforts, which have been under way for much of this year.
Public Works Director Doug Grider explained the complexity of the lengthy process to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for assistance, which requires in-depth applications and damage estimates, and the development of a detailed scope of work.
One of the main repair projects is Library Park’s 550-foot-long seawall. The damage to the seawall and its resulting failure have resulted in parts of the park being fenced off since February.
Grider said they don’t want to put a cinder block wall back in place, and instead are looking at a sheet pile wall, which will prevent wall failures in future flood events. He said they’ve sent in preliminary engineering designs for the new wall.
City Manager Margaret Silveira said the fence in the park will have to stay up until repairs can be completed, and those repairs will have to be done when the lake is low.
Mayor Stacey Mattina asked if they would have to look at the fence for another summer, and Grider said it is a possibility.
However, Grider said the city appears to be on track to receive funding from FEMA to replace the First Street boat ramp.
“Basically this is a ballet between FEMA and insurance,” he said.
Silveira said FEMA has been good in working with the city, noting the agency is working on big projects across the country. She added that Lakeport was the first entity to get all of its paperwork in after the floods.
She credited Grider’s work with the federal application process. “He's put a lot of time into this” and has worked a lot of late nights, she said.
Silveira added that the city is doing its best to get the process completed as quickly as possible; she said the city can’t afford to make the repairs on its own.
During the meeting, Silveira reported that the city has been working with the owner of Will-O-Point resort, which has been closed since evacuations were implemented in February.
Silveira said the California Department of Housing and Community Development is now allowing the resort to reopen on a limited basis.
Ten mobile homes are being moved back into the resort on the north side of the creek, with the owner planning to get the campground ready to reopen next summer and make improvements. Silveira said the part of the resort on the south side of the creek remains closed, with the sewer system capped off.
Last week’s meeting also included a public hearing to adopt a resolution approving the city’s 2017 Community Development Block Grant application. The council approved the application unanimously.
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram said the application includes $1.5 million for construction of offsite improvements – include sidewalk and sewer – for the Main Street apartments affordable housing project; $500,000 to continue the business assistance program; $100,000 for street, drainage and pedestrian improvements for the Forbes Creek neighborhood; and an unspecified amount for Americans with Disability Act-required improvements to the Carnegie Library and City Hall, including the council chambers.
In other business, the council approved an amendment to the city’s solid waste franchise agreement with Lakeport Disposal Inc. to allow the company to increase rates by 4.29 percent effective Jan 1, 2018, to replace the missed contractually available increase as of July 1, 2017.
Grider also presented the proposed resolution accepting the construction of the 20th Street Traffic Mitigation Striping Project by Striping Graphics Inc. The work was completed for $17,502.50.
Panette Talia of the Lakeport Main Street Association presented the Taste of Lake County’s People’s Choice Award for wineries to Cache Creek Winery and for best restaurant to the Boathouse Bar and Grill.
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.
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