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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
Sabrina Andrus, Mike Brown and Weston Seifert join trustees Gilbert Rangel, current board president, who has served since December 2020, and Rick Winer, former board president, who has served since 2001.
Kelseyville Unified Superintendent Dr. Nicki Thomas said she is excited to work with all of them. “Our new board members have a variety of experiences and perspectives that will round out the board. But most importantly, they are all committed to our community and want what's best for our kids,” she said.
“Sabrina was a Kelseyville High School graduate and she has been extremely dedicated to our community and our kids,” Thomas said. Mike has a wealth of knowledge and experience as a former educator and superintendent. I am sure there is a lot I will learn from him. And Weston will bring a unique perspective to our board given his involvement with the CTE program at the high school and across the county. He also has children in our district and has been really supportive of our schools and staff.”
Sabrina Andrus
Andrus was born and raised in Kelseyville. She graduated cum laude from law school in 2008, and practiced civil legal aid in Seattle before returning to California. She is a proud auntie to four KVUSD nieces and nephews, ages 6, 6, 8 and 9.
She has served in multiple leadership roles in Lake County and beyond. For the last two years, she has been the executive director of Mother-Wise, a countywide nonprofit that provides new mothers and families with respectful, informative, and judgment-free support to reduce the negative impacts of maternal mental health challenges.
Previously, she led If/When/How, a national nonprofit that trains and mobilizes law students and lawyers to foster legal expertise and support for the realization of reproductive justice.
She said, “I ran to serve on the Kelseyville Unified School District Board because I care deeply about a solid public education foundation for our young people, and knew I could bring my legal and board expertise to the table in a thoughtful way.”
Mike Brown
Brown has a masters degree in educational leadership and 34 years of experience in the field of education. He has also served on the Signal II JPA Board and the Lake County SELPA Board.
Brown moved to Lake County in 1988 and began his career in education as a sixth grade teacher in 1990. He later became a school administrator and spent the last 17 years of his career as principal and superintendent of Lucerne Elementary School.
“My previous job kept me quite busy across the lake,” Brown said. “Now that I am retired, I felt it time to invest in my own amazing community and school district. My wife and children all received a high-quality K-12 education from Kelseyville Unified. I hope that my long-term experience in education provides the district with insight and direction to continue striving to make Kelseyville Unified an exceptional place for students to grow and learn and staff to feel respected and appreciated.”
Weston Seifert
Seifert and his wife, Terra, moved to Lake County in 2008, and both of their children attend Kelseyville Unified schools.
Seifert owns the Saw Shop Public House and has served on both business and education boards and committees, including the Lake County Chamber of Commerce Board, the Kelseyville Business Association Board, the Workforce Alliance of the North Bay Board, and the KVUSD CTE Advisory Committee.
He said, “I am grateful for the opportunity to be able to sit on the Kelseyville Unified School District Board to support our students, faculty and administrators,” said Seifert. “I care deeply about our community and look forward to being a part of this great organization to facilitate educational opportunities for our children.”
Kelseyville Unified Board meetings are held on the third Tuesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. at the district’s Dr. Peter J. Quartarolo Board Room, located at 4410 Konocti Road in Kelseyville or in the Tom Aiken Student Center at Kelseyville High School, located at 5480 Main St. in Kelseyville (as indicated on the agenda).
To learn more about Kelseyville Unified, visit KVUSD.org.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
A key homebuyer workshop for the ReCoverCA Homebuyer Assistance Program will be held on Wednesday, Feb. 26, in Clearlake.
It will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. at the Best Western El Grande Inn, 15135 Lakeshore Drive.
The free workshop will provide valuable information about the program, which offers up to $350,000 in financial assistance per household to help qualifying individuals and families purchase homes in lower-fire-risk areas of California.
Attendees will learn how to apply for the program, understand the program’s policies and eligibility requirements, get step-by-step guidance on the application process from experts in the field and help raise awareness about the program and contribute to community recovery efforts.
To apply for assistance through the program, applicants must have owned or rented a primary residence in Zip Code 95422 in Lake County in 2017, within a High or Very High Fire Severity Zone. Additionally, applicants must meet the low-to-moderate income eligibility requirements, typically capped at 80% of the area median income.
“This financial assistance could really make a difference in people’s lives,” says Lake County Supervisor EJ Crandell. “When one family gains some stability, they are better able to show up in their employment, in their education, in their relationships with friends and family and in their community. When one family succeeds in taking a step forward in recovery, we all benefit.”
Potential applicants and community stakeholders — including wildfire recovery agencies, organizations, real estate professionals, residential service providers, and media members — are encouraged to attend the upcoming workshop and help raise awareness about this valuable resource.
Space is limited, so attendees are encouraged to register early to guarantee their spot. Pre-register for this free event at https://qrco.de/bfimJm. Interpreter services in Spanish, Tagalog and American Sign Language can be requested during registration.
The ReCoverCA HBA Program is provided by the California Department of Housing and Community Development and funded by HUD.
The program is a vital part of California's ongoing recovery efforts to support individuals and families impacted by wildfires. Since launching in June 2024, the Program has helped over 80 families become homeowners, with an average grant of $300,000 per household.
The assistance is fully forgiven after five years of homeownership and occupancy. There is no first-time homebuyer requirement and perfect credit is not needed to qualify.
Complete program policies, eligibility requirements, loan applications, interest rates, and APRs, are available through ReCoverCA HBA Lenders published on the GSFA website at www.gsfahome.org.
To pre-register for the homebuyer workshop in Clearlake on February 26, 2025, please visit https://qrco.de/bfimJm.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The legislation is intended to help address the ongoing insurance crisis in California and other states, as the rising frequency and intensity of natural disasters has led insurers to raise rates and, in several cases, exit certain markets entirely.
"Property insurance has quickly become one of the single biggest issues I hear about in my district. People can’t get covered: either the available options are completely unaffordable, or there are no options available at all. It’s an untenable situation," said Thompson. "By incentivizing homeowners to mitigate disaster risks on their property, we aim to bring insurers back into the market and bring rates back into more affordable territory."
"Homeowners should be able to lower their insurance costs by reducing the risks to their property, but right now, many are stuck with skyrocketing rates or no coverage at all," said Rep. LaMalfa. "This bill gives them a real chance to make improvements that not only strengthen their homes but also help bring insurers back to the market."
The Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2025 provides homeowners in disaster-prone regions with broad incentives to harden their properties against wildfires and other natural hazards to help address the ongoing insurance crisis in California and other states.
By incentivizing homeowners to mitigate disaster risks on their property, the legislation will help bring insurers back into the market and lower rates.
The legislation includes the establishment of a grant program, administered through State governments, through which certain individual households in designated disaster-prone regions are eligible for up to $10,000 for specified hazard mitigation work on their homes.
The legislation also provides a 30 percent tax credit for these mitigation activities conducted by individuals, farms, and businesses. The credit complements the grant program by providing meaningful assistance to larger property owners for whom mitigation activity costs would far exceed $10,000.
In addition, the legislation establishes that payments from state-run disaster resiliency programs and payments from various federal emergency agricultural programs are not considered income for federal tax purposes. It also advises states to direct insurers to consider plan owners’ disaster mitigation efforts when setting premiums.
"NAHB commends Reps. Mike Thompson (D-Calif.) and Doug LaMalfa (R-Calif.) for introducing the Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act. With 130 million homes built before the introduction of modern codes in 2010, this bill focuses on improving older homes that are far less resilient than modern homes. The legislation would protect homeowners, reduce the financial burden of natural disasters, and increase the resiliency of our nation’s housing stock," said Carl Harris, chairman of the National Association of Home Builders.
"Americans all across the country are struggling to keep their homes insured in the face of rising premiums and shrinking options in the marketplace. This is not a ‘California problem.’ It is critical that we help households make the risk reduction improvements that improve their odds against extreme weather events and help them qualify for property insurance they can afford. We commend Congressman Thompson and the co-sponsors of this bill for advancing this important legislation," said Amy Bach, executive director, United Policyholders and member of the Federal Advisory Committee on Insurance to the U.S. Treasury.
"APCIA commends Representatives Mike Thompson (D-CA) and Doug LaMalfa (R-CA) for leading the Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act of 2025. This bill will support homeowners in disaster-prone regions to undertake mitigation activities proven to reduce risk from natural catastrophes such as wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, and wind events. For communities at high-risk from natural disasters and severe weather-related damage, mitigation and hardening of existing structures must be prioritized and could also positively impact insurance availability and affordability. APCIA fully supports this legislation," said Kate Carey, senior department vice president and counsel, American Property Casualty Insurance Association.
"The National Association of REALTORS applaud Representatives Thompson and LaMalfa for introducing the Disaster Resiliency and Coverage Act. This vital legislation will empower homeowners in high-risk areas to take proactive steps to safeguard their properties through targeted grants and tax incentives. By investing in mitigation efforts before disaster strikes, we not only protect lives and property but also reduce long-term recovery costs. REALTORS strongly support these measures, which will help build stronger, more resilient communities, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance this important legislation," said Shannon McGahn, chief advocacy officer, National Association of REALTORS.
Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
The Bureau of Land Management recently issued stop work orders to small businesses and organizations across America carrying out critical hazardous fuel removal projects on high-risk federal lands.
Delaying these treatments risks missing out on the right seasonal and weather conditions for safely treating hazardous fuels, the senators said.
The letter follows President Donald Trump’s executive orders cutting federal funds needed to mitigate and fight wildfires, despite the devastating fires that ravaged Southern California communities last month.
The BLM’s Ukiah Field office told Lake County News, “Hazardous fuels projects that are funded by base appropriations are continuing forward across the West. Fuels reduction work funded by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is currently undergoing review to ensure consistency with the Executive Order.”
The senators demanded that Interior Secretary Doug Burgum and Acting Agriculture Secretary Gary Washington rescind the order to stop work on essential hazardous fuels reduction efforts and any other wildland fire management and risk-reduction programs.
“Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis — and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels,” wrote the senators.
“As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk,” continued the senators. “One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.
The hazardous fuel reduction projects are a core component of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, to which Congress appropriated over $3 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act. These investments in fuels reduction treatments for high-risk firesheds were recommended in the nonpartisan Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report.
In addition to Senators Padilla, Schiff, Merkley, and Heinrich, the letter is signed by U.S. senators Michael Bennet (D-Colo.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.), John Hickenlooper (D-Colo.), Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.).
Last week, Padilla introduced bipartisan legislation to create a national Wildfire Intelligence Center to streamline federal response and create a whole-of-government approach to combat wildfires. He also announced a package of three bipartisan bills to bolster fire resilience and proactive mitigation efforts, including the Wildfire Emergency Act, the Fire-Safe Electrical Corridors Act, and the Disaster Mitigation and Tax Parity Act, the last of which is co-led by Senator Schiff. Padilla’s legislation to strengthen FEMA’s wildfire preparedness and response efforts, the FIRE Act, became law in 2022.
Padilla previously questioned Secretary Burgum on his support for wildfire aid, securing his commitment to responding to wildfires regardless of which state they impact with all necessary resources and support possible.
The full text of the letter is below.
Dear Secretary Burgum and Acting Secretary Washington,
We are writing with great concern about reports from our constituents that the Bureau of Land Management has issued stop work orders for hazardous fuels reduction projects. We are further concerned that fuels projects overseen by the U.S. Forest Service will be next. These projects are integral to increased safety and resiliency and any delay in implementation puts those communities at greater risk. We urge you to immediately rescind these stop work orders, halt any further stop work orders or funding freezes, and instead work with the tools and funds Congress has provided to better safeguard our communities from the serious risk of catastrophic wildfire.
These projects are part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, funded by the Infrastructure and Investment in Jobs Act (IIJA) and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). Investing in fuels reduction treatments is a primary recommendation in the Wildland Fire Mitigation and Management Commission Report, a nonpartisan strategy document to tackle the myriad challenges associated with wildfire across the country. We also note with alarm that this report was removed from federal websites this week.
In 2022, the Forest Service identified high-risk firesheds across the country to be prioritized for hazardous fuels reduction work through the Wildlife Crisis Strategy and Implementation Plan. The Forest Service chose 10 high-priority landscapes with the enactment of IIJA and an additional 11 landscapes with the enactment of IRA – each of these landscapes require significant investment to reduce wildfire risk. These 21 landscapes were awarded a total of $1.73 billion to protect at-risk communities, critical infrastructure, public water sources, and adjacent Tribal lands in 10 Western states: Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. The Bureau of Land Management, Forest Service, States, Tribes, local stakeholders, and small businesses have been working together over the last three years to implement fuels reduction on these landscapes.
Catastrophic wildfires across the United States are an ongoing national crisis and responding to them must be a national priority. These stop work orders and funding freezes jeopardize communities that depend on a robust federal response to our wildfire crisis – and also jeopardize small businesses, often in frontier and rural communities, that are contracted to do the work on the ground to reduce hazardous fuels.
In addition to endangering communities, the President’s Executive Orders freezing funding are flagrantly illegal. The Government Accountability Office, the Department of Justice Office of Legal Counsel (including in an opinion written by future Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, William H. Rehnquist), and the Supreme Court of the United States have all disavowed the notion of some “inherent Presidential power to impound,” as some in the Administration, as well as pending Administration nominees, have tried to argue without legal or textual basis.
Not only does the Constitution vest the power of the purse with Congress and provide no power to the President to impound funds, but there have been several bedrock fiscal statutes enacted to protect Congress’ constitutional power of the purse and prevent unlawful executive overreach, including the Antideficiency Act and the Impoundment Control Act of 1974 (ICA). The ICA prohibits any action or inaction that precludes Federal funds from being obligated or spent, either temporarily or permanently, without following the strictly circumscribed requirements of that law, which have not been honored in this instance.
As we’ve seen with the recent fires surrounding Los Angeles, wildfire does not distinguish between homes and trees. But we do have ways to mitigate the risk. One of the most effective strategies to reduce that risk is to reduce the hazardous natural fuels that surround our communities. These fuels reduction projects save lives and property, reduce the danger to firefighters, and return our lands to a fire-adapted ecosystem that can better withstand the threat to human life, communities, infrastructure, and property.
By terminating or even pausing these projects, all of the progress made at protecting these communities is at risk. We are imploring you to rescind the order to stop work on these hazardous fuels reduction efforts, as well as any other wildland fire management programs that are working to reduce risk and safeguard communities from catastrophic wildfire.
We hope to work with you to combat the scourge of catastrophic wildfire.
