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- Written by: LAKE COUNTY NEWS REPORTS
UPDATE: Police said he was located early March 5.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake Police Department is asking for the community’s help in locating a missing man.
The agency is seeking Thomas Earl Emery, 55.
He is a white male adult, 5 feet 8 inches tall and 160 pounds, with blond hair and blue eyes.
Police said Emery was last seen wearing a gray hoodie with a checkered shirt. He was possibly en route to Colusa County.
If you have any information regarding his whereabouts please contact the Clearlake Police Department at 707-994-8251, Extension 1 for dispatch.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
On Monday, California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that the California Department of Justice’s Missing Persons DNA Program, or MPDP, has identified over 2,000 missing persons since its establishment in 2001.
Attorney General Bonta also announced, with Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen (D – Elk Grove), a new bill to ensure the DOJ will be able to continue to provide important forensic DNA services with funding through updates to Proposition 69, the “DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act.”
Assembly Bill 3042 (AB 3042), authored by Assemblymember Nguyen and sponsored by Attorney General Bonta, would remove the sunset date from Proposition 69, the “DNA Fingerprint, Unsolved Crime and Innocence Protection Act.”
Proposition 69 directs funding from criminal fines to support essential crime-solving DNA programs both at DOJ and local law enforcement agencies.
“I am very proud of the important work that is done in our Missing Persons DNA Program and our Bureau of Forensic Services,” said Bonta. “While this milestone is not a celebration, it is important to take a moment to acknowledge what our team has accomplished in the process of bringing closure to the families that have been impacted by tragedy. Nothing can bring a loved one back, but we hope this helps them find peace. This program is just one of the essential services provided by our Bureau of Forensic Services. The Bureau receives crucial funding through Proposition 69, and AB 3024 would ensure that Proposition 69 remains in place to support our efforts to solve crime through forensic services. I want to thank Assemblymember Nguyen and our law enforcement partners for all their work toward this important goal.”
“I would never feel safe knowing someone who has harmed me or my loved ones are still out there,” said Assemblymember Stephanie Nguyen. “I am proud to author AB 3042 in collaboration with Attorney General Bonta to continue key funding to better support public safety in our communities as well as exonerating the innocent.”
Voters approved Proposition 69 in November 2004. Proposition 69 specifically directs money from criminal fines to be allocated towards funding the CAL-DNA Data Bank program which helps to solve violent crimes both at local public crime laboratories and within the DOJ itself using the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System, or CODIS.
In another provision of Proposition 69, the CAL-DNA Data Bank also assists with the identification of missing and unidentified persons, including abducted children, using separate Missing Person CODIS databases. Historically, DOJ has received more than $74 million through Prop. 69 over a span of two decades.
However, this proposition included a sunset date that would terminate funding collection after twenty years. AB 3042 seeks to eliminate this sunset date altogether and establish a steady source of revenue outside of the general fund that will support DNA testing programs at both state and local levels.
DOJ's Missing Persons DNA Program conducts autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) DNA testing, Y-STR (Y-chromosome, male-specific) testing, and mitochondrial DNA testing related to missing and unidentified person investigations.
It compares DNA from missing persons and unidentified human remains with DNA from personal articles belonging to reported missing persons and DNA from relatives of missing persons.
The MPDP services are provided at no cost to investigating law enforcement agencies and coroner’s offices. Parents and other biological relatives of missing persons are neither given an incentive to provide a DNA sample, nor will they be coerced or compelled to provide a sample.
Further, DNA samples from relatives of missing persons are only searched against the DNA samples from missing persons and unidentified human remains to identify their missing relatives. They are never searched against any criminal or offender DNA databases.
The DNA profiles from missing persons and unidentified human remains are uploaded to the database for searching and comparison with the DNA samples from missing person cases throughout the nation, not just in California.
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 5, 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, online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx and on the county’s Facebook page. Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The meeting ID is 824 9615 9038, pass code 093564. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16694449171,,82496159038#,,,,*093564#.
In an item timed for 1 p.m., the board will receive a presentation from California Department of Fish and Wildlife providing an overview of Clear Lake Hitch Summit meeting, explanation of the relative population estimate, and related hitch topics.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife senior environmental scientist Felipe La Luz will present on the Clear Lake hitch, whose population is still threatened despite last year’s observations of thousands of the fish in local creeks.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve continuation of emergency proclamation declaring a shelter crisis in the county of Lake.
5.2: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to low elevation snow and extreme cold.
5.3: Approve continuation of an emergency declaration for drought conditions.
5.4: Approve continuation of proclamation of the existence of a local emergency due to pervasive tree mortality.
5.5: Approve continuation of proclamation declaring a Clear Lake Hitch Emergency.
5.6: Approve continuation of local emergency by Lake County Sheriff/OES Director Rob Howe for the 2024 late January, early February winter storms.
5.7: Adopt proclamation designating the week of March 10 to 16, 2024, As All Americorps Week in Lake County.
5.8: Approve travel to Phoenix, Arizona exceeding 1,500 miles for Deputy County Administrative Officer Casey Moreno and Emergency Event Fiscal Manager Dakhota Hockett, to attend the Government Finance Officers Association Leadership Academy from March 24 to 29, 2024.
5.9: Approve public defender contract amendment No. 12 between the county of Lake and Lake Indigent Defense LLP for the purpose of replacing Thomas Feimer with Edward Savin as individual and/or partner and authorize chair to sign.
5.10: Approve Human Resources recruitment process for the Special Districts administrator and Social Services director.
5.11: Approve closure of all Lake County Behavioral Health Services locations on Wednesday, April 24, for a mandatory training from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
5.12: Approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement between county of Lake and June Wilson-Clarkin, LMFT For specialty mental health services in the amount of $50,000.00 for fiscal year 2023-24 and authorize the board chair to sign.
5.13: Approve Board of Supervisors meeting minutes on Jan. 9.
5.14: Approve leave of absence request for Social Services Employee Angela Wynacht, from March 2, 2024, through July 10, 2024, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.15: Approve eighth amendment to contract between county of Lake and Ewing and Associates for the Child Welfare Services parking lot located on South Forbes Street in Lakeport, for the amount of $4,800 from July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025, and authorize the chair to sign.
5.16: Sitting as the Lake County Sanitation District, Board of Directors, approve budget transfer allocating money from Gorman Rupp 6” Pump to Eddy Pump Sewer Pond Dredge in object code 62.74.
TIMED ITEMS
6.2, 9:03 a.m.: Pet of the Week.
6.3, 9:04 a.m.: Presentation of proclamation designating the week of March 10 to 16, 2024, As All Americorps Week in Lake County.
6.4, 9:10 a.m.: Sitting as the Lake County Housing Commission, approve the first amendment to the regulatory agreement and declaration of restrictive covenants for the Permanent Local Housing Allocation Program and authorize the chair to sign.
6.5, 9:45 a.m: Consideration of an update on Lake County Community Risk Reduction Authority’s inclusion in biomass aggregation pilot project.
6.6, 1 p.m.: Consideration of presentation from California Department of Fish and Wildlife providing an overview of Clear Lake Hitch Summit meeting, explanation of the relative population estimate, and related hitch topics.
6.7, 1:30 p.m.: Consideration of presentation of the 2022-2023 Weights and Measures Report.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of changing the committee assignments.
7.3: Consideration of amending the Emergency Medical Care Committee by-laws .
7.4: (a) Consideration of priorities for FY 2025 Community Project Funding; and (b) discussion and direction to staff on which priorities to further pursue for potential submission to Congressman Thompson.
7.5: Consideration of Amendment No.3 to the agreement between county of Lake and Willow Glen Care Center for adult residential support services and specialty mental health services with no change to the contract maximum for fiscal years 2022-23, 2023-24, and 2024-25 and authorize the board chair to sign.
7.6: Consideration of Rule 235 unrepresented grievance procedure.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1: Public employee evaluation: Behavioral Health director .
8.2: Public employee evaluation: County counsel.
8.3: Conference with labor negotiator: (a) County negotiators: Susan Parker and Pam Samac; and (b) employee organizations: LCDDAA, LCDSA, LCCOA, LCEA, LCSEA and LCSMA.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
- Details
- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet Tuesday, March 5, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.
The agenda can be found here.
The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.
If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.
The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.
Comments can be submitted by email to
On Tuesday, Administrative Services Director Kelly Buendia will ask for the county’s authorization to extend a housing allowance of $1,000 per month not to exceed $12,000 to the successful candidate in the city’s police chief search in an effort to mitigate the challenges associated with the tight housing market and high interest rates.
Current Police Chief Brad Rasmussen is expected to retire by year’s end. He’s also a candidate in the race for District 4 supervisor.
Also on Tuesday, Public Works Director Ronn Ladd will give the council an update on the roads program and future projects.
On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s special and regular meetings on Feb. 20; approval of application 2024-009, with staff recommendations, for the 2024 Lakeport
Camp and Shine event; approval of application 2024-010, with staff recommendations, for the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People event approval of application 2024-011, with staff recommendations, for the 2024 Clear Lake Bass Tournament; approval of application 2024-012, with staff recommendations, for the Memorial Day Craft Fair; and receipt and filing of the 2024 local agency biennial notice regarding the city of Lakeport's Conflict of Interest Code.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss a case of potential litigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
