LAKEPORT, Calif. — A year after he assaulted the mother of his children and was shot during a struggle with her husband, a Middletown man has been given mental health diversion, with the judge laying out strict guidelines and warning that he will be prosecuted if he drops out of the program.
Judge Shanda Harry approved the mental health diversion request for Justin Simon Lord, 42, during a Wednesday afternoon hearing.
Late on the night of Aug. 8, 2024, authorities said Lord’s former girlfriend and the mother of his three children awoke to find him standing over her bed in her Kelseyville home.
The victim, known in court proceedings as “C.V.,” said an intoxicated Lord grabbed her by her hair, pulled a blade off the ceiling fan and hit her with it, and pinned her against the bed before shoving her into a metal clothes rack.
He then broke a metal bar off the clothes rack, used it to break the bedroom television and then hit C.V. in the head with it, before chasing her and their 9-year-old daughter down a hallway and into the living room, breaking a closet door and another television in the living room as he went.
During the struggle, the child called 911 — it was her call that alerted authorities — and Lord took the phone and threw it out of her reach.
Lord left the home, C.V. and the girl hid in the bathroom and then Lord was involved in a struggle with C.V.’s husband. Lord was shot in the leg and also was found to have a broken leg after the struggle, authorities said.
He was taken to an out-of-county hospital, treated and released. It was not until the end of August 2024 that he was arrested, and he’s remained in custody since then.
Last year, the District Attorney’s Office charged Lord with 11 felonies, one misdemeanor and a special allegation.
The felonies include burglary; inflicting corporal injury on the mother of his children, with a previous conviction for that crime in December 2020; two counts of stalking, with a February 2022 conviction for violating a restraining order; assault with a deadly weapon, in this case, the metal rod from the clothes rack; assault with force likely to cause great bodily injury; vandalism; two counts of making criminal threats, one for C.V. and one for her husband and the neighbor who fought with Lord; and assault with a deadly weapon, a knife, on the man who shot Lord during the struggle.
The misdemeanor charge was for damaging a communications device to prevent help, specifically, when he took the phone from his daughter. The special allegation is based on the violence of the crime, the fact that Lord was armed with a knife, the victims’ vulnerability, his threats, previous convictions and unsatisfactory probation performance.
Despite the violence of the crime and his criminal record, last year Lord’s attorney, Justin Petersen of Ukiah, filed for his case to be handled through mental health diversion, which would completely dismiss the criminal case against Lord.
Enacted in 2018, mental health diversion allows for defendants to be diverted from criminal prosecution into mental health treatment if they meet two key criteria — they have been diagnosed with a mental disorder and if that mental disorder “was a significant factor in the commission of the charged offense.”
If those criteria are met, four other criteria must be met: A qualified mental health expert’s opinion is that the criminal behavior would respond to mental health treatment; the defendant consents to diversion and waives their right to a speedy trial, unless they’ve been found to be an appropriate candidate for diversion in lieu of commitment; the defendant agrees to comply with treatment as a condition of diversion, unless the defendant has been found to be an appropriate candidate for diversion in lieu of commitment for restoration of competency treatment; and the defendant will not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to public safety.
Whether Lord met the suitability requirements for mental health diversion was an ongoing question. It resulted in his preliminary hearing — which was held on Sept. 5 — being repeatedly continued for a determination on his suitability.
In all, there were 13 continued hearings for that preliminary hearing from September through June before Harry ordered him to be held to answer to the case in June. From there, another four arraignment hearings were scheduled, with three of them continued and the final one taking place on Wednesday.
Attorneys, judge hold closed door discussions
Ahead of the Wednesday afternoon hearing being called, Judge Harry, Petersen, Senior Deputy District Attorney Rachel Abelson and C.V.’s attorney Angela Carter spent nearly an hour in Harry’s chambers discussing her decision and the order she planned to give.
Harry, once she emerged and took the bench, acknowledged, “We have had many hearings,” noting the preliminary hearing had been combined with the motion for mental health diversion.
Petersen called to the stand Jennifer Nauert, a Lake County Tribal Health employee who spoke about the mental health assessments done for Lord and the recommendation that he attend a live-in program at Inter Tribal Long Term Recovery Foundation in San Diego which handles both alcoholism and mental health, and which offers culturally sensitive treatment approaches.
“I think this is a suitable program considering the extent of this case,” Abelson said during the court hearing, adding she hopes Lord will take it seriously and there will be benefit for everyone in the community, as well as Lord’s family and victims.
Petersen said he also hoped Lord will take the opportunity to earn a way back into the community and the lives of his children. “This is your chance.”
He added that he believed Lord had never had the chance to address his underlying mental health issues. “I hope you don’t expect to get another chance like this,” said Petersen, noting that if Lord fails, the next step is to go to prison.
Lord nodded as he attorney spoke.
C.V. was then called forward to sit with Abelson at the prosecution table. Asked if she wanted to say anything, she said she wanted to play the four-minute recording from Lord’s phone that he had inadvertently done during the August 2024 break-in and assault.
“He should have to hear what he did to us,” C.V. said.
Petersen objected, Judge Harry initially denied the request and Abelson took C.V. out to speak in the hallway. When they returned, Abelson said C.V. still wished to play the recording and Harry granted it.
In the recording, C.V. could be heard screaming, and directing her daughter to call 911. In the background, Lord’s voice could be heard, as well as what sounded like breaking items.
When the recording ended, C.V. rose from the prosecution table, turned and walked out of the courtroom, not to return.
Harry would note repeatedly in her comments that followed that she was sad C.V. had left, because she wanted to speak to her about her decision. “I want her to feel as comfortable as possible with what’s going on here.”
She also spoke to Lord, explaining, “There’s a lot of findings that the court has to make before one can be granted mental health diversion.”
The judge said that had Lord gone to trial and been convicted, he would have likely received a four to six year state prison sentence. With time served and credits, Lord would most likely have served about a year and a half in state prison.
“There’s a lot of considerations that go into this,” said Harry, telling Lord if he failed to comply with the terms of mental health diversion, he would go back to criminal court. When she asked him if he understood, he said yes.
Harry said the District Attorney’s Office objected to Lord’s suitability for mental health diversion. One factor is dangerousness, and Harry said she had to make a finding that Lord will not pose an unreasonable risk to public safety and that, in the future, he would not commit a “super strike.” Super strikes are crimes that are sexually violent, use weapons, involve weapons of mass destruction, and murder punishable by life without the possibility of parole.
“It is a very high standard,” Harry said.
Harry said Lord has a mental health diagnosis that qualifies him for mental health diversion, specifically, substance use disorder involving alcohol and cocaine; schizoaffective disorder, a condition that includes symptoms of schizophrenia, delusions, mania and depression; and childhood onset post traumatic stress disorder.
The treatment program Lord is being assigned to will deal with his substance abuse and mental health issues, with treatment tailored to his needs, which Harry said is appropriate and necessary for her to allow for mental health diversion.
Harry ordered Lord into two years of mental health diversion, starting on Wednesday. She said he must enter the program in San Diego and complete it, then must go into a sober living environment. Afterward, he must continue treatment as designed for him by Lake County Behavioral Health and pursue lifelong treatment of some sort for substance abuse.
C.V. will be protected by a 10-year civil restraining order and there also are restraining orders protecting her and the children and restitution, said Harry.
Lord is not allowed to drink alcohol and is prohibited from being in Lake County for the coming year.
Harry’s order included having Lake County Probation report to the jail on Thursday morning to fit Lord with an ankle monitor. He will then be released to his sister, who will drive him to the San Diego treatment center.
The judge emphasized that she did not want them stopping anywhere in Lake County — not even for gas or coffee — but to continue south and make their stops after they pass Sacramento. He is then ordered to attend court via Zoom on a regular basis.
“I really wanted to talk to her about all this and I’m sad she left, but I understand her concerns and her stress,” Harry said of C.V.
C.V.’s attorney, Angela Carter, wished Lord well, saying that everyone wants him to succeed. She added of his children, "They're beautiful, amazing people, and they need dad.”
“We all want you to succeed,” said Harry, adding that it’s better for Lord, his children, C.V. and society at large.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — On Friday, the Lake County Planning Commission will hold a special meeting to continue its discussion of the new environmental impact report for a proposed south county luxury resort.
The meeting will begin at 9 a.m. Friday, Aug. 8, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
To participate in real-time, join the Zoom meeting by clicking this link.
The webinar ID is 994 1760 2765, the pass code is 155982.
Access the meeting via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,99417602765#,,,,*155982# or dial in at 669-900-6833 or 1-669-444-9171.
The meeting also can be viewed on the county’s website or Facebook page.
The commission met on July 24 to discuss the Guenoc Valley Mixed Use Planned Development Project and whether or not to approve the project’s new environmental documents and recommend possible zoning changes to the Board of Supervisors.
The commissioners asked for more time to consider the hundreds of pages of documents included in the environmental impact report, and voted to hold the hearing over for a few weeks.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The work to fully contain a wildland fire that began on Sunday is continuing this week.
The Lake fire was first reported at 2:20 p.m. Sunday at Nacimiento Lake Drive and Oak Street, south of Borax Lake in Clearlake.
Cal Fire said Wednesday that the fire’s size is holding at 401 acres, with containment up to 78%.
Updated damage estimate numbers include five damaged structures and six destroyed structures, according to Cal Fire.
On Wednesday, Cal Fire said firefighters are continuing the extensive mop-up operations on the fire, ensuring that it is completely extinguished.
There is still a heavy resource commitment with 90 total personnel assigned, and Cal Fire said people can expect to see firefighters at the site daily into the weekend until they reach their goal of 100 percent containment of the fire.
After that is reached, the fire will move into patrol status where it will be monitored until there are three consecutive days with no smoke coming from the site, Cal Fire said.
In addition to the 90 personnel, assigned resources on Wednesday included nine engines, four water tenders and three crews.
Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.
Rep. Robert Garcia, a California Democrat, speaks during a House hearing in March 2025, months before Congress rescinded two years of public media funding. Nathan Posner/Anadolu via Getty Images CC BY-ND
At U.S. President Donald Trump’s request, Congress voted in July 2025 to claw back US$1.1 billion it had previously approved for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. That measure, which passed in the House and the Senate by very narrow margins, will cut off all federal tax dollars that would have otherwise flowed to PBS and its affiliated TV stations for the next two fiscal years.
The public media network has played a crucial role in producing educational TV programs, especially for children, for nearly 60 years. It has been getting 15% of its budget in recent years from the federal government. Many of its affiliate stations are far more reliant on Washington than that – leading to a flurry of announcements regarding planned program cuts.
“Sesame Street” is still in production, joined by newer TV shows like “Wild Kratts” and “Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood.” PBS KIDS, in addition to producing popular age-appropriate programs, has a website and multiple apps with games and activities that provide other opportunities for learning.
I’m a child development researcher studying how kids engage with digital media and how educational programming and other kinds of content help them learn. I also have two children under 5, so I’m now immersed in children’s media both at work and at home.
What kids watch
In a study about the kinds of media kids consume that the Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology published in June 2025, my colleagues and I surveyed the parents and other kinds of caregivers of 346 first graders. The study participants listed the TV shows, videos, apps and games the kids used the most.
Our research team then used a systematic coding process to look at how much children access educational programming in their favorite media – whether it’s through their favorite TV shows, web videos or video games.
We found that only 12% of this content could be described as educational. This amount varied widely: For some children, according to the adults we surveyed, educational media comprised their top three to five sources. Others listed no educational media consumption at all.
We also looked into who is taking advantage of educational media.
Our team found no differences in kids’ educational media use according to how many years of education their parents had. That finding suggests that kids of all backgrounds are equally likely to consume it.
This peer-reviewed study didn’t break down our results by specific media outlets. But in light of the cessation of federal funding, I wanted to find out how much of the educational content that children watch comes from PBS.
By revisiting our data with this objective in mind, I learned that PBS accounted for 45% of the educational TV or videos parents said their kids watched most often. This makes PBS the top source for children’s educational programming by far. Nickelodeon/Nick Jr. was in second place with 14%, and YouTube, at 9%, came in third.
PBS accounted for a smaller portion, just 6%, of all educational apps and games. I believe that could be because a few non-PBS apps, like Prodigy and i-Ready, which can be introduced in school, dominate this category.
‘Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood,’ a cartoon, will seem familiar to anyone who grew up watching ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.‘
An Uncertain future
Independent production companies collaborating on programming with PBS consult experts in child development and children’s media and conduct research throughout the production process to see how children respond and learn, often in partnership with PBS KIDS.
This rigorous production process can include observing children watching the show, conducting focus groups and surveying parents about their experiences. It requires a lot of time and money to produce this kind of thoughtfully crafted educational media. This process ensures that the programming is both fun for children and helps them learn.
What the end of federal funding will mean for PBS’ educational programming for kids is still unclear. But to me, it seems inevitable that my children – and everyone else’s kids – will have fewer research-informed and freely accessible options for years to come.
At the same time, there will likely be no shortage of flashy and shallow content marketed to kids that offers little of value for their learning.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council is preparing to discuss a shift in responsibilities in collecting fire fees, and consider the city’s animal control contract with North Bay Animal Services.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 7, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel.
Community members also can participate via Zoom. The webinar ID is 819 8866 1218, the pass code is 899422. One tap mobile is available at +16694449171,,82771053751#, or join by phone at 669-444-9171 or 646-931-3860.
Under business, the council will discuss if the city will continue collecting fire mitigation fees on behalf of the Lake County Fire Protection District, or the LCFPD.
Since 1990, the city has handled the collection of these fees, as state law prohibits fire districts from imposing them directly. Instead, they must rely on cities with police powers to do so.
According to the staff report, the city has been collecting the fees during the building permit process and then remitting the fees to the LCFPD.
Last year, the city council adopted amendments to the city’s Fire Mitigation Fee Ordinance, including changes to the fees and some administrative processes, including the collection of fees.
In June this year, LCFPD Chief William Sapeta “requested that the process be changed to allow the district to collect the fees,” the staff report said.
The council will also consider the animal control contract with North Bay Animal Services. As of publication time, no staff report or supporting documents have been attached to the item. The scope of the discussion remains unclear.
On the meeting’s consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants and continuation of emergency declarations for winter storms and the Boyles Fire; approval of Amendment No. 3 to the PEG TV Agreement for a five-year extension; and rejection of all bids received for the Austin Park Skatepark Project.
Email staff reporter Lingzi Chen atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
Powering nearly 1.7 million jobs and contributing $173 billion last fiscal year, California's community colleges account for approximately 5% of California’s total gross state product, a new study reveals.
The data reinforces that California's community colleges are an investment fueling the state’s economic engine and creating meaningful impact in the lives of millions, every single day.
“The California Community Colleges system is leading the way on opening doors of opportunity for Californians from all walks of life. This week’s release of our Economic Impact Report further demonstrates the ways in which our colleges are innovating to provide learners of all ages with access to state-of-the-art educational opportunities at the lowest tuition rate in the country. The California Dream, as it has been for years, is fueled by our outstanding community colleges,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Sonya Christian.
The Economic Value of the California Community Colleges System report examined a wide range of factors such as payroll, job creation, and alumni’s improved standard of living.
According to findings, for every $1 invested in the community colleges, students gain more than $13 in earnings, taxpayers gain just under $2 in added tax revenue, and society gains $14 in added income and social savings.
Among the report’s other significant findings:
• The activities of the colleges and their students support nearly 1.7 million jobs – that’s 1 out of every 15 jobs in California. • Payroll for the 83,000 full-time and part-time faculty and staff across 116 colleges amounted to $8.9 billion, with colleges spending an additional $5.3 billion on day-to-day expenses. This initial round of spending creates more spending across other businesses throughout the state economy through what is commonly known as the multiplier effect. • California community college students who graduate with an associate degree earn $11,300 more each year, or just under $486,000 over a working lifetime, compared to those with high school diplomas working in California. • The increased earnings of California community college alumni and the businesses they work for amounted to $156.5 billion, an economic boost similar to hosting the Superbowl 441 times.
“The findings in this report affirm that investing in an education from the California Community Colleges is investing in a stronger, more equitable economy,” said California Community Colleges Board of Governors President Hildegarde B. Aguinaldo. “Our expansive system of 116 colleges allows us to provide opportunities where learners live and work. Our graduates gain the skills to earn more and live better, which in turn strengthens families, fuels local economies, and delivers lasting value to taxpayers."
The report’s release follows the recent approval, by the Board of Governors, of the system’s refined strategic plan, Vision 2030 – The July 2025 Edition. The updated approach builds on the original framework launched in 2023, reflects lessons learned from the past two years, and addresses emerging statewide and economic challenges.
The refreshed workplan challenges community college “access” by bringing college to more Californians, engages in generative artificial intelligence to reshape how students learn, and builds pathways to a green economy and curricula that prepare college graduates to care for the planet.
The Economic Impact Report underscores the importance of the Vision 2030 – The July 2025 Edition.
“The 2025 update to our Vision 2030 workplan calls on us to double down on our efforts to bring higher education and workforce training to students everywhere, ensuring that they will be prepared to seek high-wage jobs and careers in our changing economy,” said Christian.
The study was conducted by Lightcast and was based on numerous sources, including academic and financial reports from California’s community colleges, industry and employment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and U.S. Census Bureau, and a variety of studies and surveys related to social behavior.
One of the cannabis operations seized by the state of California. Courtesy photo.
Continuing to strike down illegal cannabis operations statewide, Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday announced that since January 2025, officials have seized nearly 270,000 pounds of illicit cannabis and eradicated more than 260,000 plants, worth an estimated nearly $480 million.
The Department of Cannabis Control has worked with state, local and federal partners to conduct 111 statewide operations this year.
In addition to the illicit cannabis seized, law enforcement officials have arrested 112 people, seized 52 firearms and confiscated more than $230,000 in cash.
“Illegal cannabis operations threaten the success of the legal market. We owe it to our businesses and consumers to take down these bad actors every chance we can,” said Newsom.
Newsom’s office said that, since 2019, the Department of Cannabis Control has made major progress to tackle the scourge of illegal cannabis, including conducting 1,213 operations, seizing nearly 1.6 million pounds of product, and eradicating nearly 2.7 million plants, worth an estimated $2.8 billion.
The administration recently enacted measures to bolster long-term enforcement efforts by dedicating cannabis tax revenue to fund civil and criminal enforcement activities. Newsom’s office said this will reduce the burden on legal businesses while ensuring sustained actions against illegal operators.
In addition, Board of State and Community Corrections, or BSCC, grant eligibility has expanded to local jurisdictions, especially those allowing retail access, to further enhance and support local enforcement efforts against illegal cannabis activity.
Newsom established the Unified Cannabis Enforcement Task Force to make significant gains against eliminating illegal cannabis statewide through strategic state, local and federal partnerships statewide.
California’s regulated cannabis market is the largest in the world, fostering environmental stewardship, compliance-tested products and fair labor practices, while driving economic growth and funding vital programs in education, public health, and environmental protection.
The Department of Cannabis Control recently released a market outlook report that shows prices are stable, industry value is up and the licensed market is growing.
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