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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Public Health Officer Dr. Gary Pace said the case was identified through one of the clinics.
He said the individual is stable at home and has been isolating, so it appears that it is unlikely that there has been much community contact.
“We are doing contact tracing now,” Pace said.
This is the third case of COVID-19 confirmed this week, as Lake County News has reported. The two cases reported earlier this week were connected to a church service in Redwood Valley in neighboring Mendocino County.
The news comes on the same day that Pace said he intended to apply to the state for a variance to move more quickly through the reopening stages under the governor’s Roadmap to Recovery.
Based on reports from Public Health departments in counties across the state on Tuesday evening, there are more than 82,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 3,400 deaths.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
Pace’s plan, which he said he completed on Friday, will now go to the state for approval.
He told Lake County News on Monday evening that the plan is going to be submitted to the state by Tuesday morning at the latest.
As of Monday night, approximately 24 counties had submitted attestations for variances to proceed through the governor’s Roadmap to Recovery.
The board did not need to approve Pace’s plan but it did need to vote to send a support letter, which it did in a 4-1 vote, with Supervisor Rob Brown voting no.
Also on Monday morning, the Lakeport City Council held a special meeting to approve its own support letter, which it did unanimously. Mayor George Spurr signed the letter later in the day.
An updated health order issued by Pace earlier this month puts Lake County’s COVID-19 shelter in place order in line with the state’s, meaning, it has no specific end date and is in effect until further notice.
One of the key requirements in Pace’s plan to reopen, and one of its most debated, is that people must wear masks while in businesses. This applies to both customers and employees.
Pace has been encouraging people to wear masks when in public and in recent weeks indicated he planned to require it as part of his reopening plan.
The requirement is not without precedent in Lake County.
In October of 1918, the Board of Town Trustees for Lakeport – a body which later became the city council – voted to pass an ordinance requiring the “wearing and use of influenza masks” to protect against the flu pandemic that was then in its second and deadliest wave.
That 1918 ordinance said mask regulation was “declared to be a public urgency and necessary to safeguard the public health” and that anyone violating it was guilty of a misdemeanor and subject to a fine of between $5 and $100.
Pace’s plan – which requires masking through Stage 2 – doesn’t currently have fines included in it.
Pace discusses plan, next steps
During the board meeting, Pace updated the board on the increase in local testing, and touched briefly on the two latest COVID-19 cases in Lake County that were confirmed over the weekend in connection to a Redwood Valley church service. Those cases bring Lake County’s total to 10.
Originally, Pace had intended to submit the variance request to the state to seek to move into the first local step in reopening on May 26, the Tuesday following Memorial Day weekend, with the second step to begin on June 9.
The plan calls for beginning with reopening restaurants to outdoor dining with social distancing requirements, and reopening lowest risk businesses with social distancing requirements. That will be followed in two weeks by the reopening of indoor dining for restaurants, with social distancing and reduced occupancy requirements.
He explained during the meeting that the timing was meant to give two weeks between the reopening of the lake and the start of reopening a new segment of businesses. During that time frame, Pace said he wanted to see the results of more testing to make sure that the county doesn’t experience a surge in cases.
“I understand the importance of opening and getting businesses going,” Pace said, but he added that if the county opens up and has problems – which he later explained would mean a surge in hospitalizations – it could face being shut down again.
With Memorial Day weekend coming up, Pace said he wanted to discourage people from visiting from outside of the county, explaining that it didn’t seem prudent.
“I think we need to quit assuming that we need to babysit these businesses,” Brown said.
Brown said he knows of several businesses that already have closed due to the shutdown.
“I trust them,” Brown said of local businesses. “We need them far more than they need us.”
Board Chair Moke Simon said he had been getting calls from community members about the masking issue, adding that he thought masking for businesses is the proper step forward.
Simon said he also supported opening ahead of Memorial Day weekend if possible. “I think our businesses are ready and willing to move forward.”
In response to questions during public comment, Pace said he knows masking is controversial, but that from the scientific point of view it’s not problematic. He said masks don’t protect the wearer but protect others around that person, especially if they have the virus and are asymptomatic.
He pointed out that motorcycle riders are required to wear helmets and people are required to wear seat belts while in cars.
At the request of Supervisor Bruno Sabatier, Pace agreed to add additional language about how to move into the later portions of recovery – Stage 3 and Stage 4 – and full reopening as Sierra County had in its variance attestation.
Pace said he wanted to have more time to trace contacts with regard to the latest Lake County cases. “From the Public Health point of view, it would be wiser to wait a little longer.”
However, Pace ultimately agreed to the earlier reopening, expected to begin on Thursday, subject to state approval.
Pace details the plans ahead in a statement issued on Monday, which can be seen here.
Businesses preparing to reopen will need to to have their own certification forms and plans posted in their facilities. Those plans can be found here.
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- Written by: Lake County News reports
The practice will take place from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days.
The events will be sanctioned by Northern California Racing Association.
Several requirements will be in place and participants are asked to please follow them, as this is the first step in showing that the speedway can abide by the specified guidelines in order to have a racing season.
Grandstands and concessions will be closed to spectators.
Participants are limited to a total number of six people – five in addition to the race car driver – and will be escorted to a designated pit area. Pit fees will be $35 for NCRA members and $45 for non-members.
• Participants will be required to sign the standard waiver/release as well as an additional COVID-19 waiver/release.
• All teams will pit 10 feet apart.
• Participants will remain in their designated pit area and will adhere to the 6-foot social distancing requirement from other participants.
• Participants will be allowed in the spectator area to watch their respective team car when it is on the track.
There will be no more than three cars on the track at a time, and pit crews will not be allowed to co-mingle.
The events will be monitored for compliance and will be reviewed after the weekend so that more events of this nature may be considered by Dr. Pace.
For more information call the speedway office at 707-274-1662.
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- Written by: Elizabeth Larson
The council will meet virtually at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 21. The agenda can be found here.
Because of the county’s shelter in place order, Clearlake City Hall remains closed to the public, however, the virtual meeting will be broadcast live on Lake County PEG TV’s YouTube Channel.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
To give the city council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit written comments prior to 4 p.m. Thursday, May 21.
On the agenda is the presentation of May’s adoptable dogs from Clearlake Animal Control.
The main item of business for Thursday is a public hearing to consider extending an emergency ordinance establishing a moratorium on industrial hemp cultivation in the city.
Due to ongoing developments, City Manager Alan Flora and Ryan Jones said in their written report to the council, “At this time, it is premature to make a policy recommendation on whether industrial hemp cultivation should be regulated by the City. As such, staff is recommending that the City extend the moratorium for an additional 10 months and 15 days, which is the maximum allowed by State law. The extension would allow for further research to be conducted on the subject, and/or federal and state regulatory agencies to release the regulatory framework for industrial hemp. City Council may subsequently extend the ordinance for one year by another four-fifths vote.”
On the meeting's consent agenda – items that are not considered controversial and are usually adopted on a single vote – includes warrant registers; minutes of the February and March meetings; leave of absence extension for office assistant Marcia Taylor; adoption of a resolution to update the lead workers job description; and the Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting minutes from March 11.
The council also will hold a closed session to discuss a case of litigation against Pacific Gas and Electric Corp. and the proposed sale of the city-owned property at 2185 Ogulin Canyon Road.
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