KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Nine people were injured – several of them seriously – as the result of a two-vehicle head-on collision near Kelseyville late Friday night.

Firefighters were first dispatched to the wreck on Highway 29 near Kit’s Corner just before 10:30 p.m. Friday, according to radio reports.

Initially, authorities received calls of a crash in the area, with units responding to the scene reporting that they only found a dead mountain lion in the roadway.

Approximately 10 minutes after the wreck was dispatched, firefighters found the two vehicles – reported to be a Lexus and a Ford F150 pickup – about half a mile north of Kit’s Corner in the northbound lane.

Firefighters reported over the radio that major extrication was needed, and they asked for an air ambulance, another ground ambulance and rescue units.

Within minutes, firefighters reported from the scene that there were more patients and that more resources were required. A total of four air ambulances were requested, with landing zones set up at Kit’s Corner and at Konocti Conservation Camp.

Cal Fire Battalion Chief Mike Wink told Lake County News that multiple people had to be extricated from the wreckage.

The roadway was blocked by the crash, and law enforcement closed the highway in both directions, diverting traffic onto Soda Bay Road, according to radio reports.

Wink said that, altogether, nine people were transported to hospitals – four by air ambulances to out-of-county trauma centers, and five by ground ambulance to county hospitals.

He said those taken by air ambulance had injuries ranging from moderate to major, and the remaining five had minor to moderate injuries.

Wink said the call was Kelseyville Fire’s, and they were assisted by Cal Fire, Lake County Fire, Lakeport Fire and South Lake County Fire.

By 12:20 a.m. Saturday, all of the patients had been transported. Over the next 10 minutes, the incident was terminated, firefighters cleared the scene and the highway – the northbound lane of which had been reopened a short time earlier – was fully reopened, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Additional information on the crash and its cause will be published as it becomes available.

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.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council has approved a purchase agreement for new state-of-the-art Tasers and training that the city’s police chief said will put his agency at the leading edge in the region for such technology.

Clearlake Police Chief Andrew White took the request to the council at its July 11 meeting.

The discussion begins at the 19:05 mark in the video above. The staff report for the item begins on page 34 of the agenda packet published below.

White asked for the council to approve a five-year purchase agreement with Axon for the Taser 7 Certification Plan for 24 full-time, sworn officers, and to waive the competitive bidding process.

The total cost for the five-year purchase agreement is $88,522.10, or $17,704.42 per year. White said that includes a trade-in credit of $5,000.40 for old Taser units.

He said the purchase price is $7,700 above what originally had been budgeted for the Taser replacement.

The department’s Tasers are now reaching the end of their service life. White said the agreement with Axon is for a full wraparound purchase, covering the Tasers, replacement cartridges, training and a new virtual reality deescalation training program to address those with mental illness.

Quoting statistics given by Axon, White said 7 to 10 percent of all police encounters involve mentally ill subjects and 25 to 50 percent of all fatal police shootings involve subjects with untreated severe mental illness.

White showed the council a short video clip from the deescalation training. The video showed an interaction between a mentally ill man with a knife and officers, who arrived on scene after the man’s mother called them. It showed the situation both from the perspective of the man and from that of the officers.

White explained that he believes such training for law enforcement is the future, noting that he thinks it’s important to understand how people with mental health issues perceive encounters with law enforcement.

“Officers more and more are being put on the front lines as the first responders and kind of field-level clinicians dealing with individuals in crisis,” he said, explaining that anything that can be done to make these encounters less risky for both officers and the public is warranted.

He said that the Clearlake Police Department uses its Tasers about 15 times a year, which comes out to $1,100 per use under the contract cost. With the costs of litigation that can be associated with Tasers, if encounters can be resolved differently, it can save money, he added.

City Manager Alan Flora asked if other law enforcement agencies in the region are using the Axon technology.

“We would be one of the early adopters of the technology,” said White, noting that he believes the Chicago Police Department has deployed it. “We would be on the leading edge within our region.”

In response to questions from community and council members, White said the training will be available on call, and officers will be able to review it when they want. Any new training modules that are produced will be included under the purchase agreement.

Councilman Phil Harris asked if Axon is looking at situations in which police are dealing with individuals using drugs like methamphetamine. White said the company was focusing on deescalation but that the city, as an early adopter, would have options for input on training.

Harris asked about if the company will send an instructor to the police department. White said officers can go to an instructor course and then come back and deliver the training, which also has a Web-based portion.

Mayor Russ Cremer asked if the additional $7,700 can be covered in the budget.

“It’s a small additional expense,” said Flora, explaining that they had looked at other options, including purchasing the Tasers outright. However he said there wasn’t much of a cost difference and the city wouldn’t get the wraparound program, such as the training and replacement cartridges.

Cremer asked if Animal Control and Code Enforcement officers also would get the new Tasers. White said no, they’re only for sworn officers. Code Enforcement and Animal Control will continue to use the older model, which are purely for defense.

Councilman Russ Perdock said the Taser is an excellent product and a great tool, and offered the motion approving the purchase agreement, which the council unanimously approved.

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.

071119 Clearlake City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is asking for leads from the community as it attempts to determine who was responsible for vandalism and graffiti this week at two Lakeport schools.

The agency said that on Monday at 8 a.m. officers were dispatched to Clear Lake High School and Terrace Middle School on Lange Street for report of vandalism/graffiti throughout the campuses.

Due to the derogatory and racial slurs that were used in the graffiti, police did not post pictures.

However, they are requesting the public’s assistance in identifying the perpetrator.

If anyone has any information regarding the subject – or subjects – involved, please contact the investigating Officer Joe Medici at 707-263-5491, Extension 120, or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

You can also send an anonymous message from your cellular device by texting the word TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to 888777 or by sending us a private message on Facebook.

NASA imagery experts at NASA’s Johnson Space Center have “stitched together” images from the Apollo landing sites on the moon for a 50th anniversary reminder of what the 12 humans who walked on its surface experience visually.

Individual images taken by the Apollo astronauts were pulled together by NASA imagery specialist Warren Harold at Johnson, and the accuracy of the unique perspective they represent was verified by Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison “Jack” Schmitt, the only geologist to walk on the moon.

"The Valley of Taurus-Littrow on the Moon presents a view that is one of the more spectacular natural scenes in the Solar System,” Schmitt said about the images stitched together from his moon base Station 5 at the Taurus-Littrow landing site.

“The massif walls of the valley are brilliantly illuminated by the Sun, rise higher than those of the Grand Canyon, and soar to heights over 4,800 feet on the north and 7,000 feet on the south,” Schmitt added. “At the same time, the summits are set against a blacker than black sky – a contrast beyond the experience of visitors from Earth. And, over the South Massif wall of the valley, one can always see home, the cloud-swirled blue Earth, only 250,000 miles away."

The Apollo 17 panorama also has been converted into an immersive panorama viewable on the NASA Johnson account on Facebook.

Inspect these images and learn more about the sites they depict in the Flickr gallery or at https://images.nasa.gov/.

Immerse yourself in the view from the Apollo 17 landing site by visiting JSC Facebook at https://go.nasa.gov/2YXLtbh .

LAKEPORT, Calif. – In an effort to bolster the city’s economy, the Lakeport City Council on Tuesday voted unanimously to hire a retail recruitment firm that will work to bring new retailers to the community and develop an overall retail strategy.

At the suggestion of staff, the council approved the $30,000 contract with The Retail Coach, which has offices in Texas and Mississippi.

The discussion begins at the 31:36 minute mark in the video above. The staff report begins on page 55 of the agenda packet below.

City Manager Margaret Silveira said the city did a retail study using cell phones that showed that Lakeport – which has about 4,700 residents – has an average daytime population of 57,000, with thousands more people coming into the city as a result of travel and shopping.

That number, said Silveira, “creates a whole new conversation.”

City staff met with two major retail coaching companies and asked for proposals from each. Silveira said The Retail Coach provided the better bid.

Austin Farmer, the company’s project manager who oversees the West Coast, said they work to identify retail opportunities, then recruitment staff puts together data and marketing information and works to bring retailers to the community.

During the discussion, he explained the data and market analysis that will be completed and that it will be used to come up with a list of 25 retailers who will fit the city’s needs – filling gaps not replacing existing businesses.

“On paper it looks like you're a small community with a small population,” said Farmer, but the city actually has a high daytime population.

At the same time, the city has a lot of retail “leakage” – meaning, people go elsewhere for some types of shopping – in the area of general merchandise, Farmer said, noting he was interested that Dollar General had come to the city.

Farmer said the contract with the city is for 12 months. The first three to four months will be dedicated to data analysis ahead and stakeholder meetings.

Councilman George Spurr asked if the company has worked in other Northern California communities lately. Farmer said they’ve done projects in places including Weed, Tracey and Dinuba.

Councilman Kenny Parlet asked if it’s typical to have five to 10 times the normal population in the daytime due to the city being the county seat. Farmer said it depends on the community and region, and that typically it would be expected.

Farmer said that when retailers are looking at Lakeport without regional awareness, they are only looking at a population of 5,000. Normally, major retailers look at communities with populations of 15,000 or more.

Silveira said the plan is not just about recruitment but about retention and helping businesses do better.

Farmer added that the company is big on community engagement and not trying to push existing business owner out. “We fill gaps,” he said, adding that they look not just at retailers but at developers.

Silveira said she’s talked to local shopping center owners, who are excited about the possibility of working with the firm.

“This is huge. I love the proposal,” said Councilwoman Stacy Mattina, adding she’s glad it’s a plan that won’t sit on a shelf, because there is an action component to it.

Parlet, who owns Lakeview Market in Lucerne, noted that Lakeport is getting beat up about having empty buildings, and that it has a 550 percent surplus of retail grocery. He wanted to make sure that any new business put on Main Street is really needed.

Parlet said the $30,000 for the contract is a small amount of money to bring in businesses that people want, noting that what’s going on now isn’t working well.

Mayor Tim Barnes asked if there will be a charge to city business owners to get the data the company will compile. Farmer said no, that because the city is paying for the work the information is shared freely with business owners. He said the company also will hold a business owners’ workshop.

Barnes asked about what kind of return on investment the company looks at. “Our base is sales tax,” said Farmer.

Farmer said The Retail Coach doesn’t guarantee any outcomes. It comes up with a list of retailers that should be in the community and reaches out to them, and the retailers then usually will respond with what they need. From there, the firm will create a road map.

“That alone is a return on investment,” said Barnes.

Barnes asked how successful the program is. Farmer said that in 80 percent of communities, they will get a letter of intent in the first year from a retail company.

During public comment, Bill Eaton, a member of the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, told the council, “I think this is a great idea.”

Eaton, however, questioned the 57,000 number, considering the entire county’s population is 64,000. He wanted to know if that number could be confirmed.

Farmer said the data indicates it’s people coming in from outside of the county. The breakdown included information that identified visitors as retirees, students and homemakers.

Farmer said that information can be looked at more closely based on the cell phone data, which Parlet called “terrifying.” In turn, Farmer noted there are privacy protections, and he explained that when a person uses one of the top 1,000 apps, they give certain permission for location. The Retail Coach purchases that information from app developers.

The information tracks foot traffic, requiring people to be in a specific area for a certain time and make certain interactions in their phones, he said. Silveira added that the cell phone study on Lakeport used the Safeway parking lot on 11th Street as the point of entry.

Barnes, pointing out that the information only relates to those with smartphones, suggested that 57,000 number could actually be low.

“It's a big game of perceptions,” said Farmer, and they will use the data to either undo those perceptions or validate them.

Parlet asked if the city would be able to get a map of where the visitors are coming from, and Farmer said the company will be able to provide a heat map of the visitors’ origins. Silveira added that the city used a different company to do the cell phone study, so The Retail Coach will be double checking those numbers.

Barnes said he wanted to see visitor numbers for the fall, because he believed the numbers were peak due to the summer. Silveira said they were told the 57,000 was an average over the year, and Farmer added that their analysis will be able to look at the year or a set time range.

Community member Anna Gregorian asked when the company will have its report done. Farmer said within the first 30 to 40 days.

Business owner Nancy Ruzicka said she was impressed with the proposal, noting it’s offering current information and that she has tried for years to recruit a national retailers for her shopping center on High Street. A traffic study she had completed shows that the High Street area has the number of daily trips a national retailer wants.

Ruzicka added that she wants to see Main Street filled with businesses.

Wilda Shock, the chair of the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee, said the city needs the data for its economic development strategy, its lakefront revitalization plan and hotel feasibility study. The information is needed to implement the plans and attract developers.

Another important aspect is working with local businesses through education so they understand they are part of the greater business community. “I think this is the next step in gathering that data,” Shock said.

Parlet moved to approve the contract, with a budget adjustment that Silveira said had been mistakenly left out of the staff report. Mattina seconded and the full council voted in favor.

“Looks like you're hired,” Barnes said to Farmer, adding that he’s looking forward to seeing the information.

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.

071619 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The county of Lake and Lake Transit Authority are resuming a project to provide access to the top of towering Mount Konocti via several docent-led bus tours on six Saturdays during the summer and fall.

The project, a partnership between the county of Lake and Lake Transit Authority, offers a limited number of guided trips to the top of the ancient volcano in an effort to provide access to residents who may not otherwise be able to enjoy the park and its spectacular views, all while minimizing individual vehicle usage on the road up the mountain.

Transportation up the mountain will be provided by Lake Transit Authority.

The dates for the tours are July 27, Aug. 24, Sept. 7, Sept. 21, Oct. 5 and Oct. 19.

One tour, from 9 a.m. to noon, will be offered on July 27, Aug. 24 and Sept. 7.

Two tours will be offered on Sept. 21, Oct. 5 and Oct. 19 – a morning trip from 9 a.m. to noon and an afternoon trip from 1 to 4 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per seat. The buses can accommodate wheelchairs, but wheelchair users should be advised that the paths on the mountain are not accessible.

Stops on the bus tours will include the top of Wright Peak and the historic Downen Cabin; several points along the bus tour also will provide for scenic views from the coach itself.

The tours will be led by trained docents who are knowledgeable about the mountain and its geology, history, flora, fauna, and even folklore.

The County of Lake has an agreement with Cal Fire to allow guided access to the fire tower that sits atop Wright Peak.

At 4,299 feet in elevation, Wright Peak is the highest point on the mountain, and the optional climb to the top of the tower, which was built in 1976, provides stunning 360-degree panoramas.

Tower access may be available as a part of the tour to those participants who are 18 years of age and over and accompanied by an official docent.

Tower access requires a moderately strenuous climb of several flights of exterior stairs, and thus, may not be appropriate for those prone to vertigo or with heart-related and other health conditions.

In its monumental 2011 acquisition, the County of Lake purchased 1,520 acres of land on top of Mount Konocti, thereby creating the new Mount Konocti County Park and placing it into public hands for perpetuity.

The county-owned land is contiguous with an existing 821 acres of public lands managed by the Bureau of Land Management.

In September 2012, the county and Lake Transit initially launched a pilot bus tour program to the top of the mountain, but they were sued the following month by Mike Fowler and his wife, Emily Ford, who sold the county the park property. The Fowlers argued that the bus tours violated the terms of use for an easement that they granted through their remaining property.

The tours were halted following the filing of the lawsuit.

However, the way was cleared for the tours to come back when, in the spring of 2015, Judge Andrew Blum issued a ruling in the county’s favor.

Mount Konocti County Park is an undeveloped park with somewhat rugged terrain and gravel areas. Smoking is strictly prohibited.

As with other county-owned parks, no glass and no alcohol are allowed. Three waterless vault restrooms have been installed on the mountain, as well as several picnic tables and benches.

Participants are encouraged to wear shoes and clothes appropriate for hiking and walking on rugged terrain. Participants are advised to wear hats, sunscreen, and bring a supply of water to stay hydrated. Other recommendations include binoculars and insect spray. Rattlesnakes are present and care should be taken to avoid disturbing rocks.

Tickets must be purchased in advance directly from Lake Transit Authority, and will be available beginning July 18 the main office, located at 9240 Highway 53 in Lower Lake. Office hours are 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.

To reserve tickets, call 707-994-3334. Reserved tickets must be picked up at least one week before your scheduled trip, and all participants will be required to sign a waiver.

For information on Mount Konocti County Park, including a downloadable map, visit www.konoctitrails.com or contact the Lake County Public Services Department at 707-262-1618.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Department of Water Resources announced this week the approval of nine alternatives to groundwater sustainability plans submitted by water agencies to meet the requirements of the Sustainable Groundwater Management Act.

The agency also reported that the existing groundwater management plan for Lake County’s Big Valley Basin is not recommended for approval.

Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, or SGMA, requires local agencies throughout the state to sustainably manage groundwater basins. Basins ranked as medium- or high-priority are required to develop groundwater sustainability plans or submit an alternative.

An alternative may be an existing groundwater management plan that demonstrates a reasonable expectation of achieving sustainability within 20 years.

It may also be a basin adjudication with existing governance and oversight, or a 10-year analysis of basin conditions showing sustainable operations with no undesirable results such as subsidence, saltwater intrusion, or degraded water quality.

“It is clear that a number of local agencies have been addressing groundwater issues in their basins for many years,” said DWR Director Karla Nemeth. “Their continued commitment to sustainably manage their basins will help protect California’s groundwater reserves as the state confronts critical water challenges.”

Following extensive technical review, DWR approved seven existing groundwater management plans and two 10-year sustainable yield analyses as alternatives under SGMA.

One existing groundwater management plan and five 10-year sustainable yield analyses were not recommended for approval as alternatives.

That existing groundwater management plan is for the Big Valley Basin, a medium-priority basin, while the 10-year sustainable yield analyses are for the Eel River Valley Basin, the Napa Valley Subbasin, the South American Subbasin, the Ojai Valley Basin and Sutter Subbasin.

In a July 17 letter to Scott De Leon, Lake County’s Public Works director and interim Water Resources director, the DWR said the alternative the county submitted in December is not recommended for approval because it lacked sufficient information and data to assess if it would result in sustainable groundwater management as defined in state water code.

In the DWR staff report, it stated that Lake County Water Resources’ plan “contains no detailed analysis that would justify exempting the District from developing criteria for undesirable results that are essential to SGMA’s definition of sustainable groundwater management. In fact, the Plan itself states that the Basin may be overdrafted during periods of drought and that potential impacts of that overdraft might include water shortages, dry wells, deterioration of groundwater quality and ground subsidence. The Plan does not determine when those potential impacts might be an undesirable result, or how the District might avoid those potential impacts moving forward.”

It continues, “Furthermore, the District has little or no information with regard to other groundwater conditions such as groundwater quality and depletions of interconnected surface water. The Department staff cannot assume undesirable results have not occurred, or will not
occur, in the absence of a compelling argument and sufficient and credible supporting data. Because of the limited understanding of current and historical basin conditions and insufficient information and data demonstrating the absence of undesirable results, the Department staff are unable to determine whether the Groundwater Management Plan implementation would lead to sustainable groundwater management for the Big Valley Basin and, therefore, recommends not approving the Alternative.”

The letter to De Leon said DWR will review any information provided by the district and make a final decision within 90 days of the notice letter.

Basins with approved alternatives are required to provide annual reports and five-year updates on their progress. Agencies submitting groundwater sustainability plans have the same reporting requirements.

For alternatives that were not recommended for approval, submitting agencies have 30 days to let DWR know if they believe information in their original submittal was overlooked. New information or data cannot be submitted during this time.

DWR will evaluate agency responses and finalize the assessments within 60 days of receiving comments.

If DWR’s disapproval of the alternative is finalized, basins without a groundwater sustainability agency, or GSA, are subject to extraction reporting requirements.

The State Water Board, which has the authority under SGMA to intervene where no GSA has been formed, intends to coordinate with affected county governments to support the immediate formation of GSAs in unmanaged basins to avoid mandatory extraction reporting requirements.

GSAs in basins without an approved alternative must submit a GSP by Jan. 31, 2022.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a new dog and several others waiting for new homes.

The kennels also have many dogs that need to be reunited with their owners. To find the lost/found pet section, click here.

The following dogs are ready for adoption.

‘Bernard’

“Bernard” is a male Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a short brindle and white coat.

He already has been neutered.

He is No. 280.

‘Buddy’

“Buddy” is a male Labrador Retriever mix with a short black coat with white markings.

He is No. 2332.

‘Cadbury’

“Cadbury” is a female Staffordshire Bull Terrier mix with a smooth medium-length beige coat.

She is No. 1215.

‘Hamilton’

“Hamilton” is a male German Shepherd with a medium-length brown and black coat.

He is No. 2177.

‘Lexi’

“Lexi” is a female German Shepherd with a medium-length black and tan coat.

She is No. 2262.

‘Snowflake’

“Snowflake” is a male Chihuahua with a white coat.

He is No. 1864.

‘Tyson’

“Tyson” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a medium-length gray and white coat.

He is No. 1863.

‘Wynn’

“Wynn” is a male American Staffordshire Terrier with a short brindle coat.

Staff said he is a lovely fellow who has been at the shelter for several months.. He loves affection and is available for adoption or through the foster to adopt program.

He’s believed to be about 6 to 7 years old.

He is No. 969.

Clearlake Animal Control’s shelter is located at 6820 Old Highway 53, off Airport Road.

Hours of operation area noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. The shelter is closed Sundays, Mondays and major holidays; the shelter offers appointments on the days it’s closed to accommodate people.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or at the city’s Web site.

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.

NICE, Calif. – Authorities took a Northshore man into custody early Thursday following a standoff that began after deputies responded to reports of shots being fired in a neighborhood.

Grant Donald Smith, 59, of Nice, was arrested just before 2 a.m., the Lake County Sheriff’s Office reported.

Lt. Corey Paulich said that at 9:30 a.m. p.m. Wednesday Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to the 7000 block of Marin Street in Nice, where several residents in the area were reporting that Smith was yelling at neighbors and shooting a firearm. Units from the Clearlake Police Department and California Highway Patrol also responded to assist.

When deputies arrived they heard gunshots coming from Smith’s residence. Paulich said they made contact with Smith and ordered him out of the residence.

Smith told the deputies to come in and get him. He also threatened to kill the deputies, Paulich said.

Paulich said Smith came out of his house shining a spotlight at the deputies. Smith said he had a gun and would kill everyone if they didn’t leave.

The deputies were not able to see if Smith had a gun, and Paulich said Smith went back into his residence and refused to come out.

The Sheriff’s SWAT Team and Crisis Response Team, or CRT, responded to the scene. Paulich said the CRT made several attempts to speak with Smith and get him to surrender peacefully, but he refused.

The SWAT Team used chemical agents in an attempt to get Smith to come out, but he continued to refuse, Paulich said.

Paulich said the SWAT Team eventually made entry into Smith’s residence pursuant to a search warrant and took him into custody.

The Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit conducted a search of Smith’s residence. They located several empty .22 caliber shell casings and a .22 caliber revolver, Paulich said.

Paulich said Smith was transported to the Lake County Jail after being medically cleared. He was booked on charges of resisting/threatening officers and negligent discharge of a firearm.

Smith remained in custody on Thursday, with bail set at $15,000, according to jail records.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council has approved an application for Proposition 68 funds to build a new lakeside park, one of the key components in the city’s lakefront revitalization plan.

The council on Tuesday gave unanimous support to a resolution that gives staff the go ahead to submit the application to the state for Statewide Park Development and Community Revitalization Program Grant Funds for the new park the city proposes to build at 800 and 800 N. Main St., the former site of Natural High School.

The discussion begins at the 22:00 minute mark in the video above. The staff report starts on page 42 of the agenda packet shown below.

The voter-passed Proposition 68 authorizes $4 billion in general obligation bonds meant for projects that extend from local and state parks to flood protection, water infrastructure, environmental protection and habitat restoration.

Associate Planner Dan Chance told the council that since the council adopted the lakefront revitalization plan, staff has been hoping to get financing to move it to the next level.

“This is the next step for a major part of this project,” he said.

The city has hosted a series of public workshops since the spring in order to gather input on what community members want in a new park, leading up to finalizing a list of amenities and a conceptual plan at a June 28 meeting.

The top concept has an amphitheater, lawn, picnic tables and barbecue grills, bathrooms, concession area, basketball court, ninja gym, splash pad, a large shelter area, an area for a potential future boathouse, a boat ramp and parking, as can be seen in a design shown on this page and in the staff report.

The city has been working with the firm Public Health Advocates to put the grant together. He said the proposal was before the council to get confirmation that city leadership supports it.

Chance said the proposal would include acquisition of the Natural High School property, the details of which haven’t been worked out yet. The property belongs to the Lakeport Unified School District.

“We are very close to getting something on paper for that,” he said.

City Manager Margaret Silveira’s written report to the council said the district intends to give the city a letter this month outlining its intent to support Lakeport’s grant application for the development of the new park on the former Natural High, subject to the completion of required Education Code regulations and procedures.

That letter is expected to indicate either the district’s intent to sell the property or “provide other suitable agreement with the City to allow the development of the proposed park lands at this site.”

Chance asked the council to adopt the resolution supporting the grant application, which must be submitted before Aug. 5.

He said the timeline for developing the park runs over the next two to three years.

Councilwoman Stacey Mattina asked when the city should hear back on its application. Silveira said notification is expected in December.

Councilman Kenny Parlet asked if the property purchase is reimbursable. Silveira said it will be included in the final application.

Parlet asked how much the project will cost. Silveira estimated that it will cost $4.6 million to develop the park, not including land acquisition.

She later told Lake County News that property negotiations are still under way with the school district and so a price for the lakeside property hasn’t been finalized.

During the Tuesday night discussion, Councilman George Spurr asked when the city would have something from the school district about the property. Silveira said the district expects to get the city a document by July 30. She said the city has been working with the district all along, and appreciates their efforts.

Councilwoman Mireya Turner said people were sharing a lot of ideas during the public input process. “This is a very good end result.”

Silveira said Public Health Advocates is working with 10 other communities on their Proposition 68 grants, and the company told city officials that they were impressed with Lakeport, as it has the most community engagement they’ve seen.

Turner said the area where the new park is proposed is very important to the community.

Chance noted that there were “very intense conversations” about the project.

Turner moved to approve the grant application, with multiple seconds offered and the motion approved 5-0.

On Tuesday the council also approved a proposal from The Retail Coach for a retail recruitment and development plan; approved new murals for downtown; authorized a written report regarding delinquent water and sewer accounts; selected Spurr as the voting delegate, Turner as the first alternate and Mayor Time Barnes as the second alternate for the League of California Cities annual conference in October in Long Beach; met new employees; honored departing police Lt. Jason Ferguson; and presented a proclamation committing to join the Energy Upgrade California initiative’s efforts to take action to save energy, and to conserve and preserve natural resources.

Updates from Lisa Kaplan of the Middletown Art Center about the RESTORE project and the Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee on its Business Walks outreach program were postponed to a future meeting.

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.

071619 Lakeport City Council agenda packet by LakeCoNews on Scribd

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake Police Department has issued an update on the officer-involved shooting this week that occurred as officers were responding to a stabbing.

The agency said the new details it released are based “on a preliminary and ongoing investigation which continues to evolve as investigators interview witnesses, review physical and electronic records and analyze forensic evidence. Our understanding of the facts and circumstances may change as the investigation continues.”

At 8:40 p.m. Monday, the Clearlake Police Department received a call from a residence on Mullen Avenue. The caller reported a family member was attempting to kill them with a knife, according to the report.

The caller disconnected before the dispatcher could obtain further information. Multiple officers were dispatched to the location, authorities said.

The agency said the first officer arrived on scene and contacted a female adult in the front room of the residence who had two children with her. She directed the officer to a back room of the home.

The officer proceeded down the hallway to a bedroom and heard a male calling out for help. The police report said the door to the bedroom was partially ajar but there were items behind it preventing it from fully opening.

The report said the officer requested the backup units expedite their response and called out to the subjects to stop fighting. The officer forced open the door and entered the room.

Police said one male adult subject was found over another male adult and was striking him. The officer attempted to take control of the subject by grabbing his arm and gave commands to stop.

The male subject pulled away and the officer noticed that he had a knife in his hand and was stabbing the victim. The officer removed their firearm and fired a shot at the man, police said.

Despite being shot at, police said the male subject was undeterred. The officer fired a second shot at him, this time resulting in him dropping the knife.

At about this time, the first backup officer, followed by additional officers, entered the room. Medical aid was immediately requested for the suspect and the stabbing victim, police said.

The Lake County Fire Protection District responded, treated the subject who committed the assault and the victim and transported them, police said. The stabbing victim was immediately transferred to an air ambulance while the suspect was taken to a local hospital and then transported by air ambulance.

The officer was taken to the hospital for exposure to blood and was released, police said.

Pursuant to a countywide critical incident protocol, the Lake County District Attorney’s Office was contacted. District Attorney Susan Krones along with a team of District Attorney’s Office investigators responded to the scene to conduct an investigation of this incident.

The District Attorney’s Office investigation will include whether the force used by the officer violated any criminal laws as well as whether anyone else in the incident violated any criminal laws.

The Clearlake Police Department Investigations Bureau also responded and is serving in a supporting role to the investigation.

The Clearlake Police Department said it is conducting an administrative investigation into this incident.

“Officer involved shootings and other uses of force resulting in serious injury or death are a significant event for the officer, the person on whom the force is directed and the community. The administrative investigation will focus on the officer’s compliance with department policies,” the agency said in a statement.

The officer who discharged the weapon has been placed on administrative leave per department policy. The officers involved in the initial incident response were equipped with body worn cameras. The Clearlake Police Department intends to release video footage in a forthcoming critical incident briefing video.

If you have additional information relevant to the investigation, please contact District Attorney’s Office Chief Investigator Bruce Smith at 707-263-2251.

LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The congregation of Lower Lake Community United Methodist Church, which lost its sanctuary in the Clayton fire nearly three years ago, is soon to break ground on a new building.

The church invites the community to celebrate the groundbreaking with them and to join in a free ice cream social reception following the groundbreaking celebration at 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 11. All are welcome.

On Aug. 13, 2016, the Clayton fire began as the result of arson. It burned almost 4,000 acres and destroyed 300 buildings.

One of the buildings destroyed was the sanctuary of the historic Lower Lake Community United Methodist Church which had served this rural neighborhood for 130 years.

Now, the congregation is moving forward with rebuilding the sanctuary, a project “long expected and long overdue,” said Pastor John Pavoni.

The new sanctuary will be located on Main Street in Lower Lake with construction anticipated to be completed in spring 2020.

The former sanctuary had its main entrance on Lake Street but the new entrance will face Main Street as a symbol of resilience and commitment to the community of Lower Lake for the next 130 years and more.

The congregation is proud to note that construction will be by Lake County Builders Inc. and other local subcontractors.

“It was important to us to keep the money in Lake County, helping to provide local jobs and revenues for our community as we work to help restore Lower Lake to its full, vibrant community once again,” Pavoni said.

Since the fire the congregation has met each Sunday at 9:45 a.m. in the Social Hall which survived the fire, “continuing to bring the Word and the Grace of the Lord to all who seek spiritual support within its doors,” the church leadership reported.

The church also has continued to serve the community with a weekly food pantry, feeding the hungry in spite of its own struggles after the fire.