NORTHERN CALIFORNIA — The Bureau of Land Management and the USDA Forest Service will host a public meeting in Woodland next week to hear from the community about management of the region’s public lands, including a proposal to designate existing public lands as a national monument in central California.
While the majority of the 330,000-acre monument is located in Lake County, no meeting on the expansion is planned here. Nor will it be live-streamed.
The meeting in Woodland will take place from 2 to 4 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 13, at the Community Services Department, 2001 East St. in Woodland.
Speakers will include Nada Wolff Culver, principal deputy director, Bureau of Land Management; Karen Mouritsen, Bureau of Land Management — California director; and Wade McMaster, Mendocino National Forest Supervisor, representing Regional Forester Jennifer Eberlien.
The community meeting responds to requests from local, county, state and tribal officials, as well as pending legislation in Congress, calling for the protection of the landscape as Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument’s expansion area to be managed by the BLM and USFS.
In September, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland visited Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument and the proposed expansion area to meet with tribal leaders, local elected officials, and community members to hear about their vision for conserving the natural- and cultural-resources on BLM-managed public lands in Lake County.
The community meeting is part of the Biden-Harris administration’s commitment to support locally led conservation efforts across the country.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County’s state senator is set to take on the leadership of the Senate early next year.
This week, the Senate ProTem’s Office released a memo in which it was announced that the ceremony to formally elect Senate ProTem Designee Mike McGuire as the Senate Leader will take place on Feb. 5, 2024.
The memo from McGuire and Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins said the ceremony will take place on the Senate floor, during a Senate floor session.
Additional details will be released in the coming weeks, the memo said.
“We’re looking forward to this momentous occasion!” Atkins and McGuire said in the joint memo.
In addition to McGuire’s ascent to Senate leadership, Lake County’s Assembly representative, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry, was appointed Assembly majority leader in November, as Lake County News has reported.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council this week will consider an agreement with the Elem Indian Colony regarding its plans for a travel center in the city and discuss what possible actions to take in light of significant increases in the costs of the Burns Valley Sports Complex Project.
The council will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7.
On Thursday, the council will consider a memorandum of understanding with the Elem Indian Colony regarding development of a travel center at 14825 and 14855 Lakeshore Drive. The site, near Redbud Park, was the former location of Mario’s Restaurant and Silk’s. The tribe purchased it in 2019 and was successful in having it placed into trust.
Also on Thursday, the council will have a discussion with staff and possibly give direction related to cost increases with the Burns Valley Sports Complex Project that staff said are arising due to delays because of the Koi Nation’s lawsuit against the city.
In other business, the council will appoint the 2024 mayor and vice mayor; consider a summary vacation of the irrevocable dedication of a roadway and public utility easement as being a part of an existing subdivision as requested by Mitchell and Patricia Markowitz; authorize a five-year contract with Flock Safety for automated license plate reader cameras; and hold a public hearing to adopt the first amendment to the 2023-24 fee schedule, update facility rental fees.
The council on Thursday also will meet December's Adoptable Dogs and present the employee years of service awards and certificates of appreciation to volunteers.
On the meeting's consent agenda — items that are considered routine in nature and usually adopted on a single vote — are warrants and City Council minutes; award of a contract to Pro-Ex Construction in the amount of $30,300 and authorize the city manager to approve up to 10% for additional unforeseen contract amendments; minutes of the Oct. 11 Lake County Vector Control District Board meeting; review and approval of the annual calendar of meetings for 2024; approval of Resolution 2023-46 for the application of the Outdoor Equity Program Grant; and receipt and filing of a memo regarding holiday closure of the City Hall administration office.
The council also will hold a closed session discussion regarding the Koi Nation’s lawsuits and a liability claim of Andrew Kirkendall against the city.
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.
Reps. Mike Thompson (CA-04), Lucy McBath (GA-07), Jahana Hayes (CT-05), Jamaal Bowman (NY-16) and Mark Takano (CA-39) have introduced legislation to provide American students and workers educational opportunities and prepare them for success in their careers.
The Training, Retention, and Investment Now, or TRAIN, Act expands and makes permanent the Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants program at the Department of Labor, or DOL, which provides funding to community colleges for partnerships with local employers.
“Workforce training programs help put students on a track to good-paying careers in in-demand fields,” said Thompson. “I am proud to co-author the TRAIN Act to create a competitive grant program so that schools like the Santa Rosa Junior College receive the funding they need to train workers for careers in good-paying jobs. I look forward to ensuring that workforce training programs receive the funding they deserve to set more Americans on a path to a successful career.”
“It’s important that our students are ready to pursue the steps along their desired paths when they graduate, and our community colleges need equal access to resources to support the next generation of American workers,” said McBath. “The Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants are making monumental change in our communities, and the TRAIN Act takes an important step to protect them. I am proud to support our workforce by protecting and expanding these vital programs, and I thank my colleagues for their partnership.”
“In Connecticut, our 14 community colleges serve as an affordable bridge to higher education and long-term success for students of all ages. The TRAIN Act expands the Department of Labor Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants they rely on to provide quality services to communities. These grants increase the capacity of community colleges in offering equitable access to training for in-demand industries,” said Hayes. “I am a graduate of Naugatuck Valley Community College and know how impactful these institutions are in increasing access to career training and education for low-income students. This legislation is the next step forward in providing more Americans a pathway toward a good-paying job and rewarding career.”
“Our vision for a better and more equitable future starts with making real investments in people and opportunities,” said Bowman. “With the TRAIN for a Better America Act introduced by Congresswoman McBath, we are connecting students to transformative educational and workforce development opportunities to prepare them for success in their careers. Solving our nation’s most pressing issues will take deep collaboration and intentional policymaking that recognizes the untapped potential in our communities and the importance of establishing and supporting local partnerships that uplift workers, students, and families. As a lifelong educator, I've seen just how impactful our schools — especially our community colleges — can be when they serve as holistic centers of growth and development for students, families, and the community at large. This legislation is a critical step forward as we seek to bring investments and resources to ensure access to high quality workforce development aligned to local needs.”
“Community colleges are essential to developing a robust workforce to meet the needs of future industries,” said Takano. “As a public school teacher for 24 years and a community college trustee for more than two decades, I understand how impactful the Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants can be in developing career pathways and fill in gaps in barriers to completing a student’s education. I am proud to co-lead the Training, Retention, And Investment Now (TRAIN) for a Better America Act with my colleagues to codify and expand this funding for years to come.”
Community colleges have long provided vital access to higher education for low-income and nontraditional learners.
However, community colleges struggle to build the capacity they need, and many students face difficulties finding employment after graduating.
Under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act’s, or WIOA, demonstration authority, DOL has begun awarding Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants to expand online and technology-enhanced learning in industries such as health care, logistics, and cybersecurity.
These grants expand the capacity of community colleges to collaborate with employers and the public workforce development system to meet local and regional labor market demand for a skilled workforce.
DOL has awarded tens of millions of dollars in grants to community colleges around the country in 2023.
The TRAIN Act codifies and expands the Department of Labor’s Strengthening Community Colleges Training Grants, authorizing a competitive grant program that aims to build community colleges’ capacity to provide employment and training programs leading to post‐secondary credentials for in‐demand industries or occupations.
The grants provide for:
• Developing or scaling up career training, career pathways, or work‐based learning options like apprenticeships. • Assisting individuals with barriers to employment with accessing programs. • Providing support services to help participants complete education and training.
This bill is endorsed by the National Skills Coalition, Third Way, Progressive Policy Institute and the Association of Community College Trustees.
Thompson represents California’s Fourth Congressional District, which includes all or part of Lake, Napa, Solano, Sonoma and Yolo counties.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and First Partner Jennifer Siebel Newsom hosted the 92nd annual California State Capitol tree lighting ceremony Wednesday evening alongside special guest Harley Goodpasture — marking the 40th year a child from a Department of Developmental Services regional center has helped light the State Capitol tree.
Five-year-old Harley, who is the first California Native American child to assist with the ceremony, receives services from the Inland Regional Center and represents over 400,000 Californians with intellectual and developmental disabilities who receive services from the state’s nonprofit regional centers.
Harley's story is one of joy and resilience. Her first word was "love," and her appreciation of outdoor activities, singing, dancing and learning reflects her vibrant spirit.
Her mother is a member of Susanville Indian Rancheria, while Harley, her siblings, and her father belong to the Pala Band of Mission Indians, located in Southern California.
Her parents, Season and James Goodpasture, founded Acorns to Oak Trees, the first regional center vendor service provider on tribal land, in partnership with San Diego Regional Center.
“As Harley steps into this historic role, she not only illuminates the Capitol Holiday Tree but also shines a light on the strength, diversity, and inclusivity California represents,” said DDS Director Nancy Bargmann. “Her infectious spirit and light inspire us all to embrace the magic within each child, during this holiday season and throughout the year."
The Capitol Tree Lighting festivities have been a tradition since the 1930s. For the past four decades, a child from a regional center has lit the tree.
As part of this cherished tradition, individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities from all over California created ornaments that will adorn this year's majestic 60-foot red fir tree.
Also, a first this year, the 21 regional centers each had their own individual 6- to 7-foot tree set up near the Capitol tree, providing a unique opportunity for regional centers to showcase the work of the individuals they serve in celebration of the holiday season.
This year, California expanded the long-standing tradition of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities creating ornaments for the State Capitol tree.
The celebration also included a blessing from the Chairman of the Wilton Rancheria and a performance from the Oakland Interfaith Gospel Choir.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office has identified a woman who was struck and killed by a vehicle along Highway 29 near Middletown last week.
Susan Alice Johnson-Cline, 57, died at the scene of the crash, which occurred shortly after 6:15 p.m. Friday on southbound Highway 29, south of Central Park Road, as Lake County News has reported.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office originally gave Johnson-Cline’s city of residence as Clearlake.
However, Lauren Berlinn, spokesperson for the sheriff’s office, said Johnson-Cline’s residence was in Lower Lake.
The CHP’s initial report said Johnson-Cline was walking along the highway in wet, rainy conditions.
It’s so far not known what led to her being struck by a 2020 Tesla Model S in the northbound lane of Highway 29.
However, the report said that alcohol may have been a factor on Johnson-Cline’s part.
Johnson-Cline died of her injuries at Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital, the CHP said.
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.
With hate crimes, context is everything, and events outside of the United States – like the war between Israel and Hamas – can have far-reaching and potentially tragic consequences.
Vermont police arrested a man in Burlington on Nov. 27, 2023, for allegedly shooting three 20-year-old Palestinian American men, seriously wounding them. Two of the men wore Palestinian keffiyehs, a traditional scarf that has come to symbolize Palestinian identity.
Jason James Eaton, the New York resident charged with the crime, has pleaded not guilty. Authorities are still investigating whether Eaton should be charged with a hate crime.
People often think an incident is a hate crime right away because of key characteristics of the people involved, but police tend to be reluctant to make such a quick declaration.
Hate crimes and hate murders are rising across the U.S., but long-term polling data suggests that most Americans are horrified by bias-motivated violence. They also support hate crime legislation, an effort to deter such attacks.
Yet officials often resist the quick classification of incidents as a hate crime.
For instance, the shooting of the three Palestinian Americans in Vermont has yet to be classified as a hate crime. Several days later, authorities are still conducting an investigation into what prompted the shooting. Investigations like this are required because hate crimes have precise qualities, which must be met in order to satisfy legal requirements. And even when police and prosecutors believe the elements of a hate crime are present, such crimes can be difficult to prove in court.
There has been a sharp spike in attacks on both Jews and Palestinians since Hamas’ attack on Israeli communities on Oct. 7, 2023, and Israel’s subsequent ground invasion of Gaza.
The Anti-Defamation League, an advocacy group that tracks antisemitism, reported at the end of October 2023 that antisemitic incidents increased 388% in the week after Oct 7. These include physical assaults and violent online messages.
The advocacy group Council on American-Islamic Relations has also documented a 216% increase in requests for help and bias incidents compared with 2022 figures.
Hate crimes are crimes motivated by bias on the basis of race, religion, sexual orientation or ethnicity. In some states, gender, age and gender identity are also included. Hate crime laws have been passed by 47 states and the federal government since the 1980s, when activists first began to press state legislatures to recognize the role of bias in violence against minority groups. Today, only Indiana, Mississippi, New Hampshire and South Carolina do not have any hate crime laws.
Both Illinois and Vermont have laws that impose more severe penalties if an alleged offender’s crime is motivated by someone’s race, religion or ethnicity.
In order to be charged as a hate crime, attacks – whether assault, killings or vandalism – must be directed at individuals because of the prohibited biases. Hate crimes, in other words, punish motive; the prosecutor must convince the judge or jury that the victim was targeted because of their race, religion, sexual orientation or other protected characteristic.
If the defendant is found to have acted with bias motivation, hate crimes often add an additional penalty to the underlying charge. Charging people with a hate crime, then, presents additional layers of complexity to what may otherwise be a straightforward case for prosecutors. Bias motivation can be hard to prove, and prosecutors can be reluctant to take cases that they may not win in court.
It can and does happen, though. In June 2020, Shepard Hoehn placed a burning cross and a sign with racial slurs and epithets facing the construction site where his new neighbor, who is Black, was building a house. Hoehn was charged with and later pleaded guilty to federal hate crime charges in Indiana.
A few months later, Maurice Diggins was convicted by a federal jury of a 2018 hate crime for breaking the jaw of a Sudanese man in Maine while shouting racial epithets.
How to charge a hate crime
The first use of the term “hate crime” in federal legislation was the Hate Crime Statistics Act of 1990. This was not a criminal statute but rather a data-gathering requirement that mandated that the U.S. attorney general collect data on crimes that “evidenced prejudice based on race, religion, sexual orientation, or ethnicity.”
Soon, states began passing their own laws recognizing bias crimes. But hate crime legislation has not led to as many charges and convictions as activists may have hoped.
Law enforcement struggles to identify hate crime and prosecute the offenders. Even though 47 states have hate crime laws, 86.1% of law enforcement agencies reported to the FBI that not a single hate crime had occurred in their jurisdiction in 2019, according to FBI data.
In many cases, police have received inadequate training in making hate crime classification.
But I’ve also found that police departments are rarely organized in a way that allows them to develop the expertise necessary to effectively investigate hate crimes. When police departments have specialized police units and prosecutors who are committed to taking on hate crime, they can develop the routines that allow them to investigate hate crime in a manner that supports victims.
Even law enforcement officers specifically trained in bias crime identification still may not name incidents as hate crime that, to the general public, seem obviously bias-driven. This may be the result of police bias.
Distrust of police, especially in Black communities, may dissuade minorities from even calling the police when they are victimized by hate crime for fear they could also become victims of police violence.
All this means that perpetrators of hate crimes may not be caught and can re-offend, further victimizing communities that are meant to be protected by hate crime laws.
Hate crime laws reflect American ideals of fairness, justice and equity. But if crimes motivated by bias aren’t reported, well investigated, charged or brought to trial, it matters little what state law says.
Christmas today is a big business, and one part of that is the multibillion-dollar business of selling Christmas trees. The U.S. Christmas tree industry is so large, it even has two dueling trade groups: one that supports natural trees and the other, artificial.
We are two business school professors whose students asked us to explain the economic impact of the winter holidays. In the holiday spirit of sharing, we’re giving you some facts to discuss while trimming your tree.
Where to buy a natural Christmas tree – or chop one down yourself
There are three different ways to get a natural Christmas tree.
First, you can go into a national forest and chop down your own. Relatively few Americans do this, even though a permit costs $10 or less, because government rules require that the tree you chop must be more than 200 feet from any road, campground or recreation area. Since dragging a tree destroys its branches and needles, the 200-foot rule means that large, heavy trees have to be carried a fair distance through often snowy woods.
Your second option is to buy or chop down a tree at a local Christmas tree farm. Christmas tree farms got a big promotional boost when Taylor Swift revealed she grew up on one, but she’s hardly alone: There are nearly 3,000 Christmas tree farms across the U.S., according to the Department of Agriculture’s most recent figures. These farms sell around 12 million trees a year.
The third way to buy a tree is from a local retailer that imports trees. In 2022, the U.S. imported almost 3 million natural Christmas trees, primarily from Canada. Imports have been growing steadily: In 2014, the U.S. imported only half as many trees.
Together, this means that in 2022, roughly 15 million locally grown or imported natural trees were sold in the country.
Some people like to buy their trees from a nonprofit, like the Boy Scouts. These fundraisers are also supplied from local Christmas tree farms or imports.
An artificial tree’s journey from China to your living room
And they’re becoming increasingly common. In 2014, the U.S. imported 11 million artificial trees and sold almost 22 million natural trees. This means that back in 2014, almost two real trees were purchased for every artificial one. A decade later, natural tree sales had fallen to around 15 million, but over 20 million artificial trees were imported.
One result of the shift to replica trees is a reduction in house fires. Natural trees that aren’t watered dry out and sometimes catch on fire. In 1980, the U.S. saw about 850 Christmas tree fires that caused 80 people to be injured. Four decades later, the number of annual fires fell to 180, with only eight injuries.
Why Christmas trees are so expensive
Some people get sticker shock when they see how much Christmas trees cost. Those shocking prices don’t come from the wholesale level. Last year, wholesalers importing entire shipping containers paid $22 for each artificial tree, on average, according to U.S. government statistics. Importers of natural trees paid roughly the same price. Together, artificial and natural importers paid over a half billion dollars for trees to sell in 2022.
Unfortunately, there are no official statistics on how much Americans pay for Christmas trees at the retail level. There’s a general consensus that artificial trees cost more than natural trees, but the extra money may be worth it because they last more than one season.
Multiplying the $80 to $100 price by the 15 million natural trees and 20 million artificial trees sold in 2022 means Christmas trees are roughly a $3 billion business annually — without including any extra money spent on the decorations.
So, with so many options, how do you settle on which sort of tree to buy? Price, environmental factors, convenience and even allergies are all important factors to consider. There’s no easy answer. One of us can’t decide and has multiple trees, ranging from a 12-inch artificial tree handed down from his grandmother to a 7-foot-tall natural Fraser fir purchased at his local Christmas tree farm.
Whatever you decide – natural, artificial, both or no tree at all – just remember to add a dash of cheer to your winter celebration. After all, the best things about the season are free.
This story has been corrected to show that the meeting takes place on Friday.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — Due to an Internet outage that impacted a large part of Lake County as well as a portion of Mendocino County on Tuesday, the Board of Supervisors was unable to conduct business and has called a special meeting on Friday.
The board will meet at 9 a.m. Friday, Dec. 8, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.
The meeting ID is 885 0531 6073, pass code 778712. The meeting also can be accessed via one tap mobile at +16699006833,,88505316073#,,,,*778712#.
With the exception of the pet of the week, the agenda for Thursday’s special meeting is the same as Tuesday’s regular meeting.
Key items will include the board's consideration at 9:15 a.m. of submitting public comments in response to PG&E’s initial draft surrender application and conceptual decommissioning plan for the Potter Valley Project, which includes the Scott Dam.
At 9:45 a.m., the board will consider adopting the Lake County Hazard Mitigation Plan.
The board also will hold an untimed discussion regarding appointments to the Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
The full agenda follows.
CONSENT AGENDA
5.1: Approve letter of support for the 2023-2024 COCO AIM grant application entitled “Lake County Fire Safe Council Capacity Building and CMAT Implementation” project (CBCI) submitted by the Lake County Resource Conservation District (LCRCD) and authorize the chair to sign.
5.2: approve public defender contract amendment No. 11 between the county of Lake and Lake Indigent Defense LLP for the purpose of removing Anakalia K. Sullivan as partner, and authorize chair to sign.
5.3: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 23-0413-004-SF with the California Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the Sudden Oak Death Quarantine program for the period July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024, in the Amount of $4,341.69.
5.4: Approve resolution of the Board of Education of the Kelseyville Unified School District ordering an election to authorize the issuance of general obligation bonds, establishing specifications of the election order, and requesting consolidation with other elections occurring on March 5, 2024.
5.5: a) Approve the FY 2023 Emergency Management Performance Grant application in the amount of $138,341; and b) authorize Sheriff Rob Howe to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; and c) authorize County Administrative Officer Susan Parker to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and d) authorize the chairperson of the Board of Supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
5.6: a) Adopt resolution approving the Lake County Sheriff's Office to apply for state of California, Department of Parks and Recreation Off-Highway Vehicle Grant funds and authorize the Lake County sheriff/coroner or his designee to sign the project agreement; and b) consideration of a delegation of authority to Lake County Sheriff-Coroner Rob Howe or his designee to execute the attached project agreement, No. G23-03-64-L01 and to act as the county’s agent in the negotiation, execution, and submittal of all related documents, including amendments to the project agreement and requests for payments.
5.7: a) Waive formal bidding process pursuant to Lake County Code Section 2-38.4 Cooperative Purchase Agreement by the Huston-Galveston Area Council (H-GAC) and, b) approve the purchase of a Hindsight H-4 Multi-Media Recorder from Exacom and c) authorize the sheriff to sign a purchase order not to exceed $50,000.
5.8: a) Approve the FY 2023 EOC Grant Program application in the amount of $1,318,133; and b) authorize Sheriff Rob Howe to sign the grant subaward face sheet, and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; and c) Authorize County Administrative Officer Susan Parker to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document; and d) authorize the chairperson of the Board of Supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
5.9: a) Approve the FY 2023 Homeland Security application in the amount of $126,762; and b) authorize Sheriff Rob Howe to sign the grant subaward face sheet, the authorized agent document and the subrecipient grants management assessment form; and c) authorize County Administrative Officer Susan Parker to act as the authorized agent on behalf of the county to sign the standard assurances and initial each page, the lobbying certification and the FFATA financial disclosure document and d) authorize the chairperson of the Board of Supervisors to sign the certification of the governing body resolution.
5.10: Approve delegation of investment authority to treasurer-tax collector.
TIMED ITEMS
6.3, 9:08 a.m.: Consideration of county investment policy.
6.4, 9:15 a.m.: Consideration of submittal of public comments in response to PG&E’s initial draft surrender application and conceptual decommissioning plan.
6.5, 9:45 a.m.: Consideration of resolution adopting the Lake County Hazard Mitigation plan for the county of Lake.
6.6, 10 a.m.: Public hearing, continued from Nov. 28, consideration of proposed negative declaration (IS 23-03), General plan amendment (GPAP 23-01), and rezone (RZ 23-01) for Reynolds System Inc., to change the general plan designation of a portion of the parcel from rural lands to industrial, and rezone a portion of the parcel from rural lands to heavy industrial; Location: 18649 CA State Highway 175, Middletown (APN: 013-046-04).
6.7, 10:30 a.m.: Consideration of presentation for overview of grant award from the Governor’s Office of Planning and Research under the Adaptation Planning Grant Program.
6.8, 10:45 a.m.: Presentation of Revised State Water Resources Control Board’s Information Order Regulations for the Clear Lake Watershed.
UNTIMED ITEMS
7.2: Consideration of appointments to Lakeport Fire Protection District Board of Directors.
7.3: Consideration of the following advisory board appointment: Mental Health Advisory Board.
CLOSED SESSION
8.1, 3 p.m.: Public employee appointment pursuant to Gov. Code Section 54957(b) (1): Interviews for Health Services director; appointment of Health Services director.
8.2: Public employee evaluation: Director of Child Support Services.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County is now home to two newly approved American Viticultural Areas, or AVAs.
The county, which winegrape advocates say is continuing to raise the bar of quality wine production in California, has welcomed the Long Valley-Lake County AVA and the Upper Lake Valley AVA.
The approval of the two new AVAs is one of many recent achievements for the Lake County region.
Lake County, known for its high-elevation, mountainous terrain within the prestigious North Coast AVA, is gaining traction as the market looks for high-end, California wines at an accessible price point.
With its volcanic terroir, the region is being recognized for its capacity to produce quality winegrapes that result in wines that are complex and distinct.
The wines offer great aromatic and flavor intensity alongside noticeable aging potential. The region has become a go-to source for high-end sauvignon blanc and cabernet sauvignon.
“These two new AVAs further demonstrate the vast potential of Lake County,” said Debra Sommerfield, president of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, an organization of the region’s winegrowers that actively fosters local viticultural innovation through projects such as the bilingual Lake County Pruning School in English and Spanish, now in its second year.
“The establishment of these AVAs builds on the discovery of these as distinct sub-appellations and on the long history of farming in the region while the Lake County Pruning School builds on the long-standing viticultural expertise of the region’s growers,” Sommerfield said.
Stretching across 7,674 acres, the Long Valley-Lake County Valley AVA consists of a long, narrow valley floor and surrounding foothills, which sits on a geologic formation known as the Cache Formation.
The formation comprises lake deposits and consists of tuffaceous and diatomaceous sands and silts, limestone, gravel and intercalated volcanic rocks.
This AVA is known for producing red winegrapes such as cabernet sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petite Sirah and Syrah.
The first record of vineyards in Long Valley was a family vineyard planted on land near the southern end of the valley by John Bonham in 1883. This was followed in 1885 when N.E. Hanson planted a vineyard on his ranch with 2,000 vines called “The Crags.”
Modern viticulture in the area started with the planting of a block of vines by David James, using cuttings from the Fay vineyard that won the 1976 “Judgment of Paris.”
James and his wife moved to Lake County in 1978 and purchased Pomo Ranch, located on the western shelf along the southern end of Long Valley. The vines were planted on their own rootstock and are still in production.
Today, this property is the location of Stonehouse Cellars, a licensed Lake County wine producer.
Upper Lake Valley AVA is approximately 20,187 acres and consists of four identified water-bearing formations: Quaternary alluvium; Pleistocene terrace deposits; Pleistocenelake and flood plain deposits; and Plio — Pleistocene cache creek.
These formations comprise the Upper Lake Groundwater Basin, which covers the majority of the AVA.
Soils belong to three groups. The Millsholm — Skyhigh-Bressa are formed by sandstone and shale and are primarily loams and clay loams. The Still — Lupoyoma occur on the nearly-level valley floors and consist of very deep, moderately well- to well-drained loams and silt loams.
Finally, soils from the Tulelake — luvaquentic — Haplawuolls map unit are very deep, poorly drained silty clay loams. This AVA is suitable for growing a variety of grapes, including sauvignon blanc.
LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday released bodycam video of a deputy-involved shooting that led to the death of a Lakeport man on Nov. 16.
Along with the release of the video, the sheriff’s office also released to Lake County News the name of the man who died.
Sheriff’s spokesperson Lauren Berlinn identified the man as Richard Michael Pyorre, 53, Lakeport.
Pyorre was a well-known Lakeport businessman, owner of an insurance company, and at one time a wrestling coach for Clear Lake High School.
The sheriff’s office’s initial report said that deputies responded to the 100 block of Dixon Drive in Lakeport, just off Highway 175, due to reports of an assault with a knife by a male subject.
When the deputies arrived on scene, the report said they contacted the subject — now identified as Pyorre — reportedly responsible for that assault who at that point was armed with a loaded firearm.
The sheriff’s office account said the deputies made multiple attempts “to defuse and de-escalate the situation” but Pyorre refused to comply. He was shot and pronounced dead at the scene.
The sheriff’s office did not separately release another statement on the fatal shooting on Tuesday.
However, the video includes some additional new details, including that the deputies responded to the Dixon Drive residence at about 1:45 p.m.
“Upon arrival, deputies found the driveway barricaded with several vehicles and a boat. Deputies entered the property and contacted the alleged suspect of the reported assault,” the video said.
Shortly after the deputies contacted Pyorre, the sheriff’s office report said he drew a concealed loaded firearm from his waistband.
The bodycam footage was edited together with voice over and text giving additional details of the incident, and included a brief clip of cell phone video that appeared to have been taken by Pyorre having an argument with a family member. The firearm, visible from his waistband, is highlighted in the video.
The 12-minute video begins with fire radio traffic calling out medics from the Lakeport Fire Protection District in response to a phone-in report of an assault on Dixon Drive that possibly involved a knife.
Firefighters asked for the sheriff’s office to respond while they staged at 1:37 p.m.
What follows is video from two bodycams, one from Sgt. Ben Moore, and the second from Deputy Michael Nakahara. Capt. Chris Chwialkowski is also heard and seen in the video but no bodycam footage is included from him.
The deputies approached a large white house, walking around a travel trailer in the front yard. A large German shepherd came around the trailer and started to turn around when Moore sprayed it with pepper spray and it ran away.
From around the side of the house comes a figure who appears to be wearing a dark hoodie and jeans. A caption on the video said, “Suspect is drawing the loaded firearm from a holster in his front waistband.”
The figure is then seen turning and fleeing around the house with the dog following him. Moore said, “He’s got a gun. He’s got a gun.”
From that point on in the video, Pyorre cannot be seen from the vantage point of the bodycams.
Moore then called to Pyorre, telling him that he needed to come out and show him his hands, before firing a shot. Moore yelled at Pyorre not to point the gun at them again and asked for cover.
In the background, radio traffic can be heard requesting a full call out of a SWAT team from Mendocino County. That radio call went out at 1:56 p.m., according to radio traffic monitored by Lake County News on the day of the incident.
Moore continued to call to Pyorre, telling him to let him see his hands and to call out to the deputies.
He and the other deputies advanced to the corner of the house, looking toward the backyard.
“I see him. He’s up. He’s moving. He still has the gun in his hand. Drop the gun! Drop the gun, Rick! Don’t make us shoot you!” Moore shouted.
Moore continued to order Pyorre to drop the gun and to show his hands.
As they continued to call to Pyorre, Moore said he could see Pyorre with the gun in his right hand on the other side of the pool in the backyard and was pointing the gun.
At that point, the bodycam shifted as another shot was fired, and Moore shouted that the suspect was hit and had fallen into the pool, where he was splashing around.
Aerial measurements of the property conducted with Google maps indicate that Pyorre was about 100 feet away from Moore when he was shot.
Moore’s bodycam video indicates that approximately three minutes and 43 seconds elapsed from the time he confronted the dog to shooting Pyorre.
Radio traffic indicated that Pyorre was shot at 1:59 p.m., and that there had been reports of other people up the hill from the house seeing him go into the pool after being shot.
Nakahara’s bodycam showed him following Moore and remaining behind some objects alongside the travel trailer before joining Moore and a third individual — believed to be Chwialkowski — at the corner of the house.
After the bodycam videos end, a picture is shown of Pyorre’s body — with his face covered with a black box — in the pool, with his right hand still clutching what the sheriff’s office said was a loaded handgun.
Moore also fatally shot and killed Jason Richard Sienze, 35, of Madera in February 2018 after he said Sienze brandished a handgun at him while backing down Lakeview Drive in Nice in a stolen pickup. Sienze died after Moore fired close to 20 rounds at him from a rifle.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office website’s page on Use of Force Policies includes links to the video on the incident involving Pyorre and reports and video on previous use of force situations.
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.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency on Monday announced the final cleanup plan for the Sulphur Bank Mercury Mine Superfund site, covering the mine site and residential soils in Clearlake Oaks.
EPA said its cleanup plan will combine and cover mine waste piles, remove or cover contaminated residential soils, minimize impacts on nearby tribes, and reduce mercury entering Clear Lake sediments and fish.
The mine operated from the late 1800s to the 1950s, spreading waste with toxic levels of mercury and arsenic across the mine property and into nearby neighborhoods and Clear Lake.
The 160-acre mine property, which sits on the lakeshore, has been a Superfund site since 1990.
“This cleanup plan marks the culmination of years of planning with tribes, local government and the state to develop a joint vision for reviving the local environment and economy around Clear Lake,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “EPA is committed to continuing our coordination with local stakeholders, ensuring community-wide benefits, returning land to the Elem Indian colony and collaborating on the protection of tribal and cultural resources.”
“We’re thrilled to see this project move into the next phase,” California Department of Toxic Substances Control Director Dr. Meredith Williams said. “A cleanup project of this magnitude takes immense coordination and expertise, and we look forward to our continued partnership with the US EPA and the Elem Indian Colony to protect the community.”
Before finalizing the cleanup plan, EPA held a 90-day public comment period and hosted online question and answer sessions, in-person open houses, and hybrid (online and in-person) formal public hearings for both the whole community and a tribal-focused audience.
The agency captured both written and verbal comments, considered them in cleanup planning, and responded to them in the final decision document.
The plan is detailed in a document called a Record of Decision, or ROD. The ROD and other documents on how the EPA decided on this plan are found in the site’s Administrative Record posted on EPA’s website.
EPA has already completed eight earlier cleanups at Sulphur Bank to protect community members and the environment.
These prior cleanups included controlling soil erosion, improving surface water management, removing contaminated soil on the Elem Indian Colony, and capping mine waste beneath roadways.
EPA also continues to study Clear Lake’s complex ecosystem, sediment and north wetlands to understand how to reduce mercury pollution.