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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – Kerry Smith, education specialist and resource teacher at Mountain Vista Middle School of Kelseyville Unified School District, is the new Lake County Teacher of the Year.
“Positive, funny, kind, exciting, friendly and helpful are all words that students use to describe Ms. Kerry Smith,” said Mountain Vista Middle School Principal Nikki Thomas.
Smith is an alumna of Kelseyville High School, Sonoma State University and Dominican University.
“Kerry is outstanding in many ways. She has the instructional skills required to be a highly effective teacher, but also holds those intangible qualities that are the heart of a successful educator,” Thomas said.
The daughter of a math teacher, Smith attributes much of her success in the classroom to things she learned during her early child development education and experience as a preschool teacher during college.
“My background in child development has been the foundation for establishing positive relationships with students, regardless of their age. Always frame your expectation in the positive,” explained Smith.
As a resource teacher for grades 6 through 8 at Mountain Vista Middle School, it’s Smith’s responsibility to provide additional support to students with independent education plans.
Smith spearheaded a co-teaching model of instruction for general education math in the seventh and eighth grades. She and the general education math teachers collaborate and co-teach a section of math together that allows resource students to receive grade level instruction with resource support. Smith also works with general education students who are struggling with math.
“This approach has been so successful that almost all of our resource students are now in the general education taught math classes and all students that Kerry works with are performing well in math,” said Thomas.
Cynthia Lenners, the deputy superintendent of schools with the Lake County Office of Education, coordinates the Lake County Teacher of the Year program.
“What really stands out about Kerry is her ability to provide access to quality curriculum for all Lake County students,” said Lenners.
After being selected as District Teachers of the Year through their site administrators, six Lake County District Teachers of the Year competed through an application and interview process for the distinction of Lake County Teacher this spring.
They are:
• Kerry Smith, Kelseyville Unified School District;
• Zane Jensen, Lakeport Unified School District;
• Deb Lipari, Middletown Unified School District;
• Charlene Norwood, Upper Lake Unified School District;
• Robert Reil, Konocti Unified School District;
• Jennifer Wangberg, Lucerne Elementary School District.
During their interviews, all six candidates spoke passionately about the interesting and innovative programs they are implementing in their classrooms for their students. It’s Smith though, who will be moving forward to contend for the title of California Teacher of the Year 2020.
Smith’s state application is due at the end of July. The State Selection Committee will review applications and make site visits in early fall. The California Department of Education will announce the California Teachers of the Year in October.
“Working among so many talented and dedicated professionals has shaped me into the teacher I am today. I am just one small part of a larger team and am humbled by my nomination,” Smith said.
Erica Boomer, ag teacher and FFA advisor from Upper Lake High School was Lake County Teacher of the Year 2018-2019.
The California Department of Education named Boomer as one of five California Teachers of the Year in October 2018.
As part of her outreach responsibilities as California Teacher of the Year, Boomer will be joining a delegation of California teachers visiting China this fall.
“It’s always fantastic when Lake County students come home to give back to their community, and affect so many in such a positive way,” adds Brock Falkenberg, Lake County superintendent of schools. “For two years in a row, local high school alumni who have returned to Lake County are being honored for their hard work in our schools and making our community a better place.”
Smith, the district Teachers of the Year, and the district Classified Employees of the year, will be honored on Oct. 20, 2019 at the Excellence in Education Awards Dinner being hosted at O'Meara Bros. Brewing Co. in Lakeport.
The Lake County Teacher of the Year is a program administered through the Lake County Office of Education and the California Department of Education.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Tuesday, nine counties and cities – among them, the county of Lake and the city of Clearlake – confirmed that they have accepted a mediator’s proposal of $415 million to resolve their collective North Bay fires claims against Pacific Gas and Electric.
“Clearlake was significantly negatively impacted by the Sulphur fire of October 2017, and this settlement will help rebuild the infrastructure which was damaged by the fire.” said Clearlake Mayor Russ Cremer. “One of the city’s main goals is to repair the roads that were impacted by the fire and its subsequent cleanup efforts.”
In addition to Lake County and the city of Clearlake, the other governments included in the North Bay fires settlement include Mendocino County, the city of Napa, Napa County, Nevada County, the city of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County and Yuba County.
"Our primary concern in this legal matter has been to recover local public losses as a result of the 2017 wildfires,” said Ryan Gregory, chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. “This agreement, if approved, will allow Napa County to make necessary repairs to damaged county infrastructure and recover the county’s financial losses as a result of the fires.”
“The city is pleased that PG&E has agreed to this settlement, and that taxpayers will not bear the burden of the city’s fire-related expenses and losses,” said Napa City Manager Steve Potter. “The city will continue to serve, and support recovery for, the individuals, families and businesses devastated by the North Bay fires.”
Officials said the mediator’s proposal is exclusive of – and does not affect – the claims of any residents, individuals or businesses filed against PG&E due to wildland fires.
“We remain focused on supporting our customers and communities impacted by wildfires and helping them recover and rebuild,” PG&E spokesperson Ari Vanrenen told Lake County News. “This is an important first step toward an orderly, fair and expeditious resolution of wildfire claims and a demonstration of our willingness to work collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve mutually acceptable resolutions. We hope to continue making progress with other stakeholders.”
So far, there have been no details about how much each of the governments will receive from the $415 million, which officials said will be allocated among the nine public entities in a specific process.
The payment to those regional governments is to be incorporated into a plan of reorganization to be filed by PG&E in its pending Chapter 11 case, subject to confirmation by the bankruptcy court.
JAMS mediator Jay Gandhi, a retired judge, presided over several days of in-person mediation sessions held in San Francisco, local county and city officials reported.
Participants in the mediation included 14 public entities with various claims from the 2015 Butte fire, the 2017 North Bay fires and the 2018 Camp fire.
Judge Gandhi’s global proposals included a total payment of $1 billion to 14 public entities to be made pursuant to PG&E’s confirmed plan of reorganization. PG&E and all of the public entities accepted the proposals.
“Our goal throughout the Chapter 11 process is to work collaboratively to fairly balance the interests of our many stakeholders, as well as the customers and communities we serve, as we work towards a timely resolution of our case, while continuing to provide the safe and reliable natural gas and electric service that our customers expect and deserve,” PG&E’s Vanrenen said.
As part of that larger settlement, PG&E will pay Butte County, the town of Paradise and Yuba County for damages from the November Camp fire.
Local suits filed after Cal Fire issues findings on Sulphur fire cause
In June 2018, Cal Fire released its findings in the cause of the Sulphur fire – Lake County’s portion of the North Bay fires – and 11 other fires around Northern California, ruling that all of them were caused by power equipment.
The agency’s investigators determined that the 2,207-acre Sulphur fire – which destroyed 162 structures and burned for three weeks in October 2017 – was caused by the failure of a PG&E owned power pole near Clearlake Oaks, resulting in the power lines and equipment coming in contact with the ground.
The fire began late on the night of Oct. 8, 2017, in the area of Pomo and Sulphur Bank roads in Clearlake Oaks, quickly burning into the city of Clearlake, where thousands were evacuated from the fire’s path. Most of the fire’s damage was done in Clearlake.
On June 12, 2018, four days after Cal Fire released its determination, the county of Lake voted to initiate litigation against PG&E, hiring the law firm Baron & Budd, which also represented the counties of Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma, and the city of Santa Rosa in suits against PG&E.
In October, weeks after the one-year anniversary of the Sulphur fire, the Clearlake City Council also voted to sue PG&E.
The city of Clearlake reported that it was represented by City Attorney Ryan Jones, along with outside counsel John Fiske, Scott Summy and Britt Strottman of Baron & Budd.
When Lake County and Clearlake joined the other regional governments in the legal action, they joined what Fiske told Lake County News was a kind of “consolidated working group,” with locally filed cases transferred into a judicial council coordinated proceeding handled in the San Francisco County Superior Court.
In recent months, both the Clearlake City Council and the Board of Supervisors had held numerous closed sessions at their regular meetings to discuss the PG&E litigation, with no action reported after those discussions.
The council also called special closed session meetings on May 20 and June 11 just to discuss the lawsuit, and the Board of Supervisors was set to discuss its suit against PG&E in closed session on Tuesday, hours ahead of the announcement of the mediated settlement.
On Tuesday, the announcement about the settlement said that Clearlake’s and Lake County’s damages claim resulting from the Sulphur fire represent “only a small part of this collective amount.”
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis 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 was significantly negatively impacted by the Sulphur fire of October 2017, and this settlement will help rebuild the infrastructure which was damaged by the fire.” said Clearlake Mayor Russ Cremer. “One of the city’s main goals is to repair the roads that were impacted by the fire and its subsequent cleanup efforts.”
In addition to Lake County and the city of Clearlake, the other governments included in the North Bay fires settlement include Mendocino County, the city of Napa, Napa County, Nevada County, the city of Santa Rosa, Sonoma County and Yuba County.
"Our primary concern in this legal matter has been to recover local public losses as a result of the 2017 wildfires,” said Ryan Gregory, chair of the Napa County Board of Supervisors. “This agreement, if approved, will allow Napa County to make necessary repairs to damaged county infrastructure and recover the county’s financial losses as a result of the fires.”
“The city is pleased that PG&E has agreed to this settlement, and that taxpayers will not bear the burden of the city’s fire-related expenses and losses,” said Napa City Manager Steve Potter. “The city will continue to serve, and support recovery for, the individuals, families and businesses devastated by the North Bay fires.”
Officials said the mediator’s proposal is exclusive of – and does not affect – the claims of any residents, individuals or businesses filed against PG&E due to wildland fires.
“We remain focused on supporting our customers and communities impacted by wildfires and helping them recover and rebuild,” PG&E spokesperson Ari Vanrenen told Lake County News. “This is an important first step toward an orderly, fair and expeditious resolution of wildfire claims and a demonstration of our willingness to work collaboratively with stakeholders to achieve mutually acceptable resolutions. We hope to continue making progress with other stakeholders.”
So far, there have been no details about how much each of the governments will receive from the $415 million, which officials said will be allocated among the nine public entities in a specific process.
The payment to those regional governments is to be incorporated into a plan of reorganization to be filed by PG&E in its pending Chapter 11 case, subject to confirmation by the bankruptcy court.
JAMS mediator Jay Gandhi, a retired judge, presided over several days of in-person mediation sessions held in San Francisco, local county and city officials reported.
Participants in the mediation included 14 public entities with various claims from the 2015 Butte fire, the 2017 North Bay fires and the 2018 Camp fire.
Judge Gandhi’s global proposals included a total payment of $1 billion to 14 public entities to be made pursuant to PG&E’s confirmed plan of reorganization. PG&E and all of the public entities accepted the proposals.
“Our goal throughout the Chapter 11 process is to work collaboratively to fairly balance the interests of our many stakeholders, as well as the customers and communities we serve, as we work towards a timely resolution of our case, while continuing to provide the safe and reliable natural gas and electric service that our customers expect and deserve,” PG&E’s Vanrenen said.
As part of that larger settlement, PG&E will pay Butte County, the town of Paradise and Yuba County for damages from the November Camp fire.
Local suits filed after Cal Fire issues findings on Sulphur fire cause
In June 2018, Cal Fire released its findings in the cause of the Sulphur fire – Lake County’s portion of the North Bay fires – and 11 other fires around Northern California, ruling that all of them were caused by power equipment.
The agency’s investigators determined that the 2,207-acre Sulphur fire – which destroyed 162 structures and burned for three weeks in October 2017 – was caused by the failure of a PG&E owned power pole near Clearlake Oaks, resulting in the power lines and equipment coming in contact with the ground.
The fire began late on the night of Oct. 8, 2017, in the area of Pomo and Sulphur Bank roads in Clearlake Oaks, quickly burning into the city of Clearlake, where thousands were evacuated from the fire’s path. Most of the fire’s damage was done in Clearlake.
On June 12, 2018, four days after Cal Fire released its determination, the county of Lake voted to initiate litigation against PG&E, hiring the law firm Baron & Budd, which also represented the counties of Mendocino, Napa and Sonoma, and the city of Santa Rosa in suits against PG&E.
In October, weeks after the one-year anniversary of the Sulphur fire, the Clearlake City Council also voted to sue PG&E.
The city of Clearlake reported that it was represented by City Attorney Ryan Jones, along with outside counsel John Fiske, Scott Summy and Britt Strottman of Baron & Budd.
When Lake County and Clearlake joined the other regional governments in the legal action, they joined what Fiske told Lake County News was a kind of “consolidated working group,” with locally filed cases transferred into a judicial council coordinated proceeding handled in the San Francisco County Superior Court.
In recent months, both the Clearlake City Council and the Board of Supervisors had held numerous closed sessions at their regular meetings to discuss the PG&E litigation, with no action reported after those discussions.
The council also called special closed session meetings on May 20 and June 11 just to discuss the lawsuit, and the Board of Supervisors was set to discuss its suit against PG&E in closed session on Tuesday, hours ahead of the announcement of the mediated settlement.
On Tuesday, the announcement about the settlement said that Clearlake’s and Lake County’s damages claim resulting from the Sulphur fire represent “only a small part of this collective amount.”
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – With Lake County's Water Resources director set to depart for another job, the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday appointed the county's longtime Public Works director to fill the position on an interim basis.
Following a Tuesday closed session, the board announced that Scott De Leon had agreed to serve as interim Water Resources director ahead of a full recruitment for the job.
“Our board is grateful that Scott has stepped forward and accepted this interim assignment,” said Board Chair and District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott. “The diversity and complexity of Lake County’s water resource management needs is unique, and Scott is a strong leader who appreciates the many facets of the role of Water Resources director.”
David Cowan, who has served as Water Resources director since last June, told Lake County News that he’s accepted a watershed manager position in his home state of Texas.
“It's a good opportunity professionally and closer to the grandkids,” he said.
Cowan has a Master of Science degree and aquatic biology, and more than two decades of experience in key areas such as aquatic biology and fishers, water program management and watershed protection.
During his tenure, he's made improvements to Highland Springs Park and last week he took to the board a revised agreement with the state for $15 million needed to advance the Middle Creek Restoration Project, which is critical to restoring Clear Lake.
De Leon has previous experience with Water Resources, as at one time it had been a division under the Public Works Department.
“Scott was appointed on an interim basis, to allow progress on critical priorities while a recruitment is undertaken,” county spokesman Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News.
In fiscal year 2016-17, the Board of Supervisors made Water Resources a freestanding department, later hiring Phil Moy as its first director in January 2017. Cowan, who had been working with Moy, succeeded him after his departure last year.
Rothstein said the details of the county's planned recruitment for a new Water Resources director are being worked on and should be determined soon, but a specific timeline isn't yet available.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Following a Tuesday closed session, the board announced that Scott De Leon had agreed to serve as interim Water Resources director ahead of a full recruitment for the job.
“Our board is grateful that Scott has stepped forward and accepted this interim assignment,” said Board Chair and District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott. “The diversity and complexity of Lake County’s water resource management needs is unique, and Scott is a strong leader who appreciates the many facets of the role of Water Resources director.”
David Cowan, who has served as Water Resources director since last June, told Lake County News that he’s accepted a watershed manager position in his home state of Texas.
“It's a good opportunity professionally and closer to the grandkids,” he said.
Cowan has a Master of Science degree and aquatic biology, and more than two decades of experience in key areas such as aquatic biology and fishers, water program management and watershed protection.
During his tenure, he's made improvements to Highland Springs Park and last week he took to the board a revised agreement with the state for $15 million needed to advance the Middle Creek Restoration Project, which is critical to restoring Clear Lake.
De Leon has previous experience with Water Resources, as at one time it had been a division under the Public Works Department.
“Scott was appointed on an interim basis, to allow progress on critical priorities while a recruitment is undertaken,” county spokesman Matthew Rothstein told Lake County News.
In fiscal year 2016-17, the Board of Supervisors made Water Resources a freestanding department, later hiring Phil Moy as its first director in January 2017. Cowan, who had been working with Moy, succeeded him after his departure last year.
Rothstein said the details of the county's planned recruitment for a new Water Resources director are being worked on and should be determined soon, but a specific timeline isn't yet available.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A doctor arrested last year and convicted this spring of sexual battery has had his medical license revoked.
The Medical Board of California took the action against Dr. Mohamad Moutaz Almawaldi, 57, in a decision made final on June 14.
Almawaldi is a nephrologist, or kidney specialist, who has been licensed as both a physician and surgeon since August 1991, according to the Medical Board.
In April, he entered a no contest plea and was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery. Judge Shanda Harry sentenced him to three years' summary probation and required him to register as a sex offender, which triggered the revocation of his medical license.
The case against Almawaldi began after a woman said he forcefully kissed her and pulled down her shirt while she was working at his Lakeport office in August 2017.
He was arrested the following February, three months after an arrest warrant was issued for him, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Court records show a criminal grand jury indicted him for misdemeanor sexual battery in July.
Following his April conviction and sentencing, the case outcome was reported to the Medical Board of California.
The Medical Board's decision cited law requiring it to automatically revoke the medical license of any individual required to register as a sex offender.
The decision notes that Almawaldi is entitled to a hearing within 30 days of the Medical Board's decision.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The Medical Board of California took the action against Dr. Mohamad Moutaz Almawaldi, 57, in a decision made final on June 14.
Almawaldi is a nephrologist, or kidney specialist, who has been licensed as both a physician and surgeon since August 1991, according to the Medical Board.
In April, he entered a no contest plea and was convicted of misdemeanor sexual battery. Judge Shanda Harry sentenced him to three years' summary probation and required him to register as a sex offender, which triggered the revocation of his medical license.
The case against Almawaldi began after a woman said he forcefully kissed her and pulled down her shirt while she was working at his Lakeport office in August 2017.
He was arrested the following February, three months after an arrest warrant was issued for him, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
Court records show a criminal grand jury indicted him for misdemeanor sexual battery in July.
Following his April conviction and sentencing, the case outcome was reported to the Medical Board of California.
The Medical Board's decision cited law requiring it to automatically revoke the medical license of any individual required to register as a sex offender.
The decision notes that Almawaldi is entitled to a hearing within 30 days of the Medical Board's decision.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTH COAST, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol is investigating a solo-vehicle wreck on Tuesday evening in Mendocino County that killed a Potter Valley man.
The crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 101, nearly two miles north of the Sonoma County line, the CHP’s Ukiah Area office reported.
The CHP’s early Wednesday morning report on the wreck did not identify the 46-year-old man who died.
The CHP said the man was traveling alone in a silver 2006 Toyota pickup, heading northbound on Highway 101 at approximately 80 miles per hour.
For unknown reasons, the pickup began to skid out of control. The CHP said it traveled west of the west roadway edge and then continued skidding in a northeasterly direction across both lanes and onto the right-hand shoulder. There, the Toyota’s front end hit a rock, causing the pickup to overturn.
The Toyota came to rest on all four wheels, in the northbound No. 2 lane, facing an easterly direction, the CHP said.
The driver was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash and he sustained fatal injuries as a result, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said the wreck remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The crash occurred at 5:28 p.m. Tuesday on Highway 101, nearly two miles north of the Sonoma County line, the CHP’s Ukiah Area office reported.
The CHP’s early Wednesday morning report on the wreck did not identify the 46-year-old man who died.
The CHP said the man was traveling alone in a silver 2006 Toyota pickup, heading northbound on Highway 101 at approximately 80 miles per hour.
For unknown reasons, the pickup began to skid out of control. The CHP said it traveled west of the west roadway edge and then continued skidding in a northeasterly direction across both lanes and onto the right-hand shoulder. There, the Toyota’s front end hit a rock, causing the pickup to overturn.
The Toyota came to rest on all four wheels, in the northbound No. 2 lane, facing an easterly direction, the CHP said.
The driver was not wearing his seat belt at the time of the crash and he sustained fatal injuries as a result, according to the CHP report.
The CHP said the wreck remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Mendocino National Forest officials said recent lightning strikes sparked fires in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness.
The Anthony Peak Lookout on the Mendocino National Forest reported several possible fires in the Yolla Bolly Wilderness on Monday at 4 p.m.
The lightning-caused East fire was confirmed Monday night, approximately 43 miles west of Red Bluff. It is estimated at 40 acres.
Resources assigned to the East fire include 10 smokejumpers and one 20-person crew. The fire is burning in snags and brush from the 2008 Yellow fire scar.
Another fire is located southeast of the East fire. It is called the Haynes fire and placed in monitor status.
Forest officials are evaluating many factors including firefighter safety and access to the fire, its location, potential areas of concern, likely growth over time and current and forecast weather to determine the strategy for managing this incident.
The strategy will consist of resource and protection objectives that will help reduce exposure to firefighters, remove hazardous fuels and decrease the probability for high severity wildfires in the future, forest officials reported.