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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Unified School District Board held a special Saturday afternoon meeting with Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry to discuss what possible help the state can offer as the district faces financial challenges and the need for more money to finish a list of bond projects.

The hour-long meeting at the district office on Howard Avenue was a brainstorming session that focused on what state funding might be available to the district.

One of the chief projects the district is seeking funding to complete is a new pool to replace the existing Westshore Pool, built in the 1970s and not up to state specifications.

At a meeting earlier this month, board members heard from community members who accused them of not putting the pool as a high enough priority on the list of projects to be funded by the 2014 Measure T, which raised $17 million. Just over $3 million is left for projects.

District officials said costs to complete projects have been far higher than anticipated due to various reasons, including the rebuilding of the North Bay after last year’s wildland fires and the difficulty in finding contractors.

After hearing from the board about the pool, Aguiar-Curry noted, “This is a common story,” adding that in Winters, where she had served as mayor, the high school had similar issues.

She told the board that the county of Lake is strapped, so it’s unlikely to offer any financial support to the district, adding that the school board needed to get the community’s support.

“The pool meant more than you thought it was going to mean, right?” she asked.

Aguiar-Curry said she can put in for a budget request for Proposition 51 funds. District officials have estimated that Lakeport Unified is eligible for about $11 million in Proposition 51 money.

Board President Dennis Darling said the district has applied for the funds already, but not for the pool; rather, it’s asking for funds to backfill what was spent on the new kitchen and learning center. Aguiar-Curry asked for filing information so she could follow up with the state on the application.

Aguiar-Curry said that, one of the most frustrating things in her job is that rural communities are left out, and often have to compete with larger communities to get any funding.

“This is not a story that I have not heard before but having this conversation helps,” she said.

The discussion also touched on the difficulties of getting materials and contractors. Superintendent April Leiferman pointed out that the recently implemented tariffs have impacted neighboring Kelseyville Unified's bond projects, prompting that district to change from steel to wood construction.

Aguiar-Curry said she’s heard complaints about bonds before, referring to schools bonds in Winters and noting that small schools get behind on building and maintenance.

She said that Gov. Jerry Brown is sympathetic and empathetic to rural communities and Lake County, which the state wants to help in light of what it’s faced over the past several years. “You guys have been beat up.”

Still, she acknowledged that the pool will be tough to address, with district board members explaining it will be part of a larger sports complex that also includes a new weight room and will support all high school athletics.

“What can we do to help you help us?” Darling asked.

Aguiar-Curry asked for the board to send her a letter signed by all of them requesting she pursue funding for a list of projects, and she’ll work on ways to bring the funds here.

At the end of the meeting – which also briefly touched on a number of other topics, including teacher hiring and retention, and Internet service – Aguiar-Curry acknowledged the tough decisions the district has to make.

The No. 1 thing, she said, is that it’s “all about our children.”

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday the Board of Supervisors is due to consider the final recommended budget for the new fiscal year.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25, in the board chambers on the first floor of the Lake County Courthouse, 255 N. Forbes St., Lakeport.

The meeting can be watched live on Channel 8 and online at https://countyoflake.legistar.com/Calendar.aspx . Accompanying board documents, the agenda and archived board meeting videos also are available at that link.

In an item timed for 10:15 a.m., the board will hold a public hearing – continued from Sept .18 – to consider the 2018-19 budget.

The resolution for the new budget puts budget appropriations at $242 million, $12 million higher than the budget the board approved at this time last year.

That breaks down as follows:

– Salaries and benefits: $82,406,369.
– Services and supplies: $78,391,869.
– Other charges: $37,599,439.
– Fixed assets: $12,861,097.
– Construction in progress: $34,782,269.
– Other financing uses: $4,178,496.
– Contingencies: $1,125,500.

The full agenda follows.

CONTRACT CHANGE ORDER

5.1: Consideration of Contract Change Order No. 1 for Mockingbird Lane at Robinson Creek Bridge Replacement Project, Federal Project No. BRLO-5914(105); Bid No. 18-01.

CONSENT AGENDA

6.1: (a) Adopt resolution establishing salaries and benefits for management employees for the period from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019; (b) adopt resolution establishing salaries and benefits for employees assigned to the Confidential Unit, Section A, for July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019; and (c) adopt resolution establishing salaries and benefits for employees assigned to the Confidential Unit, Section B, for July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2019.

6.2: Adopt resolution amending the county of Lake’s classification plan for the classification of chief deputy district attorney investigator.

6.3: Adopt resolution approving Agreement No. 17-043-008-SF with the state of California, Department of Food and Agriculture for compliance with the Pierce's Disease Contract Program and authorizing execution thereof.

6.4: Authorize the closure of all Behavioral Health facilities for a departmental fire/disaster debriefing on Wednesday, Oct. 3, from the hours of 8 a.m. to noon.

6.5: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC. for the Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a contract maximum of $150,000; and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.6: (a) Waive the formal bidding process, pursuant to Lake County Code Section 38.2, as it is not in the public interest due to the unique nature of goods or services; and (b) approve the agreement between the county of Lake and North Valley Behavioral Health LLC. for the Fiscal Year 2018-19 for a contract maximum of $38,250 and authorize the board chair to sign the agreement.

6.7: Approve modification to purchase order for the purchase of one used Hyster forklift and authorize the Public Works director/assistant purchasing agent to issue a purchase order not to exceed $20,050.39 to Pape Material Handling.

6.8: Approve equitable sharing agreement and certification between the Lake County Sheriff's Office and the US Department of Justice; and authorize the sheriff and chair to sign.

6.9: Authorize the closure of all Social Services facilities for staff enrichment, appreciation and team building on Thursday, Oct. 4, from the hours of noon to 5 p.m.

TIMED ITEMS

7.2, 9:06 a.m.: Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local health emergency by the lake county health officer due to the Pawnee fire incident.

7.3, 9:07 a.m.: (a) Consideration of continuing a proclamation of a local health emergency by the Lake County health officer due to the Mendocino Complex Fire; and (b) status report on Mendocino Complex fire also known as the River and Ranch fires.

7.4, 9:10 a.m.: Presentation of Employee Service Awards.

7.5, 9:40 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of request for six year subdivision map extension (SDX 17-04) of tentative merger and resubdivision map (MRS 06-01) for project known as Kaylee Court; project location is 5105 and 5209 Konocti Road and 5575 Vista Mountain Estates Drive, Kelseyville (APNs 008-054-22, 23 & 24); applicant is Walter Schlicher; and consideration of request for reconsideration of previously approved mitigated negative declaration based on initial study (IS 06-86).

7.6, 10 a.m.: Public hearing to consider accepting the Community Development Block Grant funded homelessness study.

7.7, 10:15 a.m.: Public hearing, continued from Sept. 18, consideration of the final recommended budget for Fiscal Year 2018/2019 for the county of Lake and Special Districts governed by the Board of Supervisors.

UNTIMED ITEMS

8.2: Sitting as Lake County Watershed Protection District Board of Directors, consideration of a resolution in support of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board funding and implementing a multi-year continuous nutrient monitoring program to measure post-fire effects of the Mendocino Complex fires on Clear Lake.

8.3: Sitting as the Lake County Air Quality Management District Board of Directors, consideration of reappointment of Mark Burkdoll, public member, to the Lake County Air Quality Management District Hearing Board for a three-year term.

8.4: Consideration of a resolution to declare certain county real property as surplus property and to declare the intention to authorize conveyance to the adjoining landowner.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Do you know who to trust in an emergency?

When a life-threatening event such as a heart attack or severe injury occurs, the first step is to call 911.

However, the response to an emergency goes far beyond an ambulance ride to the hospital.

Sutter Lakeside Hospital is hosting a free emergency services showcase at the hospital on Thursday, Sept. 27, from 5 p.m. until 6 p.m., where community members can see a medical helicopter, tour an ambulance, meet first responders and tour the emergency department.

The showcase, held in the Emergency Department parking lot, will include light refreshments and free giveaways; partners include REACH Air and the Lakeport Fire Department.

“Familiarity can help lessen the fear of visiting an emergency department,” said Nicole Lamm, RN, manager of the ED. “This event offers a fun way to get to know our team without the stress of an urgent injury or illness.”

“We’re proud to serve our community as the only trauma center and the only certified stroke center in Lake County,” said Dan Peterson, chief administrative officer, Sutter Lakeside Hospital. “Because of advances in technology and the support of the Sutter Health system, stroke patients in Lake County have access to top neurologists through telemedicine. While Sutter Lakeside has earned recognition for its excellent clinical care, our strength is bolstered by network support for the services not available in Lake County.”

California’s correctional officers are regularly exposed to traumatic events that make them more likely to grapple with depression, PTSD and suicidal thoughts, according to a new report released by researchers at UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy.

The first-of-its kind report is based on the 2017 California Correctional Officer Survey, or CCOS, on Health and Wellness, a large-scale effort to gather individual-level information on the thoughts, attitudes and experiences of more than 8,000 criminal justice personnel, including prison guards and parole officers.

With few exceptions, the lives and well-being of correctional officers have been excluded from academic research and are absent from policy discussions about correctional programs and reform.

As a comprehensive 2013 Department of Justice report aptly summarized: “Health and wellness among those who work in correctional agencies is an issue that has always existed, but is just starting to get the increasing attention that it deserves.”

The report summarizes the results of the CCOS across a set of broad categories: mental and physical wellness; exposure to violence; attitudes towards rehabilitation and punishment; job training and management; work-life balance; and training and support.

At the same time, it documents the difficulties of encouraging law enforcement personnel to seek the assistance they need.

Highlights of the findings include:

– Officers are exposed to violence at very high levels. More than half of correctional officers report that violent incidents are a regular occurrence at the prison where they work. Almost 30 percent reported being seriously injured at work, and 85 percent reported seeing someone seriously injured or killed.

– Work-related stress has significant health consequences. Fifty percent of officers say they rarely feel safe at work, and officers who don’t feel safe at work are more likely to report headaches, digestive issues, high blood pressure, diabetes and heart disease than other correctional officers.

– Depression is a way of life for many law enforcement personnel. More than one-third of officers report that someone in their lives has told them they have become more anxious or depressed since they started working in corrections. Twenty-eight percent report often or sometimes feeling down, depressed or hopeless, and 38 percent have little interest or pleasure in doing things.

– One in 3 have experienced at least one symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder. Moreover, 40 percent of officers report that they have experienced an event so frightening, horrible or upsetting at work that they have had nightmares about it.

– Ten percent of correctional officers have thought about killing themselves. The rate of suicidal thoughts is even higher for retired correctional officers (1 in 7). Of those who say they have thought about suicide, 31 percent report thinking about it often or sometimes in the past year. More than 7 in 10 haven’t told anyone, meaning that many are suffering in silence.

– Only a minority of officers say they have ever used the state-sponsored programs meant to improve their well-being. For example, only 18 percent reported ever having used the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), and only 3 percent say they have made use of the Peer Support Volunteer program. Many officers said they were worried about privacy: One-fifth of correctional officers say they worry about repercussions if they were to reach out to EAP for help with work-related mental health issues.

“Corrections is extremely difficult and emotionally demanding work,” said Amy Lerman, the lead author of the study and a professor of public policy and political science. “We are just beginning to understand the huge range of mental and physical health issues that can result from exposure to violence and untreated toxic stress in the workplace. Agencies around the country are starting to look for ways to better support personnel – for the good of their employees and their families, the incarcerated population, and the system as a whole.”

Perspective makes a world of difference.

It’s the difference between what’s right and what’s wrong, what’s bad and what’s good, and who’s a hero and who’s a villain.

It’s also both the maker of legends and the source of their debunking.

Take the life and work of one John Chapman.

You haven’t heard of him? Well, let me help alter your perspective. John Chapman is better known as Johnny Appleseed.

Born John Chapman in Leominster, Massachusetts, on Sept. 26, 1774, he was the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Chapman. When he was just 2 years old, his father left the family to fight first as a minuteman at the Battle of Concord, and later as a soldier in the Continental Army under General George Washington.

While her husband was away fighting, Elizabeth died giving birth to what would have been John’s little sibling. When he came back from the Revolution, Nathaniel remarried and gave little Johnny 10 half-siblings.

Very little is known about John’s early life. Sometime in his young adulthood, he made his way out west to Ohio, likely with the rest of his family. Since his father was a farmer, John was likely encouraged to become an orchardist – a very profitable specialty.

Regardless of how it happened, we know that by 1812, John Chapman had established himself as an independent orchardist and nurseryman – a job that required him to travel frequently.

Throughout his life, John would travel through Ohio and Pennsylvania, planting orchards of his preferred crop (apples) seemingly at random. In reality, cold hard economics dictated where he set out his orchards.

John Chapman would plant an orchard and return, some years later, to sell off his crop and the land around it. You see, orchards (and other crops) served as a strong legal claim to property along the frontiers of America at the time. By traveling around and planting orchards of apples, John Chapman staked claim to valuable virgin land. At the time of his death, he owned 1,200 acres.

While travelling all over the American frontier, John Chapman also preached his religion. He was a member of the New Church, also known as the Church of Swedenborg.

Informed by the writings of scientist and Swedish Lutheran theologian Emanuel Swedenborg, the New Church believed Swedenborg’s claim that he had received divine visions of the traditional Christian religion being replaced by a new one.

John’s preaching of this doctrine likely added to his eccentricity and encouraged his later assumption to legend.

Other eccentricities of Mr. Chapman included his penchant for walking around in a threadbare outfit, absent shoes but with a tin hat on his head.

He was a firm believer in animal rights and was a lifelong vegetarian. In this perspective of the man, people excused his quirks because they heard that as a child John had been kicked in the head by a horse.

The other perspective of John Chapman celebrates his eccentricities and paints him as Johnny Appleseed – an itinerant outdoorsman who introduced apples to the American frontier.

In this version of the man, the economic incentive for his planting is expunged along with all mention that the apples he planted were used to make hard cider, not sweet apple pies.

So, on the one hand we have John Chapman, slightly addled by a swift kick in the noggin but otherwise a shrewd businessman who capitalized on loose land laws and the alcoholic tendencies of his fellow man.

But on the other is the childhood nursery character of Johnny Appleseed, a jolly wanderer who spread joy and seeds wherever he went.

Like I said, perspective makes a world of difference.

Antone Pierucci is curator of history at the Riverside County Park and Open Space District and a freelance writer whose work has been featured in such magazines as Archaeology and Wild West as well as regional California newspapers.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Control has a full shelter of all kinds of dogs ready for new homes.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Chihuahua, Corgi, German Shepherd, husky, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, Rottweiler and shepherd.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets hoping you'll choose them.

The following dogs at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (additional dogs on the animal control Web site not listed are still “on hold”).

‘Mylee’

“Mylee” is a female Chihuahua with a short tan and white coat.

She’s in kennel No. 5, ID No. 11089.

‘Kahlesi’

“Kahlesi” is a female pit bull terrier with a short white and tan coat.

She’s in kennel No. 7, ID No. 11087.

Pit bull terrier

This female pit bull terrier has a short white and gray coat.

She’s in kennel No. 8, ID No. 11074.

‘Hashi’

“Hashi” is a male pit bull terrier-shepherd mix.

He has a short tan coat.

He’s already been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 13, ID No. 7499.

‘Aba’

“Aba” is a female shepherd found in the Lakeport area during the Mendocino Complex.

She has a short black and tan coat and has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 14, ID No. 10840.

‘Winston’

“Winston” is a male pit bull terrier-Rottweiler taken in from the city of Lakeport during the Mendocino Complex.

He has a short black and brown coat and has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 15, ID No. 10970.

Female Corgi

This female Corgi has a short tricolor coat.

She’s in kennel No. 17, ID No. 10952.

‘Ziggy’

“Ziggy” is a male pit bull terrier with a short black and white coat.

He’s in kennel No. 18, ID No. 10979.

Female pit bull

This female pit bull has a short brown coat.

She’s in kennel No. 20, ID No. 10934.

Male terrier

This male terrier has a short black coat with white markings.

He already has been neutered.

He’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 11048.

German Shepherd-husky mix

This male German Shepherd-husky mix has a short black and tan coat.

He’s in kennel No. 23, ID No. 11051.

‘Naquysa’

“Naquysa,” which means “Star,” is a female husky-shepherd mix with a long black and tan coat.

She’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 11000.

Male pit bull

This male pit bull terrier has a short brindle coat.

He’s in kennel No. 30, ID No. 11046.

Female Labrador Retriever

This female Labrador Retriever has a short yellow coat.

She already has been spayed.

She’s in kennel No. 33, ID No. 11047.

Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.

Office hours are Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm.

For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.

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.