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LAKEPORT, Calif. – An update from the county’s cannabis consultant and the approval of members of a new blue ribbon panel on the lake’s health are on the Board of Supervisors’ agenda this week.

The board will meet beginning at 9 a.m. Tuesday, April 24, 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 9:40 a.m., the board will consider the county cannabis consultant’s updated report on the status of state and local cannabis implementation.

As part of that item, the board will continue its discussion on the expansion of fines and penalties for failure to comply with our local cannabis cultivation ordinance.

The board also will hold three public hearings from 9:30 a.m. to 9:34 a.m. to consider resolutions approving the election date change for governing body members of community services districts, fire protection districts and water districts from odd-numbered years to the same day as the statewide general election held in even-numbered years.

In a consent agenda item, the board will consider appointing members to the Blue Ribbon Committee for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake. The group has been formed as a result of the efforts of Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for the purposes of discussion, reviewing research, planning and providing oversight regarding the lake’s health.

Board Chair Jim Steele is proposing he be the board’s delegate, with Wilda Shock, president of the Lake County Economic Development Corp., as local economic development representative; Brenna Sullivan, executive director of the Lake County Farm Bureau, as agriculture representative; Dr. Harry Lyons, Yuba College professor emeritus, as environment representative; and Jan Coppinger, Lake County Special Districts administrator, as public water supply representative.

The full agenda follows.

CONSENT AGENDA

7.1: Appoint Blue Ribbon Committee members for the Rehabilitation of Clear Lake for the purposes of discussion, reviewing research, planning and providing oversight regarding the health of Clear Lake.

7.2: (a) Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2017-05 Establishing the Middle Region Town Hall for the Lucerne Area to effect a Name Change; and (b) approve by-laws for the Lucerne Area Town Hall (LATH) formally known as Middle Region Town Hall (MRTH).

7.3: Approve Minutes of the Board of Supervisors meeting held April 10, 2018.

7.4: Adopt resolution approving a cooperative service agreement and financial plan with the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Wildlife Services to provide an animal damage control program for the county of Lake; and (b) Approve the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services cooperative services agreement and financial plan, and authorize the chair to sign.

7.5: Adopt resolution amending Resolution No. 2017-125 Establishing Position Allocations for Fiscal Year 2017-2018, Budget Unit No. 2703, Animal Control.

7.6: Approve the purchase of two 2018 Chevrolet Impalas and authorize the Behavioral Health administrator to issue a purchase order to local Lake County vendor Mazzei Chevrolet in the amount not to exceed $48,770.34.

7.7: Adopt resolution establishing county-maintained mileage for 2017.

7.8: Adopt resolution delegating to the county Public Works Director/ assistant purchasing agent authority to negotiate and acquire certain real estate transactions under $10,000.

7.9: Approve agreement between the county of Lake and the Elem Indian Colony for Native American monitoring services for the Eastlake Elementary Safe Routes to School and Community Development Block Grant Project in the amount of $40,000 and authorize the chair to sign.

7.10: Approve the submission of an electronic grant application to the State of California Department of Boating and Waterways in the amount of $37,000 for the purchase of a repower unit and the refurbishing of a 2000 Jetcraft patrol boat.

7.11: Adopt resolution authorizing the designation of subrecipient’s agent for hazard mitigation grant program and pre-disaster mitigation program on behalf of CSA #20, Soda Bay Water System.

TIMED ITEMS

8.2, 9:30 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of resolution approving the election date change for governing body members of community services districts from odd-numbered years to the same day as the statewide general election held in even-numbered years.

8.3, 9:32 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of resolution approving the election date change for governing body members of fire protection districts from odd-numbered years to the same day as the statewide general election held in even-numbered years.

8.4, 9:34 a.m.: Public hearing, consideration of resolution approving the election date change for governing body members of water districts from odd-numbered years to the same day as the statewide general election held in even-numbered years.

8.5, 9:40 a.m.: a) Consideration of cannabis consultant’s updated report on the status of state and local cannabis implementation and, b) continuing discussion on the expansion of fines and penalties for failure to comply with our local cannabis cultivation ordinance.

UNTIMED ITEM

9.2: Consideration of county employee assistance program renewal from July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2023.

CLOSED SESSION

10.1, 10:30 a.m.: Employee Grievance Complaint Pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54957.

10.2: Conference with legal counsel: Existing litigation pursuant to Gov. Code section 54956.9(d)(1): Casaucau v. County of Lake, et al.

10.3: Conference with legal counsel: Decision whether to Initiate Litigation Pursuant to Gov. Code sec. 54956.9(d)(4): Two potential cases.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has a big group of big dogs needing homes this week.

The available dogs are Lucky, Apollo, Dingo, Evander, Robbie, Sam, Tory and Trudy.

To meet the animals, call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8201 and speak to Marcia at Extension 103 Monday through Thursday, or leave a message at any other time.

‘Lucky’

“Lucky” is a 7-year-old male Labrador Retriever. He has a short black coat and weighs 60 pounds.

Shelter staff said he was found tied to a fence.

He is good with both adults and children, selective about other dogs and not good with cts.

He’s non-reactive with other nice dogs and prefers his friends be mellow like him.

Lucky is slow moving and has some advanced arthritis in his joints. He looks like he's been outside his whole life and prefers it, staff said.

‘Apollo’

“Apollo” is a 1-year-old male who shelter staff said was rescued from a heartbreaking case of neglect.

He was severely underweight at 31 pounds – described as just skin and bones, and starving for attention – but since then he’s gained 12 pounds and “has come a long way in every way,” said staff, who added he holds a special place in the hearts of the officers who saved him.

Apollo is very friendly with people and would make a great dog for an active family. He has moments of low confidence and pushy, assertive behavior so Innovative Dog Training & Education is donating some free training to his adopters as well as some free playgroup sessions to his adopters to help nurture a confident social dog.

He is recommended as the perfect dog for a dominant female or stable male dogs who will take him under their wing and teach him a few things. Apollo also is good with both adults and older, respectful children.

‘Dingo’

“Dingo” is described by shelter staff as a happy, friendly boy who is a true people dog.

He is 2 years old, weighs about 45 pounds, and is good with both adults and children.

Dingo likes to be by your side, has nice manners and sits for treats like a true gentleman. He also loves to play ball and probably Frisbee, too.

Shelter staff said he is great with other nice dogs, but has low confidence and prefers people. He will benefit from more socialization.

‘Evander’

“Evander” is a 1-year-old male Labrador Retriever mix who has an all-black coat and weighs about 45 pounds.

He is good with both children and adults, and shelter staff said they are currently working on his socializing skills.

‘Robbie’

“Robbie” is a young and happy-go-lucky mix – possibly Labrador Retriever and Rottweiler.

Shelter staff said is he around a year and a half old and weighs 50 pounds.

He walks well on a leash, makes friends with other dogs, and is playful but not super active.

Robbie is vaccinated, was neutered and had a full dental cleaning.

He recently was diagnosed with heartworm, so he is undergoing treatment. If adopted or taken to rescue, he will need a quiet place to recover.

'Sam'

Sam, also known as Big Bird, is a 1-year-old male Labrador Retriever mix, weighing 70 pounds with a medium-length black coat.

Shelter staff said he loves to play; he has extremely high energy and can be unruly, and so he needs obedience training.

However, he also loves everyone he meets and has an exuberant personality. Staff suggested he will need an active family to make sure he has an outlet for all that energy.

He’s selective with other dogs, good with adults and recommended for children over age 10 due to his size.

‘Tory’

“Tory” is a 2-year-old female Lab mix. She weighs 50 pounds and has a short fawn coat.

Shelter staff said she is good with both children and adults, is nonreactive with cats and is “selective and assertive” with other dogs, meaning, she would do best with a social male or submissive female.

She’s reported to be calm and sweet, loves to take walks and is amazing on leash.

‘Trudy’

“Trudy” is a cute 1- to 2-year-old female Labrador Retriever mix who weighs about 45 pounds.

Shelter staff said she loves to play in water, is social but selective with other dogs, and is good with adults and older, respectful children.

She is active and would be a great companion for adventure or a working sidekick on a ranch.

Trudy needs more socialization and would benefit from additional training and playgroups.

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. – North Coast Opportunities’ mobile Friday Produce Pantry provides food to Lake County communities during the first four Friday’s of each month, moving to two different locations each Friday and serving a total of eight communities monthly.

NCO, in partnership with the Redwood Empire Food Bank, established the program during the summer of 2016 to serve Valley fire survivors.

The program continues to gain popularity and expand operations, now serving approximately 500 people each week.

Separate from the Friday Produce Pantry or FPP, the Clearlake Food Pantry has been another popular staple for several years, serving residents on Wednesdays and Thursdays each week.

Due to the increased popularity of the FPP, the Clearlake Food Pantry is closing operations on April 26.

“We’re closing the Clearlake Food Pantry for two reasons,” says NCO Executive Director Patty Bruder. “Since 2018, we have seen a 40-percent decrease at the Clearlake Food Pantry whereas the numbers at the FPP have increased tremendously. We are devoted to NCO’s ongoing mission of meeting the needs within our community and focusing our resources on making the greatest impact. In addition, our building located at 14832 Lakeshore Avenue has sold. We’re in the process of finding a new location to house all our Lake County NCO programs.”

Food is dispensed per household. Seasonal fruits and vegetables are available with a variety of goods from multiple suppliers like Amy’s Kitchen and Petaluma Poultry.

Approximately six to 25 volunteers aid the distribution each Friday, many of which are also clients.

The program is funded by NCO and the Redwood Empire Food Bank, who is the recipient of a Walmart Foundation Grant for Lake County. Clients are encouraged to arrive early and bring their own grocery bags, wagons and carts. Food is distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.

The first distribution each Friday is from 9:30 to 11 a.m., with the second distribution from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

The location schedule is as follows:

First Friday each month: Distribution 1 – Clearlake Oaks Moose Lodge; Distribution 2 – Upper Lake Park.

Second Friday each month: Distribution 1 – Lucerne Northshore Community Center; Distribution 2 – Lakeport Fairgrounds.

Third Friday each month: Distribution 1 – Kelseyville Presbyterian Church; Distribution 2 – Calvary Chapel of Clearlake.

Fourth Friday each month: Distribution 1 – Lower Lake Community Center; Distribution 2 – Middletown Lions Club.

There is no distribution if there is a fifth Friday in the month.

“While NCO has not been able to secure a new building yet,” said Bruder, “we continue our work with the city of Clearlake to secure a permanent location. We remain committed to continuing the Community Wellness programs that support Lake County. The Food Programs, the Gardens Project, and the Housing Programs have secured temporary spaces. Disaster Case Management, Rural Communities Childcare, and NCO Head Start programs are not impacted by this change.”

NCO is the Community Action Agency that serves Lake and Mendocino Counties, as well as parts of Humboldt, Sonoma, Del Norte and Solano counties.

NCO has the mission of assisting low-income and disadvantaged people to become self-reliant, providing a safety net of emergency assistance, employment, and training services for individuals and families.This year NCO celebrates 50 years of community action.

For more information about the Friday Produce Pantry and for a detailed listing of all the distribution times and sites, please visit “Our Programs” at www.ncoinc.org . To volunteer or learn more contact Tammy Alakszay at 707-994-4647 or by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Robyn Bera is administrative manager at North Coast Opportunities.

If you think politics is a brutal business today, you would blanch at some of the op-eds written by our founding fathers.

In an age before television and radio, politicians had very few arenas in which to sway public opinion.

What they did have were newspapers and pamphlets (small booklets that were printed separately). With so few options available, they had to know how to use what weapons they did have with deadly efficiency.

Some of our most revered founding fathers like Thomas Jefferson, John Adams and Alexander Hamilton were ruthless pamphleteers, having no qualms about hitting below the belt when it suited their needs.

John Adams alluded to Alexander Hamilton’s illegitimate birth in one article, and in another a goon of Jefferson’s all but accused Hamilton of having an extra-marital affair.

To be fair, Hamilton was a bastard and had had such an affair. Still, it doesn’t quite feel right that the same illuminated minds that birthed the notion that “all men are created equal,” also traded in “yo’ mamma” insults.

It’s partially because they were published amid such mud-slinging attacks that the Federalist Papers stand out like beacons of clear light. That, and they were utterly brilliant.

Theodore Roosevelt declared that the Federalist Papers were “on the whole the greatest book dealing with applied politics that there has ever been.”

Decades before Roosevelt, the famed Chief Justice of the Supreme Court John Marshall went so far as to say that the essays in the Federalist Papers could be used like ciphers – helping to interpret the very constitution.

So what were these papers, and why are they still required reading for high school students?

To start, the Federalist Papers represent the clearest enunciation of the principles of the U.S. Constitution that has ever been written. They were forged from the minds of the very brightest of our founding fathers.

And they went a long way in helping to create America as we know it.

Revolutionary War: Part 2

It all started with a fight.

The bloody battles of the revolution were more than five years behind us when Americans geared up for another row – this one over the very character of the nation they had fought to create.

In early 1787, the Constitutional Convention had gathered together a group of delegates from each colony (except Rhode Island, which was early America’s version of that friend who flips the board game over when he’s about to lose).

After months of debate and polishing, the convention presented to the nation a new operating document, to replace the faulty Articles of Confederation, which had been scraped together in the early days of the Revolutionary War. In order for the new document to go into effect, 9 states had to ratify it.

For the supporters and detractors of the Constitution both, now was the time to prepare for the final push.

Each state needed to elect delegates to their own ratifying conventions.

Alexander Hamilton, a young foreign-born bastard with a sharp tongue and sharper quill pen, led the charge in favor of ratifying.

By early October 1787, Hamilton had conceived an ambitious writing project to help the Constitution’s cause. He had devised the project as a team effort.

Seeking out his long-time friend, John Jay, and his newfound ally James Madison, Hamilton gathered together the sharpest minds of the day.

Each team member was to write essays on topics they were specifically qualified to talk about. Jay would write about foreign relations as it related to the constitution and James Madison would write on the history of republics and confederations.

Turning once more to his most powerful of assets, the pen, Hamilton would write about the branches of government and matters of taxation.

The first installment of what would become known collectively as the Federalist Papers appeared in newspapers in New York. The authors had to camouflage their identities, partly so their arguments would stand on their own merit and not become victims of the authors’ personal reputations.

Also, delegates to the Constitutional Convention had sworn an oath of secrecy – nothing said at the convention was to be repeated outside of it.

Since they were planning on doing just that in their attempts to defend the document, Hamilton and his team hid behind the pseudonym of Publius – the name of an ancient Roman hero who assassinated the last Roman King.

Over the course of seven months, the trio wrote some 175,000 words organized in 85 essays. Soon after starting the project, John Jay had to drop out due to illness. That left Hamilton and Madison to write one essay each week for months.

Within no time, three of the four New York newspapers were printing their installments. Eventually, the essays were collected into bound volumes and distributed to delegates to the New York Ratifying Convention.

Among the many topics discussed, the Federalist Papers highlighted the weakness of a loose confederation (what the Constitution’s detractors preferred) and pointed out all the benefits of having a strong central government.

They argued that under the Constitution, they would have a central government that could prevent states from squabbling and speak with a single voice on the international stage. After all, a country of 13 states under one leader has more authority in foreign negotiations than 13 separate leaders under one confederation (can you imagine trying to negotiate with 13 different people at once?).

As a sort of revolutionary-style chain mail, Hamilton and Madison sent copies of the Federalist Papers to as many state delegates as possible, maximizing the reach of their ideas and helping to sway opinions from South Carolina to New York.

In the end, it was still a close-fought thing. On April 28, Maryland ratified the Constitution, becoming the seventh state to do so.

By late May of 1788, South Carolina gave its blessing, bringing the total ratifying states to eight – just one shy of the number needed. But looking over the remaining states, supporters weren’t certain of victory. North Carolina and Rhode Island both scorned the Constitution outright, while New Hampshire was unsure.

That left just New York and Virginia. Even with the potent support of Alexander Hamilton, the Constitutional cause rested on shaky ground in New York. For several weeks, it looked like the battle could go either way.

Fortunately for supporters of the constitution, New Hampshire made up its mind and together with Virginia voted to ratify, becoming the ninth and 10th states to do so.

Now if the remaining holdout states didn’t ratify, they’d be removed from the new United States of America, becoming separate islands of sovereignty unto themselves. Rhode Island, as pernicious as ever, waited until 1790 to finally ratify. With that, the United States of America became a reality.

It didn’t take long, however, for squabbling to recommence and within a year or so, one-time allies Hamilton and Madison became the staunchest of enemies.

Politics really hasn’t changed much after all.

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 Care and Control has a few little dogs and several big ones hoping to get out of the shelter and into new homes.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of chow chow, German Shepherd, Labrador Retriever, pit bull, rat terrier 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”).

Male Chihuahua mix

This male Chihuahua mix has a short tan and white coat.

He is in quarantine kennel No. 4a, ID No. 9807.

‘Tippy’

Tippy is a female rat terrier mix with a short black and white coat.

Thanks to an anonymous donor, she is free to the first approved application.

She’s in kennel No. 6, ID No. 9793.

‘Penny’

“Penny” is a female Labrador Retriever-pit bull terrier with a short black coat with white markings.

She already has been spayed.

Shelter staff said Penny needs a home with children age 12 and above. While very friendly and a good girl she can be rambunctious, so she would benefit from training and needs an experienced owner.

She’s in kennel No. 7, ID No. 9852.

Female chow chow

This female chow chow has a long black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 9, ID No. 9810.

Shepherd mix

This young male shepherd mix has a medium-length brown and black coat.

He is in kennel No. 13, ID No. 9819.

Labrador Retriever

This male Labrador Retriever has a short yellow coat.

He’s in kennel No. 22, ID No. 9860.

Female German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a medium-length tan and black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 27, ID No. 9706.

Female German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a medium-length tan and black coat.

She’s in kennel No. 28, ID No. 9710.

Female German Shepherd

This female German Shepherd has a short black and tan coat.

She’s in kennel No. 29, ID No. 9709.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – A 3.2-magnitude earthquake occurred Saturday afternoon near The Geysers geothermal steamfield.

The US Geological Survey said the quake occurred at 3:36 p.m. Saturday two miles north of The Geysers, five miles west of Cobb and seven miles west northwest of Anderson Springs, just inside the Sonoma County border.

The quake’s depth was about sixth-tenths of a mile, according to the report.

The survey received five shake reports, three of them from Kelseyville, one from Glenhaven and one from San Jose.

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.