News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Police Department is continuing its efforts to locate a missing teenager who was last seen by her family on Tuesday.

Police are looking for Lia Nicole Long, 16, with the help of the FBI, numerous state and local law enforcement agencies and the National Center of Missing and Exploited Children.

Over the last several days Lakeport Police officers have followed up on many leads and have investigated individuals who may have been with Long since Monday afternoon.

One of those individuals, Antonio Malik Walls and his vehicle, listed in earlier police reports, are no longer being sought for investigation, police said.

Police said numerous California and nationwide alerts for Long have been issued and are currently being targeted to the public in the Williams, Sacramento, San Francisco Bay and the Los Angeles areas.

They also are continuing to seek the identity of a light-skinned white or Hispanic male and a black male adult who they believe Long left Williams with in a blue- or silver-colored BMW, possibly a late 1999 or early 2000s 7 series model, on Tuesday between 4 and 8 p.m.

Police said they continue to be concerned for Long’s safety.

Long is described as a light-skinned American Indian female, standing 5 feet 4 inches tall and weighing 125 pounds, with long black hair and brown eyes.

She has one dermal (dimple) piercing on both her right and left cheek, the words “Forever in my heart Alyssa 05/23/17” are tattooed on her right clavicle and an upside down crescent moon on her right thigh.

Police ask anyone with information regarding her location or activity to contact your local law enforcement agency or the Lakeport Police Department via Facebook, anonymous text message from your cellular phone by texting the words TIP LAKEPORT followed by your message to the number 888777 or by telephone at 707-263-5491.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Members of the Lake County Symphony Association Wine Club are looking for home brewers and garage winemakers who wish to participate in the 2018 Home Wine and Beer Makers’ Festival.

The festival will take place from noon to 5 p.m. Saturday, June 16, in Lakeport’s Library Park.

The Wine Club sponsors the event as a major fundraiser for the Lake County Symphony and Youth Orchestra.

Each year, amateurs from throughout Northern California show up to pour tastes of their homemade beverages, hoping to win a coveted “People's Choice” award from event attendees.

There is no booth fee for the amateurs, who have until June 8 to sign up for this year’s festival.

Amateur winemakers also have the opportunity to enter their creations for separate professional judging and the chance to win one of the wide range of ribbons offered.

Many of Lake County’s leading commercial wineries will be on hand as well to pour samples, although they won’t be eligible for prizes which are restricted to amateurs. It is one way they show support for the symphony while giving locals a taste of the exceptional wines made from Lake County grapes.

Names of participating commercial wineries will be posted on the Web site and on Facebook (Lake County Home Wine and Beer Makers Festival) as soon as they are known.

Symphony Association President David Velasquez urges potential amateur participants to contact Winefest chairman Ed Bublitz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 707-289-4163 for details or visit www.homewinemakersfestival.com.

“June 8 is the cutoff date for entries,” said Bublitz. “It will be here before you know it.”

Now in its 17th year, the Winefest (as it has been abbreviated) also attracts artists and artisans who offer their wares for sale, along with musicians who provide live entertainment.

This year, music will be provided by the ever-popular David Neft Duo, featuring David Neft on keyboard and Steve Dubois on drums.

Additionally, the Norcal Aircooled Group vintage car club will be on hand with more than four dozen car owners showing off their unique collectibles.

There is no charge to visit the food or craft vendors or to explore the antique automobiles.

Adults eligible for tasting wines and beers are charged $30 at the gate or $25 in advance.

For advance tickets, several outlets are listed on the webpage as well as a link to Eventbrite. Tickets are also available through the chamber of commerce. Each ticket includes a commemorative wine glass.

This year, the Winefest pairs with the Kelseyville Baconfest for a reduced price for those planning to attend both events over the weekend.

Discount lodging rates are also available from select establishments for that weekend and are listed on the Web site.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Measure Z Advisory Committee will meet next week to get the latest information on the sales tax measure’s revenues and expenditures.

The committee will meet beginning at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

Measure Z is the sales tax the city’s voters approved in November 2016, as Lake County News has reported. The committee meets quarterly.

On the agenda is a presentation and review of proposed Measure Z revenues and expenditures for the 2018-19 budget.

Also on Wednesday’s agenda is election of officers.

The secretary will receive nominations for chairperson and vice chairperson, with the recommended term ending Dec. 31 in order to correspond with member seat terms.

In other business, the secretary will present the 2018-19 calendar of meetings.

The meeting also will offer a chance for public input.

The committee’s citizen members include Annette Hopkins, Susan King, Dennis Rollins, Nathan Speed and Tim Wynacht, and staffers, City Manager Margaret Silveira, Finance Director Nick Walker and City Clerk/Secretary Kelly Buendia.

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.

An updated analysis of California’s water resources shows that investment, innovation and infrastructure will be necessary to achieve the state’s goal of sustainable groundwater management.

The Department of Water Resource on Thursday released the final Water Available for Replenishment, or WAFR, report, which shows that water available for aquifer recharge may be limited in many regions, except in years of high precipitation.

Developed with extensive stakeholder involvement, the report provides an estimate of the amount of water available to replenish groundwater basins to help inform development of local groundwater sustainability plans for critically overdrafted basins by January 2020.

“The WAFR report makes it abundantly clear that a diversified water resources portfolio is needed at the local, regional and state levels,” DWR Director Karla Nemeth said. “If California is to simultaneously bring sustainability to its groundwater basins, cope with climate change, and meet future demands, water managers must embrace a comprehensive, innovative approach.”

DWR estimates that 1.5 million acre-feet of water may be available to replenish groundwater basins in an average year. With additional investments in programs such as water storage, conservation, recycling, stormwater capture, desalination, and conveyance improvements, more water could be available for replenishment in the future.

Water deliveries from the State Water Project and the federal Central Valley Project have reduced groundwater overdraft in many basins in the state; however, average deliveries have declined in recent years due to drought and regulatory requirements to protect water quality and critical species in the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and tributaries. Climate change is expected to further exacerbate these challenges.

The WAFR report shows that constructing additional storage north and south of the Delta and improving Delta conveyance infrastructure as proposed in the California WaterFix project would limit the decline of water project deliveries and provide a more reliable supply of surface water for replenishment and other purposes.

The WAFR report analyzes water supply, demand, and runoff in 10 regions of the state to estimate how much surface water could be available to replenish groundwater basins.

It provides a visual depiction of supply and demand in each region, as well as a range of potential water available for replenishment estimates.

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act directs DWR to prepare the WAFR report to help newly formed local groundwater sustainability agencies develop sustainability plans for critically overdrafted basins by January 2020.

The final report incorporates public comments submitted in response to the draft report published last year.

Water Available for Replenishment - Final Report by LakeCoNews on Scribd

CLEARLAKE, Calif. – A Clearlake man was arrested earlier this week following a vehicle stop in which he was found in possession of weapons including an AR-15 semiautomatic rifle, with additional charges against him expected to be filed for the 30 notebook computers stolen from a local school district that police also found in his vehicle.

Kevin Leon Morris, 37, was arrested on Monday night, according to a report from Sgt. Rodd Joseph of the Clearlake Police Department.

Joseph said that just after 9 p.m. Clearlake Police Officer Michael Perreault conducted a traffic stop for a simple equipment violation – an inoperative taillight – on a black Mercedes in the 13400 block of Lakeshore Drive.

The Mercedes’ driver was identified as Morris, Joseph said.

The traffic stop led to a search of the vehicle, where a the AR-15 rifle and ammunition were located in the vehicle’s trunk. An additional small caliber semi-automatic handgun and ammunition were also found concealed in a backpack in Morris’ possession, according to Joseph.

In addition to the firearms found in the vehicle, approximately 30 Samsung brand notebook computers, previously stolen from the Konocti Unified School District, were located in the vehicle’s trunk, Joseph said.

Joseph said Morris has a conviction for a violent felony and is not allowed to possess firearms or ammunition.

Morris was charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, possession of a concealed firearm, possession of an illegal short-barreled assault rifle, possession of a firearm with a violent felony conviction and transportation of an assault rifle, Joseph said.

Morris was booked into the Lake County Jail, where he remained in custody on Thursday. Joseph said Morris’ vehicle was towed from the scene.

A passenger in Morris’ vehicle, identified as 32-year-old Edward Collins, was found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia. Joseph said Collins was cited and released on scene for a misdemeanor violation of possession of drug paraphernalia.

At this time, it is not believed that Collins was involved or had knowledge about the illegal weapons or stolen computers, Joseph said.

Joseph said that Clearlake Police School Resource Officer Stephanie Green is working with the Konocti Unified School District in obtaining details on the theft of the notebook computers.

Once that portion of the investigation is complete, Joseph said additional charges against Morris and anyone else identified in the theft will likely be forwarded to the Lake County District Attorney’s Office.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Clearlake man charged with human trafficking for forcing his fiancée to prostitute herself is now accused of the attempted murder of one of the woman’s customers, and his alleged accomplice in this new case was involved in a 2011 shooting that killed a child and injured five others.

The new charges were filed against Nicholas Troy Brooks, 38, according to District Attorney Don Anderson.

The complaint Anderson’s office filed against Brooks includes charges of attempted murder, assault with a deadly weapon, shooting at an occupied vehicle and being a felon in possession of a firearm.

News of the new case against Brooks came on Wednesday, the same day that he was in Lake County Superior Court for trial on a charge of possession of a stolen vehicle, Anderson said.

Brooks also is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking for prostitution, pimping, procuring a person for prostitution, inflicting traumatic injury on a person, threats to kill or produce great bodily injury and solicitation of perjury, Anderson said.

The attempted murder and other new charges against Brooks have their roots in the human trafficking case, for which Brooks had been arrested by Lake County District Attorney’s Office investigators in February, as Lake County News has reported.

Anderson said Brooks was prostituting his then-fiancée in that case.

Brooks is accused of taking almost all of the proceeds of the prostitution transactions; in return, his girlfriend would receive small amounts of money and drugs for her work. In order to get the girlfriend to comply with his orders he would threaten, coerce, menace and force her into prostitution, Anderson said.

On March 14, a judge ordered Brooks to stand trial in the human trafficking case at the end of a preliminary hearing.

Anderson said that evidence was presented at the preliminary hearing that Brooks had beaten this girlfriend on at least two occasions with a cell phone and a flashlight.

Even though Brooks was in the Lake County jail for some of this time, Anderson alleged that Brooks would force the woman to bring him the money and place it on his books at the jail or phone cards. Within a several month period she placed at least $3,500 on his books at the jail.

There was additional information at the preliminary hearing that on one occasion a customer got physical with the girlfriend – pushing her out of a vehicle – and did not pay her the agreed-on amount, Anderson said.

Anderson said Brooks had set up this customer on the next meeting with the girlfriend, and ended up firing several rounds into his truck while he was fleeing.

Brooks made an arraignment appearance on April 3. At that time his attorney, Tracy Gatlin, argued for a motion to dismiss the charges against him.

Gatlin accused the District Attorney’s Office of lying to her and failing to disclose that Brooks’ ex-fiancée had been taken into protective custody, as she was wanted as a witness in the case.

In return, District Attorney Don Anderson said his office had no requirement at that point in the proceedings to disclose the location of the victim, whose life was in “grave danger” from Brooks, according to a statement Anderson submitted to the court.

Judge Stephen Hedstrom denied the dismissal motion after about an hour of argument.

Ongoing investigation leads to new charges

The ongoing investigation into the shooting incident involving one of Brooks’ girlfriend’s customers – known in court documents as “J.S.” – produced enough evidence to charge Brooks with attempted murder, Anderson said.

The new complaint filed against Brooks alleges that he attempted to kill “J.S.” by shooting at the man while he was in his own vehicle with the trafficking victim, Anderson said.

Anderson said the attempted murder case against Brooks includes a second suspect, Kevin Ray Stone, 35, who is charged with being an accomplice and aiding and abetting in the attempted murder.

In 2011, Anderson personally prosecuted Stone, who was convicted of being an accomplice in the murder of 4-year-old Skyler Rapp and shooting five other people – including the child’s mother and her boyfriend – during a barbecue in Clearlake.

Stone was recently paroled from prison after serving his sentence for his limited involvement in the murder, Anderson said.

Stone’s co-defendants in that murder case, Paul Braden and Orlando Lopez, remain in prison, where they are serving sentences of 286 years to life.

Anderson said Brooks’ bail for the new charges was set at $1,260,000. Brooks is set to be arraigned on April 24.

Gatlin, Brooks’ defense counsel, has been relieved, with Lakeport attorney Mitchell Hauptman now appointed to the case, Anderson 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.