LOWER LAKE, Calif. – The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said that a portion of Highway 53 near Lower Lake has been closed temporarily in response to the discovery of a suspicious device.
The device – which resembles an improvised explosive – was reported found in front of a business on Highway 53 near Highway 29 in Lower Lake at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to a report from Lt. Norm Taylor.
Taylor said sheriff's deputies have secured the scene while they await the arrival of the Napa County Sheriff's Office Bomb Squad.
A portion of Highway 53 will remain closed until the operation is complete. Taylor said traffic will be routed around the area through Main Street Lower Lake.
Citizens are asked to avoid the area until further notice, Taylor said.
Taylor said no further information is available at the time of this report.
Separately, the California Highway Patrol issued a report on the highway closure just before 1 p.m. that estimated it would continue for about two hours.
The Lower Lake discovery comes a day after a bomb threat led to the evacuation and temporary closure of Twin Pine Casino in Middletown. Authorities have so far not linked the two incidents.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday gave unanimous support to Sheriff Brian Martin’s proposal to offer hiring incentives to deputy sheriff candidates in order to help address a personnel shortage.
Martin proposes to implement a $5,000 bonus per person for up to 10 deputy candidates.
The board supported moving forward on the idea sooner rather than later; Martin had asked to institute the incentives beginning on July 1, but got the go-ahead to begin on April 1.
Staff emphasized that the funds will not come from the county’s stretched general fund but rather a special state allocation given to sheriff’s offices for special purposes.
Martin’s memo to the board for Tuesday’s meeting explained that the sheriff’s office has had recruitment and retention difficulties for years, noting that contributing factors include a less-competitive wage and benefits package, competition for qualified candidates by neighboring agencies and a decline in the interest for law enforcement amongst people entering the workforce.
Martin said that his agency has responsibility for law enforcement services in the unincorporated county where approximately 44,700 people live.
Citing a report on police officer ratios, Martin said for a law enforcement agency serving a population of 25,000 to 49,999 people, the average ratio of full time officers is 1.8 per 1,000 residents. For all populations of all sizes, the ratio is 2.5 per 1,000.
Based on those statistics, the average number of full-time officers for agencies serving a population the size of unincorporated Lake County’s is 80, based on Martin’s report.
Martin’s budget has 66 full-time deputy sheriff classification positions allocated, with 47 of those filled. It may soon be down to 46 because a longtime deputy now has a conditional job offer from a local police department, Martin said.
He said the board has worked collaboratively with his office to address its staffing challenges, including previously reclassifying five deputy sheriff positions to deputy sheriff/trainee positions, which he said has allowed him to add four deputies to the street while obtaining multi-year commitments from them in exchange for the opportunity to attend the academy.
“I am very grateful for this, and intend to continue that program. Despite these efforts, attracting qualified applicants continues to be a challenge,” Martin wrote in his report.
That led to him proposing a $5,000 hiring bonus for up to 10 candidates per fiscal year, through the end of 2019. He cited examples of other agencies that offer such incentives, including the cities of Eureka, Modesto and Santa Cruz, and the Napa County Sheriff’s Office.
Martin recommended using funds from the Rural Sheriff’s Budget Unit 2206 for the hiring bonuses. Those funds, he explained, are a result of AB 443 passed in 2001 and enacted in Government Code Section 30070.
“Pursuant to state law, Lake County is allocated $500,000 each year for our Rural Sheriff’s Budget. The funds are specifically earmarked to enhance law enforcement efforts and recruiting and retaining qualified Deputy Sheriff staffing will most certainly meet this goal,” he explained in his report.
Martin went over his written report with the board ahead of its discussion.
Supervisor Rob Brown said he totally supported the proposal, and appreciated Martin’s creativity.
Brown added that one of the biggest challenges for county workers is insurance. “Our employees are getting raped by the insurance companies.”
When Brown asked when Martin was proposing to start the incentives, he said on July 1, at the start of the next fiscal year.
Brown asked if the county could start sooner. “I’d start it today if you’d authorize that,” said Martin.
“Is there any reason that we can’t do that?” Brown asked, with staff and board members not able to offer any reasons.
Noting that there were only three and a half months left in the fiscal year, Brown said, “If we’re going to do it, I think we need to get it started right away.”
Supervisor Jeff Smith thanked Martin for the proposal and agreed that he also wanted it to start immediately.
County Administrative Officer Carol Huchingson said a minor revision to the ordinance was necessary in order to update the date. She also wanted to make sure the funding was in the right place for the current fiscal year.
“This is absolutely not general fund money,” said Huchingson, explaining that she wanted to emphasize that point due to the recent community visioning forums about the community’s financial challenges.
She said the funds are part of a special state allocation that can’t be used directly for salaries but for uses like Martin suggested.
“It is a wonderful and creative solution,” Huchingson said, adding the county’s classification and retention committee also supported the proposal.
Brown suggested making the hiring incentives effective on April 1, which would give staff the time to update the resolution. Huchingson said that would give them plenty of time, with Martin adding that he didn’t believe he would have any deputy candidates ready for hire before that date.
Martin indicated during the discussion that if the incentives are successful, he wants to bring them back to the board for consideration of making them permanent.
The board voted 5-0 to approve the proposal by Martin, who then left to respond to a bomb threat at Twin Pine Casino in Middletown.
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. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday night set an April public hearing for an update to city rules regulating the removal of hazardous vegetation.
Community Development Director Kevin Ingram introduced the proposed ordinance amending the Lakeport Municipal Code to change the date in which dry vegetation creating fire hazard conditions on private property must be abated from early July to June 1.
Ingram said the Tuesday night discussion was for the purpose of introducing the public hearing next month.
“This is a very important issue,” he said.
City rules currently address hazardous vegetation removal, including allowing the city to abate properties as a result of it. Ingram said the city also has been working with Lakeport Fire to aggressively deal with properties with vegetation issues.
However, Ingram said city code puts the deadline to abate hazardous vegetation as the first working day following the July 4 holiday. Ingram said that’s not consistent with a lot of communities, which have June 1 as the deadline.
He said the proposal is to formally amend city code to reflect that date, adding that changing the date would help make the community safer.
Lakeport Fire Chief Doug Hutchison addressed the council in support of the proposed ordinance.
“We've been working on this the last few years,” he said.
Hutchison said the No. 1 complaint his department gets – besides those complaining about people who aren’t moving down their vegetation and weeds – is why people are given so long to do it. By July, fire season is well under way
“Lakeport is not immune to what happened to Lower Lake by any means,” Hutchison said, in an apparent reference to the August 2016 Clayton fire.
Hutchison said the 1981 Cow Mountain fire moved from the Ukiah side to the Lakeport area in just one day, whereas it had been estimated it would take four.
He said when the September 2015 Valley fire moved with such speed that when it was modeled 1,500 different times, “at no time could the computer predict it would move that far, that fast.”
“We're in a new era. Unpredictable is the predictable,” Hutchison said.
He said Lakeport has been lucky. Besides the 1981 Cow Mountain fire, the other closest near miss occurred in 1994 along Highway 29 at Sixth Street. The fire didn’t move toward town thanks to the winds. A few homes were lost and it did $400,000 in damage. The fire district also lost an engine.
“We’re not immune,” Hutchison said of Lakeport, noting that once a fire gets seated in a community, as it did in Santa Rosa in October, vegetation doesn’t even matter any more. In such cases a fire will seek fuel, and Lakeport – a tightly packed older city is vulnerable.
Councilman Kenny Parlet noted that safe and sane fireworks sales – which in Lake County are only allowed in Lakeport due to a special measure passed by voters several years ago – currently begin before the July 1 weed abatement deadline.
He said of the proposed change in deadline, “I think moving it back to June is very prudent.”
Councilman George Spurr agreed, as did Councilwoman Stacey Mattina.
“It’s good to hear a little history, too,” said Mattina. “I haven’t all of these stories.”
Mayor Mireya Turner recalled that when she worked in the county’s emergency operations center during the Valley fire, the word Cal Fire kept using to describe the fire was the word “unprecedented.”
“We're in a whole new era,” Turner said, adding that any measure they can take to strengthen the fire department’s ability to protect the city is a smart idea.
Mattina moved to introduce the proposed ordinance and set it for for April 3 hearing, with the council approving the motion 5-0.
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. – The Clearlake City Council this week will consider filling a vacant council seat and take up a proposed development agreement with a cannabis business.
The council will meet in closed session at 5 p.m. Thursday, March 22, to discuss several cases of current and anticipated litigation before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers of Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
On the agenda is the consideration of an appointment of a new council member to fill the remaining term of Russ Perdock, who resigned Feb. 1 in order to apply for the city police chief job, as Lake County News has reported. The term for the vacant seat ends in November.
On Feb. 22, the council directed staff to advertise the vacancy and accept applications, with a March 15 deadline.
City Clerk Melissa Swanson reported that she received six applications for the seat. Applicants are Sheryl Almon, Russell Cremer, Jennifer Fitts, Cheryl Marinaro, James Reed and Dirk Slooten.
Swanson’s report for the meeting said that an ad hoc committee that included Mayor Bruno Sabatier, Vice Mayor Phil Harris and herself met Monday to review the applications.
The ad hoc committee is recommending Marinaro, a Realtor, and Slooten, the chair of the Clearlake Planning Commission, be interviewed and considered for appointment, Swanson said.
The appointee would then be given the oath and seated at the April 12 council meeting, according to Swanson.
In other business, the council will hold a public hearing to consider adoption of a development agreement with Eric Sklar of Clearlake Growth Fund No. 1 for commercial cannabis operations – including manufacturing, distribution and a delivery-only dispensary – to be located at 2935 Ogulin Canyon Road.
The meeting also will include several presentations, including a proclamation declaring Vietnam Veterans Day; a presentation by Pacific Gas and Electric Co.; the annual Public, Education and Government Channel’s audit report; the Clearlake Waste Solutions 2017 annual report; and a presentation by Adventist Health Clear Lake on the 340B Drug Program.
Items on the consent agenda – items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote – are warrant registers; minutes of the Jan. 4, 11 and 25, and Feb. 1; consideration of continuation of a declaration of local emergency issued on Oct. 9 and ratified by the council on Oct. 12 in response to the Sulphur fire; and consideration of adoption of the facilities coordinator/deputy city clerk position.
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 six dogs waiting for their forever families.
The available dogs are Brewster, Evander, Harry, Kira, Poppy and Robbie.
To meet the animals, call Clearlake Animal Control at 707-994-8201 and speak to Marcia at Extension 103 or call Extension 118, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or leave a message at any other time.
“Brewster” likes to be tucked in. Courtesy photo. ‘Brewster’
“Brewster” is a 2-year-old shepherd mix who is a staff and volunteer favorite.
He’s very smart, knows how to sit and shake, and staff said he would be perfect with someone who works from home or could take him with them when they leave, as he suffers from separation anxiety.
He loves to sunbathe, get tucked in, is happy as long as he can see you and has been known to escape the kennels in order to find the nearest person.
Brewster is 45 pounds, and good with adults and older respectful children.
He’s a work in progress who appears to be tolerant of other dogs but he is still being evaluated.
"Evander." Courtesy photo.
‘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.
Evander is healing nicely from wounds “inflicted by a female dog in heat when she denied his unwanted advances,” shelter staff reported.
“Harry.” Courtesy photo. ‘Harry’
“Harry” is as 2-year-old male pit bull mix. He weighs about 50 pounds and has a gray and white coat.
Staff said Harry is a big sweetheart. He came to the shelter a little beat up and has a crooked tail from an old injury.
They currently are working on socializing him.
He will be neutered upon adoption.
“Kira.” Courtesy photo.
‘Kira’
“Kira” is a 2-year-old female Husky mix, weighing about 45 pounds.
Shelter staff said a dominating and assertive female, which is true to her breed. She responds well to other dogs and made appropriate corrections when necessary. She would be stable with other stable dogs.
Kira is very smart, sweet and vocal, and shelter staff suggested she would do best with an experienced husky household.
“Poppy.” Courtesy photo.
‘Poppy’
“Poppy” is a calm, lovable year-and-a-half-old shepherd mix, weighing 40 pounds.
She is good with other dogs; shelter staff said she is a dominant female and has taken corrections appropriately when introduced to or playing with other dogs.
They said she also is a little insecure and needs some confidence building; practicing skills will make her a good solid dog.
She is recommended for a home without small livestock.
“Robbie.” Courtesy photo.
‘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.
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.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – A Tuesday morning bomb threat led to the temporary closure and evacuation of Twin Pine Casino in Middletown, with no device found following an extensive search of the facility.
The Lake County Sheriff’s Office said the facility received a single telephone call at 9:30 a.m. claiming that there were explosive devices in the hotel and casino.
Kyle Lewis, the casino’s director of marketing and guest services who was reached by phone on the first day of his family vacation, said the casino has a notification system in place that was implemented following the Valley fire. It allows the casino to communicate with employees quickly.
“Unfortunately we've had to put it to use quite a bit in the last few years,” he said.
Supervisor Moke Simon, tribal chair for the Middletown Rancheria, which owns the casino, added, “Obviously we learned a lot after the Valley fire and really tightened up our response."
After the casino received the bomb threat, it notified employees, casino security evacuated the casino and the facility notified the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, according to the agency and Lewis. The casino sent all nonessential personnel home at that point
Sheriff Brian Martin said his agency responded to the scene with several units to begin searching the interior and exterior of all of the casino’s buildings.
Martin was at the Board of Supervisors meeting preparing to talk about deputy hiring incentives when he was informed of the situation. After he spoke on the item he left to respond to the casino.
Simon said he also was alerted about the incident during the board meeting and left during the last item to respond to the casino.
After sheriff’s deputies and casino staff conducted a thorough search of the buildings, “We found nothing suspicious,” said Martin.
"The vast majority of these are hoaxes but we treat everyone as if they are real,” Martin said.
He said he was impressed with the quick response, notification and evacuation of the casino. "Their notification system seemed to be very effective."
“We concentrated on making this property as safe as possible for our employees and guests,” said Simon.
Simon added that he’s pretty sure it wasn’t a real threat, but like the sheriff’s office, “We take everything seriously.”
Simon also praised the casino’s executive team, naming Casino Manager Donna Ross, for their handling of the event.
Martin said the investigation into the incident is continuing.
"We're following up some leads to identify a suspect,” he said.
Officials said the casino and hotel are set to reopen at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
“Hopefully this was just a one off and won't happen again, but if it does happen again we're ready,” Lewis said.
John Jensen contributed to this report.
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.
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