News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Staff of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board, Central Valley Region will hold a public outreach meeting in Lake County this month to discuss the need and options for amending portions of the Clear Lake Nutrient Total Maximum Daily Load Control Program, including the compliance date.

The meeting will take place beginning at 1 p.m. Monday, Aug. 28, at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The public outreach meeting will provide a forum for interested parties to give input on potential amendment alternatives and their potential environmental impacts.

Water board staff will present an overview of the program’s regulatory performance to date and discuss several preliminary alternatives for an amendment that are being considered.

The Central Valley Water Board is considering amending the compliance date of 19 June 2017 for the total maximum daily load, or TMDL, and waste load allocations required by the Basin Plan’s Clear Lake Nutrient Control Program to reduce phosphorus contributions to Clear Lake.

The Clear Lake Nutrient Control Program was adopted in 2007 and implements the Clear Lake Nutrient TMDL to decrease the incidence of nuisance algal blooms in Clear Lake.

The Nutrient Control Program was based in part on modeling studies that predicted that a 40-percent reduction in average phosphorus loading will significantly reduce the incidence of algae blooms.

In September 2012, five years after TMDL adoption, the Clear Lake Nutrient Control Program was evaluated to determine if the TMDL was still appropriate based on new information. The Central Valley Water Board determined that the TMDL was still appropriate and phosphorus reductions should continue.

The Basin Plan states compliance with load and waste load allocations for phosphorus in Clear Lake is required by 19 June 2017. Many implementation activities have been completed and are in progress.

However, available information indicates it is not possible to attain all allocations by the compliance date primarily due to delays in acquiring funding to complete the Middle Creek Flood Damage Reduction and Ecosystem Restoration Project.

Approximately half of the properties needed for the restoration project have been acquired to date. Completion of the restoration project will restore a historical wetland where approximately 50 percent of the runoff from the Clear Lake watershed enters Clear Lake. The restoration project is expected to accomplish the majority of the Clear Lake’s nutrient load reduction goal.

As a result, Central Valley Water Board staff will evaluate the need and options for amending portions of the Nutrient Control Program including the compliance date.

Staff will consider several preliminary amendment alternatives, including extending the compliance date by 10 years for allocations not yet met; extending the compliance date by 20 years for allocations not yet met; developing milestones to track progress should the compliance date be extended; or no action, meaning the compliance date is not amended.

Other approaches may be considered as stakeholders and interested parties provide information during the public participation process.

Questions to consider during the public outreach meeting include:

– Can the TMDL load and waste load allocations be met within 10 years (by June 2027) or 20 years (by June 2037)?
– Is there justification to consider other reasonable time frames to achieve compliance with the allocations?
– Are there any feasible alternatives to revising the compliance date? What are the reasonably foreseeable options for complying with each alternative?
– Is there information in addition to that associated with compliance with the current Nutrient Control Program that the Board should consider in making their decision?
– What are the potential environmental impacts of revising the compliance date, or of any alternatives? How might those impacts be mitigated?

If you have further questions, need to access background documents, or wish to make a presentation at the workshop, please contact Holly Grover at 916-464-4747 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017

00:37 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080004
Officer initiated activity at S Main/Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport. BLK P/U. Disposition: WARNING.

02:09 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES 1708080017
Occurred on Martin, Lakeport. RP CAN HEAR A MALE SINGING IN THE AREA. HER K9S HAVE BEEN PARKING RP REQ PERSONAL CONTACT. Cellular E911 Call: Lat: 38.989491 Lon:-122.76957. Service Class: W911. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

03:07 PEDESTRIAN CHECK 1708080022
Officer initiated activity at S State Highway 29/HIGHWAY 175, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

07:39 FOOT PATROL 1708080040
Officer initiated activity at Lakeport Elementary School, Lange, Lakeport. Disposition: GENERAL SERVICES RENDERED.

12:21 CIVIL COMPLAINT 1708080093
Occurred at Fairgrounds Village Mobile Home on Martin, Lakeport. **10-21 FIRST** HAS RPS ITEMS AT HIS RESID AND RP HAS AN R.O. AGAINST THE RP AND NEEDS TO PICK UP ITEMS. Disposition: GONE ON ARRIVAL.

12:34 PUBLIC DISTURBANCE 1708080094
Occurred at N MAIN/3D, Lakeport. MALE YELLING AT A FEMALE NEAR A TREE BY THE BUS STOP, WMA HEAVY SET, BLOND HAIR, BLACK SHIRT, BLACK PANTS. SMOKING A CIG, RP CAN'T SEE THE FEMALE. FEMALE IS TRYING WALK AWAY, LSW: GRAY SHIRT, GRAY LEGGINGS, W/ A PURSE, GOING TOWARDS THE GAME SHOP. Cellular E911 Call:
Lat:39.043189 Lon:-122.91735. Service Class: W911. Disposition: WARNING.

13:11 PETTY THEFT UP TO $950 1708080100
Occurred at Library Park on Park. , Lakeport. **10-21 DETAIL**THEFT OF PHONE AT THE CONCERT IN THE PARK ON FRIDAY. Disposition: GONE ON ARRIVAL.

13:23 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080101
Officer initiated activity at N FORBES/6TH, Lakeport. Disposition: MOVING VIOLATION CITATION.

15:10 MISSING PERSON ADULT 1708080137
Occurred at Lakeport Police Department on S Main. , Lakeport. COUNTER REPORT FOR MISSING ADULT. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

15:30 MISSING PERSON ADULT 1708080141
Occurred at Courthouse on N Forbes. , Lakeport. **10-21 DETAIL**RPS IS AT 1ST LOCATION.. IN ROOM 1. PER RP SHE IS MISSING FROM FREMONT. Disposition: GENERAL SERVICES RENDERED.

15:43 WIRELESS 911 HANG UP 1708080146
Occurred on N Forbes, Lakeport. TXF TO CHP. Cellular E911 Call: Lat:39.043189 Lon:-122.91735. Service Class: W911. Disposition: REFERRED TO ANOTHER AGENCY.

16:01 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080151
Officer initiated activity at N MAIN/2D, Lakeport. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

16:53 FAMILY DISTURBANCE 1708080165
Occurred on Hartley Rd, Lakeport. RP SPRAYED HIS IN FACE W/PEPPER SPRAY..BOTH PARTIES ON SCENE. RP ADV RESP CAME AT HIM W/A KNIFE. Disposition: OUTSIDE AGENCY ASSIST.

17:26 WIRELESS 911 HANG UP 1708080171
Occurred on N Forbes, Lakeport. ACCIDENTAL DIAL. Cellular E911 Call: Lat: 39.0435 Lon:-122.91692. Service Class: W911. Disposition: WIRELESS HANGUP .

17:33 BE ON THE LOOKOUT 1708080174
Occurred at N MAIN/6TH, Lakeport. LIMO DRIVING AROUND W/BACK DOOR OPEN..JUST STOPPED ON 5TH/N FORBES. Disposition: GENERAL SERVICES RENDERED.

18:04 TRAFFIC ACCIDENT NON INJURY 1708080182
Occurred at Cvs Pharmacy on 11TH. , Lakeport. RP IS IN A RED INFINITY OTHER VEH IS A WHITE TRUCK. Disposition: GENERAL SERVICES RENDERED.

19:54 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080202
Officer initiated activity at S State Highway 29/LAKEPORT Blvd, Lakeport. JSO. Disposition: WARNING.

20:06 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080205
Officer initiated activity at Tower Mart, S Main, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

20:20 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080207
Officer initiated activity at Royale Av/S Main, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

20:32 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080208
Officer initiated activity at Tower Mart, Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport. No plate. Disposition: WARNING.

21:07 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080215
Officer initiated activity at N High/Via Del Lago, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

21:13 ARMED ROBBERY 1708080216
Occurred at Safeway on 11TH, Lakeport. MALE SUBJ WEARING ALL BLACK AND A BLACK HAT CAME UP TO THE RPS WIFE AND TRIED TO TAKE HER CART WITH HER PURSE IN IT..SHE WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY FROM THE RESP AND SHE GOT IN HER VEH AND THEN THE MALE WAS BANGING ON HER WINDOWS TRYING TO GET INTO THE VEH DOORS..FEMALE LEFT THE AREA AND IS C4. Disposition: GONE ON ARRIVAL.

21:33 PEDESTRIAN CHECK 1708080219
Officer initiated activity at N FORBES/6TH, Lakeport. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

21:42 SUSPICIOUS CIRCUMSTANCES 1708080222
Occurred on 1ST, Lakeport.JUST KNOCKED ON HER DOOR AND SAID TO CALL 911 BECAUSE SOMEONE IS FOLLOWING HIM. Cellular E911 Call: Lat:39.137775 Lon:-122.85965
Service Class: W911. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

21:53 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080224
Officer initiated activity at S State Highway 29/11TH, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

22:14 WIRELESS 911 HANG UP 1708080232
Occurred at Courthouse on N Forbes. , Lakeport. NEVER CONNECTED..ON CALL BACK LEFT MESSAGE. Disposition: WIRELESS HANGUP .

22:41 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080239
Officer initiated activity at S State Highway 29/LAKEPORT Blvd, Lakeport. Disposition: MOVING VIOLATION CITATION.

23:01 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080247
Officer initiated activity at Parallel Dr/Craig Ave, Lakeport. Disposition: WARNING.

23:58 TRAFFIC STOP 1708080258
Officer initiated activity at Lakeside Lanes, Lakeport Blvd, Lakeport. BHD. Disposition: CHECKS OK.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday hosted a lengthy discussion with staff, contractors and fire survivors regarding county building department staffing issues that are causing delays in the rebuilding effort, with the board voting to contract with an outside firm to help address the problem.

The discussion ultimately would lead to the board voting unanimously to waive the formal bidding process and contract with Bureau Veritas of Sacramento, for an amount not to exceed $250,000, for plan check and building official services.

While the concerns were framed primarily in light of the Valley and Clayton fire rebuilding efforts, board members would agree that the Community Development Department’s struggles are impacting the county as a whole.

During the meeting, Community Development’s building division delays were primarily attributed to a staffing shortage.

On Wednesday, the county of Lake provided Lake County News with a detail of the Community Development Department’s openings.

Out of 29 total budgeted positions, 11 are vacant, including three of four building inspectors, two assistant planners, the single chief building official position, the only plan examiner, a senior planner, a community development technician, an accountant and a secretary.

The county reported that all but the two assistant planners and the secretary position are in the recruitment process.

Supervisor Rob Brown asked to have the matter placed on Tuesday’s agenda. “This has gotten to a point that’s really serious.”

Brown explained that he and Supervisor Moke Simon are getting barraged with calls over building department delays.

Solving the issues in order to move the rebuild forward is key, said Brown. “I think this is a higher priority, probably, than anything else at this point.”

“I think we do really need to make some hard decisions today,” said Simon, noting that the rebuild would be at least a five-year project.

He agreed that the most important thing was to get people back into their homes.

Community Development Director Bob Massarelli said that in the 14 months he’s been with the county, he’s had to deal with several issues that have impacted his ability to respond to the fire rebuild, including sprinkler requirements, zoning clearances, three staff resignations and one staffer being out for two months.

Over the past six weeks, he said an associate planner has been working to clear up a backlog.

He’s now beginning a third recruitment for a chief building official after holding two unsuccessful efforts. That job has been open for a year; additionally, the plans examiner resigned in July. He’s also making offers to building inspector candidates.

Massarelli said he sent out a request for proposals to five firms seeking assistance and received two responses, one of them from Bureau Veritas.

He said he is exploring other ways of improving the process, including potentially establishing a reroofing self-certification program. “We’re being very careful about how we proceed ahead,” and making sure it follows building code and county building code, he said.

Bureau Veritas has a chief building official ready to start on Monday, and Community Development already has sent plans over to the firm and asked them to look at them as soon as possible. Massarelli said he and his staff will be on regular calls with the company.

“We understand the pain that this is causing and we’re trying very hard to address it as thoroughly as we can,” he said.

Board Chair Jeff Smith agreed about the urgency of finding solutions. “We need to do whatever we need to do, that’s all there is to it. At this point, this is an emergency item, as far as I’m concerned, and we need to get things done.”

County Counsel Anita Grant pointed out that recently the board had approved a temporary loan of Agricultural Commissioner Steve Hajik to do seals and measures work for Mendocino County. She suggested county officials reach out to Mendocino or other counties to see if they have building inspectors whose services they would be willing to share.

“Lake County’s a really good neighbor, so it might be worth it to try that,” she said.

Builders, fire survivors share frustrations, offer suggestions

During public comment, the board heard a range of frustrations – from plan checks and inspections taking weeks longer than in the past, to contractors having to stop work or lay off employees because of excessive delays.

Mark Borghesani, whose family owns Kelseyville Lumber, said during his career he’s seen peak activity where 200 to 400 homes were being built in a year in Lake County. More recently, he said the pace was between 25 to 30 homes.

He said that because the industry had gotten into that groove, he knew there would be problems during the rebuild, so he and others reached out to the county, but got no return calls.

He said members of the local building industry also tried to get a meeting with Massarelli in December. “We were just flat blown off.”

Middletown resident Fletcher Thornton, a former builder who lost his home in the Valley fire, said he had been told by planning to get his plans in for the fall so they could be reviewed in the winter and building could start in the spring.

Thornton said he pushed forward with starting his home rebuild in November, and was red-tagged three times, with an inspector noting that it didn’t appear that he was slowing Thornton down.

Lisa Kaplan, another Middletown resident who lost her home in the Valley fire, said she’s still trying to rebuild, with her insurance coverage for her rental having run out. So she’s now paying both a mortgage and rent.

She encouraged the board to look at the department’s systemic problems, and not make long-term decisions like a contract they can’t get out of. “Let’s slow down just a little bit.”

Mark Mitchell of Lake County Contractors said he had many ideas that could solve the problems immediately if someone would listen.

He said he had sent a two-page email to the board and the Community Development director – then Rick Coel, before Massarelli’s arrival – on Sept. 23, 2015, but never received a return email. Brown replied that they had talked, and also pointed out during the discussion that the Valley fire was still under way when the email was sent.

Mitchell said that back in 2005, it took 15 minutes to get plans approved in Community Development. Recently, he’s had plans sit in the office for seven weeks. Plan checks have gone from five minutes to 10 days.

He asked the board to find ways to speed up the process by offering exemptions and streamlining how the county’s agencies work together. He said he’s pulled 31 permits for the Valley fire, so he knows how all of the parts intertwine

Brown asked if people could hire inspectors to sign off on work. Massarelli said there are issues with that, saying it should be an “arm’s-length” transaction that doesn’t involve a paid arrangement between the parties.

During the discussion Massarelli also noted, “We’re having serious problems with foundations with a lot of contractors.”

Lake County Chamber of Commerce Chief Executive Officer Melissa Fulton said Massarelli walked into a hornet’s nest after the fires. She said he then got hit with the situation involving marijuana-related planning, which she said has taken up to much of his time and taken away from what needs to be done to get people back in their homes.

She said the board needed to listen to the building professionals in the room, adding that the suggestions they made to improve the planning process should have come from Community Development’s management and been acted upon a long time ago.

Fulton said there are other important projects in the department’s pipeline – which aren’t fire-related – that will make a difference in Lake County. She said the county can’t afford to lose them because of the department’s problems.

“I think we need to have a sincere review of the attitude from the top down,” she said, adding that there is an atmosphere in the department that makes staff afraid to make decisions and want to leave. “It needs to be fixed.”

Kevin Cox of Hope City, which is working to rebuild homes in the fire area, told the board, “I’ve experienced meetings like this all over this country during disaster response.”

Cox said he was in awe of the passion in the room, and said there was good dialog taking place. That passion, he added, was what has kept Hope City in Lake County.

He was complimentary of Community Development employees, calling them “phenomenal staff.”

Cox added, “I’ve never seen a community get built back up so quickly after a disaster as I’ve seen Lake County.”

The board ultimately voted unanimously to waive the formal bidding process on the basis that it was not in the best interest of the county in this circumstance so it could approve the contract with Bureau Veritas, and also directed staff to take immediate action in order to alleviate the building inspection backlog.

Brown also announced that he would host a workshop for builders in the board chambers at the Lakeport Courthouse at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 22.

At Tuesday’s board meeting, a number of individuals had stated their willingness to volunteer.

County Human Resources Director Kathy Ferguson was asked to join the meeting, and told the group that the county could take applications for jobs or volunteer applications that day. Human Resources staff also were on hand to offer applications to anyone willing to help.

Applications also can be submitted on the county’s Web site at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Human_Resources/Job_Opportunities/openjobs.htm. Click on the job title and then hit “apply” in the right-hand corner.

As of Wednesday night, Brown said no applications had been received.

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. – A Kelseyville man who was arrested Monday after authorities say he shot at a group of law enforcement officers and officials in a confrontation near his home made a court appearance on Wednesday.

Joshua Caleb “Buck” Brown, 43, was arraigned in Lake County Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon, according to Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff.

Authorities said Brown shot at California Highway Patrol officers Rob Hearn and Glen Thomas, Supervisor Rob Brown and two Caltrans workers on Monday morning.

Rob Brown told Lake County News that the group was at the site of an illegal road easement Buck Brown had cut between Cruickshank Road and Cole Creek Road on Highway 29 as the result of a property dispute. Caltrans was there to place k-rail in front of the cut Buck Brown made.

Buck Brown first approached the group on foot with a handgun, then left and returned in a pickup, got out and began shooting at them with a rifle before retreating into nearby trees and brush, according to CHP and Lake County Sheriff’s Office reports.

After a six-and-a-half-hour-long search for Brown, SWAT teams located him while serving a search warrant on his property. He surrendered without incident, authorities said.

While Brown was arrested at about 5 p.m. Monday, he wasn’t booked into the Lake County Jail until shortly after 1 a.m. Wednesday, based on jail records.

Hinchcliff said Brown has so far been charged with two counts of assault with a firearm on a peace officer, two counts of felony threats for the two Caltrans workers and two counts of negligent discharge of a firearm.

Brown also is charged with being a felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition, Hinchcliff said.

In 2003, Brown was convicted of felony drug possession, Hinchcliff said.

The court later reduced the charge from a felony to a misdemeanor because Brown attended drug court. However, Hinchcliff said the reduced conviction still prevents Brown from being able to possess a firearm.

When Brown was booked, the charges against him also included attempted murder. However, that so far has not been formally charged by the District Attorney’s Office, with Hinchcliff explaining that a great deal of investigative work remains to be done and the counts against him could change.

“We’ve just started, really,” he said of the District Attorney’s Office’s work on the case.

Brown’s bail has been set at $230,000, with attorney Mitchell Hauptman appointed as defense counsel, Hinchcliff said.

Hinchcliff said Brown is set to return to court on Tuesday, Aug. 22, for the appearance of counsel.

Because there were shots fired and officers were involved – although they didn’t return fire – the county’s officer-involved shooting protocol calls for an investigation, Hinchcliff said.

Hinchcliff said the District Attorney’s Office is handling that investigation, and on Wednesday was interviewing witnesses and people involved in the incident.

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.

NORTH LAKEPORT, Calif. – A vehicle rollover early Saturday morning left two people seriously injured, with one of them arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Michael Dale Bryant, 20, of Lakeport was arrested following the wreck, which occurred at 12:45 a.m. Saturday on Lakeshore Boulevard north of Deer Hill Lane in north Lakeport, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The CHP said Bryant was driving his 1997 Chevy 1500 pickup southbound on Lakeshore Boulevard with 17-year-old Shayla Munch, also of Lakeport, riding as his passenger.

For reasons the CHP said are yet to be determined, Bryant lost control of his pickup and exited a curve in the roadway.

Bryant’s pickup veered across the northbound lane of Lakeshore Boulevard, with the front of the truck hitting a post before exiting the shoulder and going into a ditch. The CHP said the pickup came to rest on its roof, east of Lakeshore Boulevard.

Bryant was not wearing his seatbelt and was partially ejected from the pickup, the CHP said.

The CHP said Bryant suffered major injuries to his right arm, shoulder and head, and was transported by REACH air ambulance to Kaiser Hospital in Vacaville.

Alcohol was determined to be a factor in the crash and the CHP said Bryant was placed under arrest prior to being transported to the hospital.

Munch, who was riding in the right front seat, was wearing a lap and safety belt at the time of the crash. The CHP said she sustained major injuries to her head and face.

The CHP said Munch was transported to Sutter Lakeside Hospital before she was flown by REACH air ambulance to UC Davis Medical Center.

CHP Officer Kory Reynolds said he did not have an update on the conditions of Bryant or Munch on Wednesday.

The cause of the collision is still under investigation, the CHP 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.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Konocti Lioness Club will host its inaugural “Camp Discovery Lake County” day camp for children in first through fifth grades next month.

The fun, free event will take place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 9, and Sunday, Sept. 10, at Clear Lake State Park, 5300 Soda Bay Road in Kelseyville.

The camp will host first through third graders on Saturday and fourth and fifth graders on Sunday.

Children should arrive by 8:45 a.m. to register. After registration, the children will be given a T-shirt and a morning snack.

There will be sport races; a visit with a police officer; basic first aid, as well as dental health and hand washing; arts and crafts; face painting; a visit to an ambulance and a fire truck; nutrition and diabetes education; story time; a challenge course; and a scavenger hunt.

Organizers said the children will be in teams of 10 with a chaperone at all times. Teams with animal names will separate and begin respective activities.

Free lunch is included for the participating children. If parents stay, their cost for lunch is $5.

During lunch, there will be a canine display, and the day will end with a yoga cool down and popcorn.

For more information visit the event’s Facebook page or to register call 707-812-4869, email Anna Hess at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or stop in at Common Grounds Coffee Shop in the Clear Lake Riviera.

There is a limit of 100 children per day.

Permission slips are required, and a parent or guardian must accompany the child to registration even if the form has been emailed in.

There is no charge to enter and exit the park for participants.