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LAKEPORT, Calif. – Lake County’s state senator joined local officials on Wednesday night to give an update on the assistance available to dozens of community members who remain out of their homes due to the flooding.
Sen. Mike McGuire, Sheriff Brian Martin, District 4 Supervisor Tina Scott, District 5 Supervisor Rob Brown, Lakeport Mayor Stacey Mattina, Lakeport City Manager Margaret Silveira, Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen, Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg, Lakeport Community Development Director Kevin Ingram and Lakeport Finance Director Nick Walker were on hand for the meeting with residents at the evacuation center at the Lakeport Seventh-day Adventist Church.
More than 80 Lakeport residents displaced by the floods last month – many of them from the Will-O-Point Resort – are residing at the evacuation shelter, now run jointly by the Red Cross and the church. The shelter is scheduled to close at the end of this month.
McGuire told Lake County News that $90,000 has been committed – from the California Community Services Department, the city of Lakeport and other sources – to help the displaced residents with temporary housing, with as much as another $30,000 still to come.
Those funds, said McGuire, are believed to be enough to help the displaced residents for about four months.
He said California Human Development will administer the funds to evacuees, and will be in charge of signing them up for temporary housing and assistance.
The point of the meeting was to give evacuees information about assistance that is being made available to them, in particular, help with finding a temporary place to live.
In the case of Will-O-Point, the California Department of Housing and Community Development – which has jurisdiction over mobile home parks – has red-tagged all 41 trailers in the resort, where the sewer, water and electrical infrastructure has been damaged, according to city officials.
That means that, even while the mandatory evacuation orders for other neighborhoods that were originally issued on Feb. 20 are being lifted, Will-O-Point residents could be looking at weeks or months before they can return home.
McGuire – with the assistance of a Spanish interpreter – told the group that he couldn’t imagine having to be away from his home in such circumstances. He said the goal was to help transition them into a more permanent living situation.
He told evacuees that there is still too much water in Will-O-Point for the park to be repopulated, along with the damage to homes and infrastructure. State officials must inspect the homes and the water and sewer lines before residents can return home.
Due to the damage, McGuire said some of the homes may be permanently red-tagged.
Silveira said the city has put together a plan for temporary housing at Konocti Harbor Resort and Spa, which also has provided temporary housing for fire survivors.
She said 22 units – that sleep up to 6 people each – are available, with rent at $1,000 a month per unit.
McGuire told Lake County News that residents at Will-O-Point currently are spending an average of about $500 per month on rent.
The temporary housing funds will be used to pay the difference along with utilities, Silveira said. They also will pay for deposits to help families and individuals get into permanent housing situations.
Additionally, Brown said he’s working with the city as well as local vineyard and orchard owners to find long-term housing solutions.
Rasmussen said he’s arranged for Will-O-Point residents to be escorted into the resort on Thursday in order to remove important personal items that they weren’t able to take previously.
He said what they can take this trip will be limited to what they can store under their beds at the shelter, adding that he will arrange for more trips into the resort on different days for those who couldn’t make it Thursday. Rasmussen said there also will be opportunities to retrieve more items as conditions improve.
Police on Thursday will have gloves, hand sanitizer and other items to help individuals going into their homes to get items, he said.
Falkenberg said the local schools want to make sure children continue to come to class, and so he said they are developing a busing plan to get the children from Konocti Harbor to Lakeport Unified.
Sheriff Martin spoke to the group directly in Spanish, addressing concerns from some of them about their status in the country. He said he has no desire to separate families.
“I have other jobs to do. That is not my job,” Martin said of acting on immigration-related issues, adding that he was more concerned about getting people into their homes.
Officials also fielded a number of questions from Will-O-Point residents concerned about whether their homes are being protected. Rasmussen said his staff is patrolling the resort to secure the residences.
McGuire lauded the local officials for their efforts to respond to the needs of the displaced residents. He said the California Department of Housing and Community Development also has been working in Lake County and is busy in the current situation.
McGuire has been a staunch advocate of Lake County and worked to get its residents assistance in previous disasters and emergencies, in particular, the Rocky, Jerusalem, Valley and Clayton fires.
Of this latest emergency, he said, “We’ll be here throughout this one as well.”
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – On Wednesday the Lake County Sheriff’s Office took three men into custody in connection to a theft case and arrested a fourth for resisting arrest during a search warrant service.
Fabian Rosales-Reyes, Raymond Casillas and Carlos Casillas were arrested in connection with the theft, while a fourth man, Damian Rosales-Reyes, was arrested for obstruction, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
On Feb. 15 Lake County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to Robinson Rancheria Casino in Upper Lake for the report of a theft that was captured on video surveillance, Brooks said.
Upon viewing the footage, Brooks said deputies were able to identify the suspects as Fabian Rosales-Reyes, Raymond Casillas and Carlos Casillas.
The footage showed one suspect sitting next to the victim at a card table. The video showed the suspect, using his foot to push the victim’s purse away from the table, behind him where the second suspect was standing. The third suspect was seen acting as a lookout on the casino floor, Brooks said.
Brooks said the purse eventually was pushed far enough away from the table so the suspect standing behind the victim could reach into it and remove $1,500 in cash. The three suspects then left the casino within minutes of stealing the money.
Brooks said a records search showed the three suspects were validated gang members with an extensive history of violence.
On Wednesday, the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Gang Task Force, with the assistance of Lake County Sheriff’s Major Crimes Unit and Lake County Sheriff’s Special Weapons and Tactics, or SWAT, Team, executed a search warrant and arrest warrants for the three suspects in the 800 block of Central Park Avenue in Lakeport, according to Brooks.
A search of the residence was conducted and items related to the theft were located. Gang paraphernalia was seized along with methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia, Brooks said.
Brooks said Rosales-Reyes was booked into the Lake County Jail for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and participation in a criminal street gang. Rosales-Reyes was on felony probation out of Lake County. Rosales-Reyes was put on a no bail hold.
Carlos Casillas and Raymond Casillas both were booked on charges of grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and participating in a criminal street gang, and held on $40,000 and $50,000 bail, respectively, according to Brooks.
Raymond Casillas was booked into the Lake County Jail for grand theft, conspiracy to commit a crime and participating in a criminal street gang, with bail set at $50,000.
Damian Rosales-Reyes also was placed under arrest for obstruction of justice/resisting arrest during the execution of the search warrant.
Anyone who has had dealings with Carlos Casillas, Raymond Casillas or Fabian Rosales-Reyes related to this case is encouraged to contact Det. Shamus Stafford of the Lake County Sheriff’s Office Major Crimes Unit at 707-262-4231.
KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – An annual fundraiser dinner planned for Saturday will help a local church continue its mission of assisting those who need a hand up.
Kelseyville Presbyterian Church’s Housing Task Force dinner will take place beginning at 5:30 p.m. Saturday at the church, 5340 Third St.
The cost for tickets is $15 for adults and $10 for children.
The event will feature a brisket dinner followed by a dessert auction, plus a silent auction.
The Housing Task Force helps community members who are in need of emergency assistance to pay rent and bills.
One of its most important functions in the last few years is offering assistance to individuals impacted by the wildland fires.
In addition to the Housing Task Force, the church’s programs include a twice-monthly food pantry.
On Tuesday, the church food pantry had a record-breaking day, giving away 114 bags of food and serving 370 people, many of them community members displaced by the flooding last month.
For more information about the dinner and the church, or to purchase advance tickets to the event, please call the church at 707-279-1104. Tickets also will be available at the door.
WILLITS, Calif. – On Tuesday, March 7, Terrace Vikings sent 11 wrestlers – 10 boys and one girl – to compete at the Willits Invitational Middle School Wrestling Tournament.
Out of the 11 wrestlers competing for the Vikings, all 11 would medal.
The Vikings finished with five gold medals, three silver medals and three bronze medals.
Gold medalists
In the girls’ division Ashley Pyorre (94 lbs.) went 2-0 with 2 pins.
In the boys’ division, Blake Moak (heavyweight) was 3-0 with three pins. Liam Wayment (185 lbs.) went 2-0 with two pins. Uzziel Alvarez (168 lbs.) was 2-0 with one pin. Liam Davis (109 lbs.) was 2-0 with two pins.
Silver medalists
Nathan Pyorre (80 lbs.) was 1-1 with one pin. Jonathan Werner (180 lbs.) went 1-1 with one pin. Raymond Gonzales-Shoaf (HWT) was 2-1 with one pin.
Bronze medalists
Samuel Vanoven (104 lbs.), Landon Bethel (124 lbs.) and Carlos Villanueva (80 lbs.)
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Crystal Marie Dexter, age 35, left this life on Jan. 26, 2017, in Clearlake due to complications related to a seizure disorder.
Crystal is survived by her children, Austin Dexter, age 16, Jerimiah Batcheldor, age 9, and Jasmine Batcheldor, age 7, of Anderson, Calif.; her mother, Cecilia Jane Mauzey of Hood River, Ore.; her brothers, Rocky Dexter and Adam Harvill; her sisters, Trinity Hamilton, Felicia Windham and Helen Windham, all of Oregon; and by many aunts, uncles and cousins. She was especially close to her favorite Aunt Rita Hendershot of Parkdale, Ore.
Crystal was preceded in death by her father, Hayden LeRoy Hamilton of Idaho; her grandparents, Clifford and Celia Dexter of Hood River, Moffett Hamilton of Idaho and Ketura Flanigan of Washington.
Crystal was born on May 28 in Hood River, Ore., where she spent her early years, and attended schools except for a period when she lived in Hermiston, Ore., with her father.
She acquired the nicknames, “Sweetie” and “Pistol” at a very young age and they followed her throughout her adult life. Sweetie was the sweet little girl who loved to cuddle up on your lap with a warm blanket and a book whereas Pistol was just the opposite full of spit and vinegar and you did not want to be on the receiving end of her anger.
Crystal lived most of her adult life in California. Crystal was happiest when she was with her children. She had a playful nurturing spirit, she loved to garden barefooted letting her toes mingle with the earth, and also loved fishing and camping. Crystal never turned away a stray animal in need of care.
Crystal’s life ended suddenly and her untimely departure leaves an unfillable void in the lives of those who knew her.
A celebration of Crystal’s life with reception is planned for 2 p.m. March 17 at Anderson's Tribute Center (Funerals • Receptions • Cremations) 1401 Belmont Ave., Hood River, Oregon 97031. Everyone is welcome to attend and celebrate Sweetie’s life.
The family would like to thank you in advance for any contributions made in her memory. Memorials can be made directly to Anderson’s Tribute Center or given directly to family members.
Visit www.AndersonsTributeCenter.com to leave a note of condolence for the family.
MIDDLETOWN, Calif. – Well-loved and with a quick wit, Walt Campbell is the Middletown Luncheon Club speaker in March.
Lunch will be served on Wednesday, March 15, by the senior center at noon at the Middletown Senior Center, 21256 Washington St. The program will end promptly at 1 p.m.
For only $5 per person, enjoy a meal of roasted pork loin, scalloped potatoes and broccoli salad.
Campbell currently is the sales and hospitality director for Six Sigma Vineyard and Ranch, but folks probably know him best as the principal of Coyote Valley Elementary School from 1997 to 2008.
He arrived in Lake County in 1976 to teach science and coach football at Lower Lake High School. Those who have enjoyed the opportunity to chat with Campbell know that his freewheeling style and humorous approach to just about everything will make for an entertaining luncheon.
Reservations are required. Before 6 pm Tuesday, call 707-987-3113 to make your reservation. After 6 p.m. Tuesday, please call the senior center directly, 707-987-3113, to cancel or reserve your spot.