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KELSEYVILLE, Calif. – The Flavors of Fall Masquerade to benefit Riviera Elementary School will be held Saturday, Oct. 22.
The fundraiser will be held from 5:30 to 10 p.m. at Mt. Konocti Growers, 2550 Big Valley Road in Kelseyville.
The evening begins with a VIP wine tasting hosted by local Sommelier Stephanie Cruz, followed by dinner catered using ingredients from the Riviera Elementary School garden program.
There will be a live auction with master of ceremonies Martin Scheel. DJ Tony Barthel of Sounds like FUN DJ will provide the music.
Tickets are $55 per person. VIP tables cost $500 and include a private tasting class with Cruz.
To purchase tickets visit http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/2595476 .
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – In addition to many state propositions, Lake County's voters will decide on several local ballot measures set to appear on the November ballot.
Nine local ballot measures are on this fall's ballot, according to Registrar of Voters Diane Fridley.
The measures are targeted to specific communities and uses, so all nine won't go before all county voters.
The fall measures include:
– Measure A: A $4 million bond measure for the Lucerne Elementary School District.
– Measure B: Raises the appropriations limit for the South Lake County Fire Protection District.
– Measure C: A cannabis cultivation tax in the county's unincorporated areas that exempts personal use but charges $1 per square foot on outdoor cultivation sites, $2 per square foot on a mixed-light cultivation sites and $3 per square foot on indoor cultivation sites, which will raise an estimated $8 million annually.
– Measure Q: A $33.5 million bond measure from the Yuba and Woodland community colleges aimed at continuing improvements to campuses.
– Measure V: A one-cent sales tax in the city of Clearlake that would be used for road maintenance and improvement. It's estimated to raise $1.6 million annually. It must pass by a two-third or supermajority of voters.
– Measure W: It would make Clearlake's city clerk position appointed, not elected.
– Measure X: Proposal to make Clearlake's city treasurer position appointed, not elected.
– Measure Y: A $29.6 million bond measure by the Konocti Unified School District for additional upgrades, modernization and new facilities at district campuses.
– Measure Z: A one-cent sales tax to improve Lakeport's roads, maintain and enhance public safety services, improve youth and recreational programs. Estimated to generate $1.5 million annually. A simple majority vote is required.
In a series of articles Lake County News will explain the measures, the intention behind them and opposition to their passage.
This article will focus on Measure A, Lucerne Elementary's bond, and South Lake County Fire Protection District's Measure B.
Measure A: Improving Lucerne Elementary's outdated school facilities
Lucerne Elementary School District is asking voters in its area to give the go-ahead on a $4 million bond, Measure A, that district officials said will fund much-needed improvements to facilities and technology, and modernize or – in some cases – build new classrooms.
The school, which is kindergarten through eighth grade, was first established in 1923. Today, it sits on a 6.5-acre campus at 3351 Country Club Drive, where the school was built in 1974. Last year's enrollment was estimated at between 250 and 260 students.
With the school in serious need of upgrades, including replacing nearly a dozen portable classrooms, this spring the district board approved beginning a telephone poll of voters, according to district officials.
At the June 8 board meeting, Superintendent/Principal Mike Brown presented the polling results, which were “very positive,” according to Lisa Cockerton, the district's business manager.
Under the provisions of Proposition 39, Measure A would need to pass by a 55-percent vote. Cockerton said polling results came in at about 70 percent.
The following week, on June 15, the Lucerne Elementary School Board held a special meeting during which it discussed and approved placing the bond measure before voters this fall.
“We're asking for the voters to approve a $4 million bond,” Cockerton explained.
The measure's language estimates that the tax rate to be levied to fund the bonds would be $30 per $100,000 of assessed valuation annually beginning in fiscal year 2017-18 and continuing through 2029-30.
Considering the district's tax base, Cockerton said the district only intends to seek a sale of $2 million in bonds initially if the measure is passed. The other $2 million would be pursued at some point in the future, as property values continue to improve.
Cockerton said the district hopes to be able to get some state matching funds, and it might qualify for hardship assistance due to the age of its facilities.
That hardship assistance, plus a state facility bond on the November ballot, ultimately could add another $2 million to the $4 million Measure A promises to bring in, she said.
Explaining the district's needs, Cockerton said that the majority of Lucerne Elementary's classrooms are portables that were installed from 1989 to 1991. They're well beyond their normal life expectancy of about 20 years.
“We've maintained them very well. You can't tell they're falling apart,” she said. However, “They're not going to last that much longer.”
If voters approve Measure A, Cockerton said the district would use a global priority list to help establish what projects to first pursue first.
Cockerton said a project at the top of the list is building a main wing with primary classrooms to replace five or six of the one dozen portables, starting with the oldest first.
As for technology, Cockerton said the district already has been spending a lot of funding on technology, with a brand new computer lab, and iPad and laptop carts, achieving a student-to-computer ratio of two to one.
Now, with good hardware at the ready, they would like to improve the IT infrastructure so the campus is fully wired, she said.
She said they're also looking at restructuring the entrance into the parking lot to make it broader, which would improve the flow of traffic. The parking lot also needs to be repaved.
Additionally, the school's aging playground equipment will be upgraded, Cockerton said.
How the bond's proceeds are used will be determined by a citizens' oversight committee, according to the measure's language.
However, the bond language also ensures that the bond funding goes only to projects – not to salaries, administration or overhead.
No arguments against the measure have been submitted to the Registrar of Voters Office.
Measure B: Raising South Lake Fire's spending limit doesn't raise taxes
This fall, the South Lake County Fire Protection District isn't asking voters to pay more.
Rather, Measure B will raise the district's appropriations limit on the amount of property tax funds it can spend, according to District Board President Jim Comisky.
“There's no change, there's no extra tax whatsoever,” he said.
Essentially, the district is asking voters for an override of spending limits set by Proposition 4, a state constitutional provision which voters approved in 1979 and which was updated by voters in 1988 and 1990.
Proposition 4 limits the level of appropriations from tax sources that many local and state entities can make in a given year, which generally is set at the limit for the prior year with adjustments for cost of living and population, according to state documents.
Those appropriations limits – or ceilings on what can be spent – must regularly be updated through measures such as Measure B according to Comisky.
Measure B would allow tax monies collected over and above Proposition 13 to be used to maintain the fire district's current level of service.
“It's allowing us to spend what we're able to bring in,” Comisky said.
Otherwise, if the limit isn't raised, anything that exceeded it would roll into the county's general fund. Voters wouldn't get it back, Comisky said.
If the measure were to fail, the district's annual budget would be reduced by one-third, which officials said would drastically reduce the district's staffing and services.
The last time the South Lake County Fire Protection District put a similar measure on the ballot was in November 2012, when Measure F – which did the same thing as Measure B proposes to do – was approved by a 64 to 35 percent margin, according to Registrar of Voters Office records.
No arguments against the measure have been submitted to the Registrar of Voters Office.
Editor’s note: A previous version of the story had the Lucerne Elementary enrollment lower based on an education reporting site. Cockerton gave the updated number.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Saturday, Oct. 22, is a nationwide day of volunteering, known as “Make A Difference Day.”
For the 17th year in a row here in Lake County, there will be a collection of nonperishable food for local communities. The total amount of food collected in the first 16 years is 59,928 pounds.
Several years ago, Lake Transit Authority joined the effort and it was turned into the “Stuff-A-Bus” event.
Lake Transit will once again park two buses that will be stuffed with the food collected. From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Oct. 22, North Coast Opportunities, Community Action and the Lake County Hunger Task Force will be staffing the two collection sites along with volunteers from the Kelseyville High School Interact club and AmeriCorps.
One bus will be parked at the Clearlake Grocery Outlet store in Clearlake and the other at Bruno's Shop Smart in Lakeport.
All of the food collected will stay in Lake County. Local pantries and senior centers are greatly in need of donations to fill their shelves. These pantries operate year-round, and are invaluable to their local communities.
This food collection will be split evenly between the Live Oak Senior Center, Lakeport Senior Center, Highlands Senior Center, Northshore Community Center, Catholic Charities Rural Food Project in Kelseyville, Helping Hand, Clear Lake Gleaners, The Bridge, CCHAP, Snake Lady Yvonne Cox, Lake Family Resource Center, One Step Away, Kelseyville Presbyterian Church, Healthy Start, United Christian Parish, United Methodist Church, Clearlake and Middletown, Fresh Winds and North Coast Opportunities.
There are barrels out now at several locations to collect food before the actual event. The barrels are located at the Lakeport Library, Peoples Services thrift stores and offices, Lake County Office of Education, Konocti Christian Academy, Meadowbrook Headstart, Woodland Community College, Clearlake campus Culinary club, Riviera Foods, Clearlake Grocery Outlet, Cobb Mountain Elementary School, Live Well Clinic and St. Helena Clinic in Clearlake, and Social Services.
If you would like to make a donation and are unable to bring it on Saturday, please take it to one of the above locations. Please, no expired or past dated food.
The effort is once again counting on the generosity of local people to make a difference.
Additional volunteers will be welcome at either site. They must be registered beforehand, so please call Tammy Alakszay at 707-994-4647, Extension 123; Lorrie Gray at 707-277-9227; or sign up at www.ncoinc.org .
In today's political climate it is evident that honesty and integrity are so sadly lacking in many candidates for public office. This is one of the reasons that I strongly support Tina Scott for Lake County supervisor for District 4.
Tina has a proven record of caring for and serving her community in an honorable and dignified manner.
She also has proven results – as a school board member securing passage of a $17 million bond that will bring much needed additional funding to Lakeport students; as a foster parent, providing a stable and loving home to more than 60 foster children. And so many more examples.
As a business person, I am concerned about the current economics in Lake County. We must put much more emphasis on bringing in businesses and marketing our greatest assets, including our spectacular lake, our award-winning wineries, our clean air and the fact that Lake County an incredible place to live and work.
Tina Scott understands this and has many great ideas to implement change. Most importantly, she has the leadership ability and respect of the people to inspire and motivate others around a common goal.
As icing on the cake, she has pledged to provide 20 percent of her salary to nonprofits focused on youth and senior programs.
Please join me in voting for Tina Scott on Nov. 9 so that we can elect a full-time, educated, intelligent, honest candidate with fresh eyes and forward-thinking ideas as the supervisor for District 4.
Anita McKee lives in Kelseyville, Calif.
CLEARLAKE, Calif. – Clearlake Animal Control has more dogs and a cat awaiting homes this week.
This week's featured dogs include mixes of Chihuahua, Miniature Pinscher and terrier, plus a kitten and an adult cat.
To meet the animals, contact Marcia Taylor, the animal control outreach technician, at 707-994-8201, Extension 103, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, or contact Animal Control Officer Jenna Tuller at Extension 115 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. those same days or leave a message on Fridays or weekends.
Also follow Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook for the latest updates.
Below are this week's available pets.
'Ouzo'
“Ouzo” is a medium-sized adult female Labrador Retriever and border collie mix.
She has a short black and white coat.
Shelter staff said she is a lovable girl that likes to talk with you. She loves to go for walks or even jogging, and wants to be your best buddy and hang out.
Ouzo would do best in a home where she is the only dog, with no other pets.
'Savannah'
“Savannah” is a young gray and white short hair mix cat who is offered for a reduced adoption fee.
Shelter staff said she has been a wonderful mother and now is looking for her place in the world. She loves attention but can be independent as well.
She also loves to play, is very confident around dogs and will not run away, and is housebroken. She can be spayed prior to placement for an additional fee.
'Yogi'
“Yogi” is a male Anatolian Shepherd and mastiff mix with a short brindle coat.
“Yogi is a wonderful boy that is playful and full of love,” according to shelter staff.
He is good with other dogs and cats, and shelter staff said he will make a excellent best friend.
The staff all likes him and wants him to find a good loving home.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The California Highway Patrol recognizes National Teen Driver Safety Week Oct. 16 to 22, which provides an excellent opportunity for families to have lifesaving conversations with their teen drivers.
Motor vehicle collisions are the leading cause of death for teenagers, ahead of all other types of injury, disease, or violence.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reports that nationwide in 2014, 2,670 drivers age 15 to 19 were involved in fatal crashes, resulting in 3,004 deaths.
In 2014 in California, 262 teens were behind the wheel at the time of fatal collisions. Sixty-five percent of those young drivers were at fault.
“Even as teens become more independent, their families still have a strong influence,” CHP Commissioner Joe Farrow said. “Young people whose parents or guardians set firm rules for driving typically engage in less risky driving behaviors and are involved in fewer collisions.”
Inexperience is the leading cause of teen collisions. The safest way for young drivers to gain experience is for a parent or guardian to ride with them frequently and monitor their progress.
By helping their teenager gain experience, parents and guardians should also highlight the five most deadly behaviors for new drivers:
– Alcohol consumption: Driving or riding with anyone under the influence of alcohol or drugs can have deadly consequences.
– Driving without seat belts: Wearing a seat belt is one of the simplest ways for anyone to stay safe and survive in a collision, but too many teens and their passengers do not buckle up.
– Distracted driving: Eyes must be on the road and hands on the wheel all of the time.
– Speeding: Almost one-third of drivers under age 20 involved in fatal collisions in 2014 were speeding.
– Carrying extra passengers: Research shows the risk of a fatal collision goes up in direct relation to the number of passengers in the car.
As part of its commitment to educating the motoring public, the CHP has developed several programs for teen drivers and their families:
– Start Smart is a driver safety education class that targets new and future licensed drivers between the ages of 15-19 and their parents/guardians. The CHP has released a mobile application (app) for Start Smart, designed to assist young people through the process of obtaining their California driver license. The app includes a step-by-step guide covering everything from the Department of Motor Vehicles Driver Handbook and the final steps for obtaining a provisional license, to ultimately achieving an unrestricted California driver license.
– Every 15 Minutes focuses on high school juniors and seniors, challenging them to think about drinking, driving, personal safety, the responsibility of making mature decisions, and the impact their decisions have on family, friends, and many others.
The CHP also works with Impact Teen Drivers, a nonprofit organization dedicated to saving lives through evidence-based educational programs that support good decision-making strategies behind the wheel.
“Although we focus on teens because they are uniquely vulnerable to car crashes because of their driving inexperience, the overarching mission is to change the culture of driving to one that is distraction-free. We partner with teen influencers – law enforcement, educators, and parents, to empower everyone in the community to commit to safe driving choices," said Dr. Kelly Browning, executive director of Impact Teen Drivers.
“National Teen Driver Safety Week is about bringing awareness to the well-being of newly licensed teen drivers who are hitting America’s roadways,” said Rhonda Craft, director of the Office of Traffic Safety. “By encouraging cautious and responsible driving habits among teens, we are helping to create safer roadways for everyone.”
The CHP is aware of the importance of role models in a youth’s development. Education of new drivers and their families is regarded as a critical function by the CHP to help keep everyone safe on California’s roadways.
The mission of the CHP is to provide the highest level of safety, service and security to the people of California.