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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Health officials are reporting that testing has confirmed that a local teenager has meningitis, but the case does not pose a threat to other community members.
The Lower Lake High School student fell ill last week with what determined to be bacterial meningitis, according to the Lake County Public Health Department.
Local school, health care and public health authorities rapidly mobilized to prevent additional cases.
With the assistance of the California Department of Public Health’s laboratory, specialized laboratory techniques were able to identify the causative bacteria as streptococcus pneumoniae, Lake County Health Officer Karen Tait reported.
“This is a huge relief,” said Tait. “Even though pneumococcal meningitis is as serious an infection as meningococcal disease, it does not pose the same risk for outbreaks.”
Two different bacteria most commonly cause this form of meningitis, which is a rare, but serious illness, according to health officials.
Meningococcal infection tends to target children, teens and young adults and occasionally results in outbreaks of multiple cases.
Streptococcus pneumoniae (pneumococcus), the type of meningitis that the student was identified as having, is the other likely culprit, officials said.
In contrast to meningococcal infections, pneumococcal meningitis does not require public health interventions to prevent outbreaks.
Initial laboratory testing did not identify the cause of the infection, so officials opted to recommend treatment of close contacts to protect against the possibility of meningococcal disease.
Meningococcal disease is a serious infection that can cause an infection of the bloodstream (sepsis) and the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord (meningitis). Symptoms include fever, chills and, in some cases, headache, stiff neck, and rash.
The infection is spread through respiratory secretions and aerosols, but is not as easily spread as the common cold or influenza. Close contacts can be protected from the illness with preventive antibiotics, usually a single dose, if given soon after exposure.
As a precaution, local health care providers, Lower Lake High School and local public health authorities coordinated to offer this protection to potentially exposed students on Monday and Tuesday.
“We are so fortunate to have the assistance of the medical community at times like this,” said Tait. “Without their active participation in identifying and intervening on public health risks, we would not be as able to act as quickly as we did to a possible public health threat.”
Equally important in the effort was the role of the school district and its school nurses, who moved quickly to respond.
“We are confident that the quick and timely response and collaboration of Lake County Public Health, local health providers, and the Konocti Unified School District minimized the risk of an outbreak,” said Lake County Superintendent of Schools Brock Falkenberg.
Vaccines are available to protect against both pneumococcal and meningococcal infections, but they do not protect against all types, officials said.
Still, the vaccines are highly effective in reducing the frequency of serious infections. Officials recommend that both adults and children receive recommended vaccinations as part of their normal health care maintenance.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A visiting judge on Thursday denied a new trial motion to a man convicted last year for his part in a 2013 home invasion robbery and assault with a firearm on two men – one of them a police officer – and handed down a lengthy sentence.
Dion Andre Davis, 28, of San Francisco received the 69-years-to-life sentence on Thursday morning from retired visiting Judge James Garbolino, who presided over his trial last year.
“I'm just disappointed in the result,” defense attorney Bill Conwell told Lake County News afterward.
Davis was convicted last March for participating in the June 26, 2013, home invasion robbery at the Clearlake Oaks home of Ronnie and Janeane Bogner.
Davis and his co-defendants – including Sean Foss and Tyler Gallon – forced their way into the home that morning when Janeane and Jacob Bogner were home, along with Janeane Bogner's young grandchildren.
The Bogners were targeted by the group because Foss, a former employee of the Bogners' company, Weed Tech, claimed they had guns and money at their home.
During the robbery, as the men searched for money and weapons – only turning up $121 in cash, two old handguns and a pellet gun – Davis pistol-whipped Jacob Bogner and shot him in the leg.
After the home invasion, Davis, Foss, Gallon and Davis' girlfriend, Jenaya Jelinek – who drove a getaway car – fled the scene, taking with them Janeane Bogner's Cadillac Escalade, which they dumped down an embankment on Sulphur Bank Road on the way to Clearlake.
The group ended up in Clearlake, where they later were apprehended. As they tried to escape, Davis shot at Clearlake Police Lt. Tim Celli, who was in pursuit.
A jury found Davis guilty of armed robbery, burglary, assault with a firearm on Jacob Bogner, assault with a semiautomatic firearm on Bogner, mayhem on Bogner, grand theft of a firearm, vehicle theft, vandalism, making threats of violence to Celli, assault with a semiautomatic firearm on Celli, assault with a deadly weapon on Celli, negligent discharge of a firearm, accessory to a robbery or burglary, and conspiracy to commit a robbery or residential burglary, as Lake County News has reported.
At that time the jury also found true 21 special allegations for use of a firearm, inflicting great bodily injury on Bogner and entering an inhabited dwelling in concert with others.
Davis was tried along with his half-brother, Gregory Pierre Elarms. The jury deadlocked on the counts against Elarms – robbery, burglary, two firearms assaults on Bogner, two firearm assaults on Celli, grand theft, vehicle theft, vandalism and conspiracy – and the District Attorney's Office later dropped the case.
Davis' sentencing had gone through several delays since his conviction due to Conwell pursuing a new trial motion.
In the interim, Foss and Tyler Gallon, both of Clearlake, pleaded guilty to lesser charges in July.
The following month, Foss was sentenced to nine years in state prison for armed robbery, and assault with a deadly weapon on Bogner and Celli, and Gallon was sentenced to four years and four months in state prison for armed robbery, assault with a deadly weapon on Celli, auto theft, resisting an executive officer and vandalism, as Lake County News has reported.
Jelinek pleaded to second-degree burglary in an agreement with the District Attorney's Office in 2014, served time and was released.
New trial motion denied
On Thursday, Judge Garbolino first heard Conwell's motion for a new trial, which he ultimately denied.
Conwell's motion emphasized key areas of the investigation, including the work of former sheriff's Det. Doug Dahmen, who had failed to write reports, left out key information and who ultimately was the focus of special hearings during the trial relating to the accuracy of his work and the truthfulness of statements he had made to his superiors at the sheriff's office and to district attorney investigators.
During the identification process that Dahmen used, Jacob Bogner identified Davis and Janeane Bogner had misidentified another of the subjects believed to have been involved as Dexter Currington of San Francisco.
Currington later was arrested and spent six months in jail despite having provided alibi information that proved he was not involved to Dahmen.
Dahmen did not follow up on that information or record it in a report until months later. Currington eventually was released thanks to the work of his attorney, David Markham, in bringing exculpatory evidence to Anderson's attention.
“The misidentification of Currington had nothing to do with Davis,” District Attorney Don Anderson, who personally handled the case, said Thursday. “It could have had a lot to do with Greg Elarms.”
Dahmen had made several conflicting statements during the trial about his handling of the case. As a result, he became the focus of Brady proceedings, which are named for the 1963 US Supreme Court decision Brady v. Maryland, which requires that the prosecution turn over any exculpatory information to the defense – including information about the truthfulness of law enforcement officers involved in the case.
Anderson confirmed that Dahmen was placed on the Brady list his office holds for officers with credibility issues. County officials previously reported that Dahmen left the county's employment in April 2015.
“I think the issues regarding the Brady discovery are more important than the judge did,” Conwell told Lake County News.
After denying the new trial motion, Anderson said Garbolino gave Davis 44 years and eight months to life plus a 25-years-to-life sentence.
Anderson said Davis gets a 15 percent credit for the 44 year part of the sentence and then has to serve the additional 25 years before he would be considered eligible for parole.
That, he said, essentially makes it a life sentence.
“I'm thrilled that the justice system was able to take a dangerous felon off the street,” Celli told Lake County News on Thursday afternoon, adding, “The public is safer because of it.”
“I'm so happy,” said Janeane Bogner, who attended the sentencing with son Jacob. “To me, justice is served.”
She said she saw no remorse from Davis, recalling that the only thing he said during the hearing was to ask if he could have his cell phone back.
Neither she nor her son gave a victim impact statement to the court. However, some months ago her young granddaughter wrote a letter to the judge, explaining how it made her sad that her uncle had been shot, and asking the judge to keep Davis behind bars.
Despite the trauma of the the robbery, Bogner said her grandchildren are doing well. “We're so lucky they haven't been affected by it.”
She also expressed her thanks to the judge and jurors for their work, and to the many people who she said have been thinking of, and praying for, her family.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NICE, Calif. – A fire over this past weekend damaged a Northshore home.
Northshore Fire Chief Jay Beristianos said the fire in a single-family dwelling in the 3000 block of Lakeshore Drive in Nice was first reported shortly before 1 p.m. Saturday.
“The fire was spotted by a fisherman across the street and Northshore firefighters conducting water rescue training nearby,” Beristianos said.
Beristianos said the fisherman notified the home's residents of the fire.
The occupants were able to get out of the house and move their car before the fire destroyed the carport area, he said.
Beristianos said the fire extended into the house and an outbuilding on the property.
Along with Northshore Fire's response, Lakeport Fire sent an engine with a crew of three, Beristianos said.
The fire was controlled in about 30 minutes with a couple of hours of mop up, he added.
Beristianos said no injuries were reported.
Although the cause of the fire is believed to be accidental, Beristianos said it remains under investigation.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Lake, Napa and surrounding county residents joined #LakeCountyRising to raise more than $150,000 at the Charity Wine Auction on Sunday at the Culinary Institute of America in St. Helena.
More than 100 guests gathered for the charity wine auction, among whom were Linda Reiff of Napa Valley Vintners, Cyril Chappellet of Chappellet Winery and Clay Shannon, owner of Shannon Ridge Family of Wines.
Proceeds from Sunday’s auction were generated from the event’s 10 live auction lots, 20 silent auction lots, ticket sales, and donations from attending guests and supporters.
Since the devastating Valley fire, which scorched more than 115 square miles, destroyed 1,300 homes, and claimed the lives of four Lake County residents, #LakeCountyRising has raised nearly $1 million for Valley fire relief.
At the charity wine auction, it was apparent the overwhelming support from community members and wine industry supporters continues, even six months after the fire.
The afternoon opened with speakers Andy Beckstoffer and US Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-05), who commented on the deep and historic connection between Napa and Lake counties.
Focusing on the growth of Lake and Napa counties in the last 150 years, Beckstoffer highlighted the deep-rooted connection between the two counties, reminding guests that prior to 1851, Lake was actually part of Napa County.
In recounting the fire’s devastation, Congressman Thompson shared numerous anecdotes from evacuees and supporting community members who came together in the days following the Valley fire’s devastation.
His personal accounts of residents like Karen Cakebread, who provided meals to evacuees at the emergency shelter at the Calistoga fairgrounds, further demonstrated the joint coalition between Lake and Napa county residents.
The two most popular live auction lots from Sunday included a personal barrel lot of 2016 Cabernet from Beckstoffer’s famed Georges III Heritage Vineyard and crafted by Sinegal Estate” and the “Taste of Napa Valley Heritage,” which included dinner for two couples with Andy and Betty Beckstoffer at PRESS Napa Valley, four magnums from Beckstoffer’s Heritage Vineyards, a selection of famed Napa Valley wines to complement dinner and a copy of Kelli White’s Napa Valley Then & Now.
After receiving competitive bids from multiple bidders, both auction lots were made available to the first and second bidders, which raised a combined $81,000 for Sunday’s event.
Apart from auction lots, the event also showcased Lake County wines, poured by Aliénor Wines, Boatique Winery, Bodkin, Brassfield Estate Winery, Calvino Jones, Chacewater Winery, Fore Family Vineyards, Fults Family Vineyards, Gregory Graham Wines, Hawk and Horse Vineyards, Jelly Jar, Langtry Estate, Obsidian Ridge Vineyard, R Vineyards, Rock Wall Wine Co., Rosa d’Oro Vineyards, Shannon Ridge Family of Wines, Six Sigma Ranch, Sol Rouge and Steele Wines.
A special thanks is given to notable bidders, particularly Dwight Haldan, Tor Kenward and Todd Zapolski, who greatly contributed to the success of Sunday’s event.
In addition to these contributors, the event would not have been possible without the generous support of Tom Bensel, Bob Bath and the faculty and staff at the Culinary Institute of America, including Andy Wild, who not only led the culinary team at Sunday’s event, but headed a team of chefs at the evacuation center in the weeks following the Valley fire.
#LakeCountyRising is a collaborative fundraising effort of the Lake County Winegrape Commission, Lake County Winery Association and Lake County Wine Alliance to support long-term rebuilding in response to the devastating Valley Fire.
For more information, please visit www.lakecountyrising.org .
LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday police arrested a young Lakeport man for felony driving under the influence following a crash that injured another driver.
It was the second DUI arrest in four days for 18-year-old Parker John Coggins, according to Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
At 6:15 p.m. Tuesday Lakeport Police officers were dispatched to 11th Street near Safeway to investigate the report of an injury vehicle collision, Rasmussen said.
When they arrived, officers determined that a 1998 Volvo sedan traveling east on 11th Street, and driven by Coggins, collided with a 2000 Chevrolet Blazer traveling west on 11th Street, driven by a 43-year-old Clearlake Oaks man, causing major front-end damage to both vehicles, according to Rasmussen.
Rasmussen said officers determined that the Clearlake Oaks man had complaints of pain to his stomach, neck, back and left leg, and he was transported by Lakeport Fire Protection District ambulance to Sutter Lakeside Hospital for treatment.
During the investigation, Rasmussen said the officers noticed that Coggins was displaying signs and symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol and proceeded to conduct a series of field sobriety tests on him, which he failed.
Coggins was transported to the Lakeport Police Department where he submitted to a blood alcohol content test by breath. Rasmussen said the results showed that Coggins' blood alcohol content level was 0.13 percent; the legal limit is 0.08 percent.
Rasmussen said Coggins was booked into the Lake County Jail for felony drunk driving causing injury.
Jail records showed that Coggins remained in custody on Wednesday night, with bail set at $30,000.
This case remains under investigation but unsafe speed is also believed to be a factor in the collision, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said Coggins' arrest on Tuesday was his second for drunk driving in the city of Lakeport in a four-day period.
At about 9:15 p.m. Friday, March 18, a Lakeport Police officer working traffic enforcement in the area of S. Main Street and Lakeport observed a gray Chevrolet sedan fail to stop at the stop sign at S. Main St and Lakeport Boulevard before traveling west on Lakeport Boulevard at a high rate of speed, Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen said the officer noticed that the driver, Coggins, was displaying signs and symptoms of alcohol influence and that he had beer in the vehicle.
The officer conducted a series of field sobriety tests on Coggins, which he failed. Rasmussen said Coggins was arrested and booked for driving under the influence of alcohol, driving with alcohol in his blood while under 21 and being in possession of alcohol while under 21.
Rasmussen said his agency is dedicated to keeping its citizens safe by apprehending impaired motorists and he encouraged members of the community to report all intoxicated drivers.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Senior Activity Center is asking for the community's help in locating its stolen food truck.
Executive Director Jonathan Crooks said staff noticed that the truck – actually a small vintage trailer – was missing on Wednesday morning. He said it's possible it was taken as early as the weekend.
Crooks said it was parked in the parking lot at the Lakeport Senior Activity Center on Konocti Avenue.
He said someone cut the lock, hooked it up and drove off with it.
“It was a fundraising vehicle we purchased from the Elks Lodge in 2011 and used at different events to raise money for Meals on Wheels,” he said.
The trailer is painted blue and white, and has small propane tanks on the front hitch.
“We are hoping someone sees it and reports it to the police for us,” Crooks said.
Crooks said it has been reported both to the Lakeport Police Department and the California Highway Patrol.
Anyone who has information about it is asked to call the Lakeport Police Department at 707-263-5491 or the CHP's Clear Lake Area office at 707-279-0103.
Email Elizabeth Larson at