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LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lake County Library invites the public to provide feedback and discuss broadband Internet access with Cathy Emerson, manager of the Upstate California Connect Consortium.
Emerson will meet with the public at three Lake County library branches on Thursday, Nov. 14, to gather information toward the UCCC’s goal of implementing “a broadband infrastructure plan that will provide a cohesive, integrated and robust …network infrastructure that will interconnect …Colusa, Glenn, Lake and Sonoma [Counties] together for the first time.”
Lakeport Library will host the first meeting from 10:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at 1425 N. High St.
The second meeting will take place from 1:30 p.. to 2:30 p.m. at Middletown Library, 21256 Washington St.
The third meeting will begin at 3:30 p.m. at Redbud Library, 14785 Burns Valley Road in Clearlake.
For more information about the broadband meetings contact county librarian Christopher Veach at 707-263-8817.
The UCCC Web site www.upcalbroadband.org explains the consortium’s mission, the connection project and its members and community partners.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop conducted Wednesday evening by a Sheriff’s K9 Unit, has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of marijuana.
Jeff Gabriel Hughes, 44, of Laytonville was arrested for the possession of marijuana for sales, sales of marijuana and the transportation of marijuana, according to Lt. Steve Brooks.
On Wednesday at 5:10 p.m. a sheriff’s k9 unit was actively patrolling in the area of Clearlake Oaks when the deputy noticed a vehicle traveling eastbound on Highway 20 that crossed over the double yellow lines into the oncoming lane of traffic, Brooks said.
Brooks said the deputy conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and New Long Valley Road and contacted Hughes, the driver, and explained the reason why he was stopped.
As the deputy was talking to Hughes, he smelled the odor of marijuana coming from inside the vehicle. Hughes told the deputy he had a small amount of marijuana in the vehicle, which was for his personal use, Brooks said.
The deputy deployed his K9 partner to conduct an exterior sniff of the vehicle. As the dog approached the trunk of the vehicle she produced a positive alert, indicating there was the odor of a controlled substance present, according to Brooks.
Brooks said the deputy had Hughes step out of the vehicle and informed him about the K9 alerting to his vehicle. When he told Hughes that he would be searching his vehicle, Hughes immediately admitted to having 5 pounds of processed marijuana.
Deputies searched the vehicle and located five bags of processed marijuana that were seized as evidence. Brooks said deputies also located $802, which was also seized pending asset forfeiture proceedings.
Hughes told the deputy he was on his way to Lake Tahoe to sell the marijuana. He said he was going to get $1,500 for each bag, Brooks said.
Hughes was arrested and transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked. Bail was set at $20,000, with jail records indicating Hughes remained in custody Thursday evening.
Brooks said the five bags of processed marijuana weighed a total 5.19 pounds.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – A Thursday fire destroyed a north Lakeport home.
The fire, dispatched at 11:21 a.m., occurred in a summer residence located next to the Northport Trailer Resort at 5020 Lakeshore Blvd., according to Lakeport Fire Chief Ken Wells.
Wells said the home – located on the lakeshore behind a security gate next to the resort – was three-quarters involved by the time firefighters arrived at the scene.
Firefighters were able to keep the fire contained to the property, with the only nearby structure that was threatened being a fence, Wells said. Some smoke traveled to the nearby trailer resort.
There were no injuries, said Wells.
However, the home – estimated to be about 2,500 square feet in size – was a total loss, he said.
Wells said the fire was contained just before 2 p.m., but at that point he anticipated firefighters would remain on scene for overhaul and mop up for up to another four hours.
“We're waiting for the investigators to come as well,” said Wells, adding that he did not have an idea yet of the cause.
He said 19 firefighters were on scene, with resources coming from Lakeport Fire, Kelseyville Fire and Northshore Fire.
County roads personnel also were on scene helping to do traffic control on Lakeshore Boulevard, because Wells said the hydrant supply line was crossing the roadway.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – Hundreds of company-owned Blockbuster stores across the United States – including the only local store – are set to close by early next year.
DISH Network Corp., which owns Blockbuster, said Wednesday said it will close Blockbuster's retail stores by mid-January 2014, with DVD by mail distribution operations to end by the middle of this December.
Approximately 300 remaining U.S.-based retail stores and distribution centers will be shuttered, according to DISH Network.
Only franchised and licensed stores in the U.S. and abroad are to remain open for business, according to the statement.
Lake County has one Blockbuster store, located at 359 Lakeport Blvd., in the Bruno's Shopping Center in Lakeport.
The management of the Lakeport store had no information on the situation and instead referred Lake County News to the corporation for comment.
In response to a request from Lake County News for information about the Lakeport store, DISH Network spokesman John Hall reported there are approximately 50 franchised stores in the U.S. and they are not affected by Wednesday's announcement.
However, according to Hall, no stores in California are franchise stores, which means all California stores – including Lakeport's – will all be closing in January.
“This is not an easy decision, yet consumer demand is clearly moving to digital distribution of video entertainment," said Joseph P. Clayton, DISH president and chief executive officer, in a written statement released Wednesday.
"Despite our closing of the physical distribution elements of the business, we continue to see value in the Blockbuster brand, and we expect to leverage that brand as we continue to expand our digital offerings,” Clayton said.
With the closure of Blockbuster's retail and by-mail operations, DISH indicated that it will now turn its attention to digital delivery, including the “Blockbuster@Home” service to DISH customers and the transactional streaming service for the general market, Blockbuster On Demand.
This is the latest action by Blockbuster, which over the last year and a half has divested itself of assets in the United States, as well international assets, including operations in the United Kingdom and Scandinavia.
DISH officials said the corporation will continue to support Blockbuster's domestic and international franchise operations, relationships and agreements.
DISH also will retain licensing rights to the Blockbuster brand, and key assets, including the company's significant video library.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport Unified School District Board voted last month to refinance outstanding general obligation bonds, a decision that is anticipated to result in large savings for district taxpayers.
The refinancing of the $1.64 million in bonds, which the board trustees authorized at their Oct. 10 meeting, will save the district’s property owners an estimated $52,000 in taxes over the next three years, according to district officials.
“Our board felt that as stewards of tax dollars, it was the right thing to do,” said district Superintendent Erin Smith-Hagberg. “The passage of time and a lower interest rate environment provided the opportunity to refund the old bonds.”
Two-thirds of voters in the district’s November 2001 election approved a $7.5 million general obligation bond measure, according to board documents.
Those bond proceeds were used to repair and renovate classrooms in the schools and construct the Marge Alakszay Center multipurpose building.
The district reported that the interest rates on the outstanding bonds from the 2002 authorization ranged from 4.25 percent to 4.75 percent.
The interest rates for the new bonds to be issued this December will range from 1.28 percent to 1.83 percent, a difference that the district said will save property owners $52,000 over the next three years.
Additionally, the report to the board indicated the refinancing cost the district nothing and did not extend the bond term.
“If we have an opportunity to save local taxpayers money, especially in this economy, then we should pursue it,” said Lakeport Unified School Board President Phil Kirby.
District officials said property owners in the district will see a reduced tax rate on future tax bills.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – A vehicle stop Tuesday evening has resulted in one arrest and the seizure of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Miguel Antonio Velez, 31, of Kelseyville was arrested following the traffic stop, according to Lt. Steve Brooks of the Lake County Sheriff's Office.
On Tuesday at approximately 4:35 p.m. narcotics detectives were traveling eastbound on Highway 20 in Upper Lake. Brooks said they noticed a vehicle traveling in front of them which had numerous vehicle code violations.
They conducted an enforcement stop in the area of Highway 20 and Government Street in Upper Lake, Brooks said.
The detectives contacted a passenger in the vehicle who they immediately recognized as Velez, who they knew had several outstanding warrants for his arrest. He also was on felony post release community supervision probation, according to Brooks.
Brooks said detectives had Velez exit the vehicle and noticed a black pouch lying on the seat next to where he had been sitting. Inside the bag detectives located two hypodermic needles, two spoons containing a white residue and a cut straw, commonly used to ingest illegal drugs.
Velez was arrested for the outstanding warrants and the drug paraphernalia, Brooks said.
Prior to transporting Velez, detectives asked if he had anything else concealed upon his person. Brooks said they explained that additional charges would be added if he brought anything illegal into the correctional facility.
Velez advised he had methamphetamine concealed in a body orifice. He then removed the methamphetamine, which was in a bag and dropped it onto the ground, Brooks said.
Velez told the detectives that the bag contained four grams of methamphetamine. Detectives seized the bag and noticed it contained a white crystalline substance, which they recognized to be methamphetamine, Brooks said.
Valez also was arrested for the possession of a controlled substance. Brooks said Velez was transported to the Lake County Hill Road Correctional Facility and booked.
Detectives weighed the methamphetamine using a digital gram scale and noted it weighed 4.8 grams, Brooks said.
The Sheriff’s Narcotics Task Force can be reached through its anonymous tip line at 707-263-3663.