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CLEARLAKE, Calif. – At its Tuesday meeting the Clearlake Planning Commission will take up a proposed ordinance that would ban commercial grows on vacant properties and enact plant limits in other areas of the city.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday, May 7, in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
In her report to the commission, City Manager Joan Phillipe said the proposed ordinance used the county’s ordinance as a template.
Cultivation would be banned on vacant parcels. On residential properties there can be no more than six marijuana plants on less than half an acre; 12 plants on half an acre or larger with a 75-foot setback from any off-site residence; 18 plants on parcels between one and five acres, with 150-foot setbacks from any off-site residence; 36 plants on parcels between five and 40 acres, also with 150-foot setbacks; and 48 plants on parcels 40 acres or larger with the 150-foot setback from residences off the property.
Phillipe said the city attorney will be evaluating the California Supreme Court decision handed down on Monday regarding Riverside v. Inland Empire Patients’ Health and Wellness Center, and Phillipe will give the commission an update on Tuesday night’s meeting about the attorney’s findings.
In that decision, the California Supreme Court ruled unanimously that local governments can ban medical marijuana dispensaries, and that laws pertaining to medical marijuana don’t supersede local zoning rules.
Other items on the agenda for the Tuesday meeting include selection of the commission’s chair and vice chair, and an update on the general plan and environmental impact report.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
050713 Clearlake Planning Commission - Cultivation Ordinance Staff Report
050713 Clearlake Planning Commission - Draft Marijuana Cultivation Ordinance
California has already experienced an increase in fire activity, and to ensure Californians are ready, Gov. Edmund G. Brown Jr. has declared May 5-11, 2013 as “Wildfire Awareness Week.”
During Wildfire Awareness Week Cal Fire is reminding residents of the dangers from wildfires and the simple steps that should be followed to prepare and prevent them.
“The conditions right now are what we should be experiencing in June,” said Chief Ken Pimlott, Cal Fire director. “This year’s dry winter has resulted in a significant increase in fire activity, in fact Cal Fire firefighters have responded to nearly 1,100 wildfires this year, which is over 500 more than average.”
According to the state’s final snow survey on May 2, the statewide snowpack water content is only 17 percent of normal.
From January through May 2, nearly 23,000 acres have burned in California, which is significantly more than the 1,250 acres that had burned for the same time period last year.
During Wildfire Awareness Week, Cal Fire is reminding Californians that when it comes to wildfires, remember “Ready, Set, Go!”
Being ready for a wildfire starts by maintaining 100 feet of defensible space and hardening homes with fire resistant building materials.
“It’s critical that residents prepare for wildfires by maintaining 100 feet of defensible space around all homes,” said Chief Pimlott. “Most wildfires are preventable and we need residents and vacationers to be extra cautious outdoors so we can prevent wildfires from occurring in the first place.”
Homeowners looking for additional information on how to prepare themselves, their families and their homes for wildfire can visit www.ReadyForWildfire.org .
The site offers tips for residents to make their homes more resistant to wildfires and to ensure that their families are ready to evacuate early and safely when a wildfire strikes.
For more information visit www.fire.ca.gov or www.ReadyForWildfire.org .
NORTH COAST, Calif. – A man wanted in connection to a 2000 murder in the city of Ukiah has been arrested.
The Ukiah Police Department reported that Jerred Raymond Hernandez was arrested in Ensenada, Mexico on Sunday and booked into the San Diego County Jail for the August 2000 murder of 44-year-old Michael Williamson.
“We are extremely fortunate to have located and arrested Hernandez,” said Ukiah Police Chief Chris Dewey. “This was one of our department’s most lengthy and complex investigations and I am glad to bring into custody; a person we suspect of committing such horrific crimes.”
Ukiah Police reported that on Monday morning Det. Rick Pintane and Det. Sgt. David McQueary interviewed Hernandez in the San Diego County Jail, and arranged for his transportation back to Ukiah in connection with no-bail warrant charges of murder, arson of an inhabited structure, first-degree robbery and first degree burglary.
Williamson, who had been staying at his parents’ Carolyn Drive home while they were out of state on vacation, was found dead after firefighters responded to a reported fire within the home just after 7 a.m. Aug. 2, 2000, according to police.
Police said the fire, which started in the home’s hallway, was believed to be started in an attempt to disguise the murder of Williamson.
Based on the investigation conducted by the Ukiah Police Department, a federal arrest warrant was issued in the U.S. District Court in the Northern District of California on Aug. 9, 2000, after investigators determined that Hernandez fled Ukiah, and a no-bail felony arrest warrant issued in Mendocino County for his arrest on Aug. 11, 2000, the agency reported.
The Mendocino County no-bail warrant was issued while working with the Mendocino County District Attorney’s Office, charging Hernandez with suspicion of murder, arson of an inhabited structure, first-degree robbery and first degree burglary, police said.
Williamson, who was in recovery for drug addition, was trying to mentor other addicts including Jerred Hernandez. Investigators determined that Williamson died from severe blunt trauma to his head. Police said jewelry, credit cards and personal checks belonging to his parents were also stolen from the home.
Since August of 2000 the Ukiah Police Department has been attempting to locate and arrest Hernandez for these crimes. In 2010, Pintane, who helped with the initial investigation, was assigned as the lead detective in this case, the agency reported.
In 2012, Pintane obtained the assistance of the television show “America’s Most Wanted” to highlight the investigation and help seek leads from the public to help find Hernandez and bring him into custody.
Ukiah Police Department investigators have worked extensively with the Santa Rosa FBI Field Office, Sonoma County District Attorney Investigators, Mendocino County District Attorney Investigators, FBI San Francisco, Toronto Police Department, Michigan State Police Department, Burbank Police Department, and the Los Angeles Police Department in our attempt to locate Hernandez.
Hernandez’s arrest is the result of a joint collaboration by the Ukiah Police Department; FBI San Francisco; FBI San Diego and the Border Liaison Program; FBI Legal Attaché Mexico City; U.S. Customs and Border Protection; U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California; and Policia Estatal Preventiva, Baja California State Police.
The Ukiah Police Department thanked all of the agencies who offered their assistance and resources to the investigation, giving special thanks to Santa Rosa FBI Supervisor Dale Dutton and Sonoma County District Attorney Investigator John McCutcheon for their tireless assistance in this investigation.
“We are extremely grateful of our partner agencies, especially the FBI and Mexico authorities that shared their information and limited resources to assist our department,” said Chief Dewey. “Our department is extremely lucky to have so many experienced and dedicated personnel. The department’s lead investigator, Rick Pintane, and the other detectives worked tirelessly on this investigation to bring Hernandez into custody to face these serious charges. As a police chief, I can’t be prouder of our department’s personnel and their commitment to make Ukiah safe.”
Anyone who observed, or has information about this investigation is asked to contact the Ukiah Police Department Detective Bureau at 707-463-6262.
A California Department of Public Health investigation has found that a reel containing images of 2,000 State of California Birth Records for 1974 was found in an unsecure location.
These birth certificates contain names, addresses, Social Security numbers and some medical information.
CDPH has no evidence that this incident has resulted in any unauthorized use of this information. CDPH continues to collaborate with the California Highway Patrol in this investigation.
You may be impacted if:
- You were born or are a parent of a child born in 1974, in May, June, July, August or September; and
- You were born or your child was born in Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Shasta, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Sutter or Tehama counties.
If you were not born or the parent of a child born during those five months in 1974 in one of the nine counties listed, your information was not on the film that was found.
“We regret that this information has been compromised,” said Dr. Ron Chapman, CDPH director and state health officer. “We take the breach of any personal information very seriously and are committed to improving our security systems.”
The CDPH Vital Records Issuance and Preservation Branch (VRIPB) maintains a permanent central registry of all birth, death, fetal death, stillbirth, marriage and dissolution records for vital events that occur in California.
If you were born in May, June, July, August or September of 1974 or were the parent of a child born during that time in any of the nine counties listed and have questions, please call 855-737-1796, between 8 a.m. through 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, or email
CDPH is recommending those who believe their information may be contained on the film place a fraud alert on their accounts with the three major U.S. credit reporting agencies, get copies of their credit reports, and take other appropriate steps to monitor and protect their identities.
To obtain a free credit report, please go to www.annualcreditreport.com . Complete the annual credit report request form and mail it to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. The toll free number is 877-322-8228.
NICE, Calif. – Drivers passing through the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff in recent weeks likely were detoured due to work crews making improvements at the roundabout in Nice.
The roundabout, located at the intersection of Highway 20 and the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff, has been functional since last September. It was put in place as a traffic calming measure at the busy Northshore intersection.
However, recently it was the site of some additional work, which Caltrans spokesman Phil Frisbie said included sealing the concrete pavement with a polyester based sealer which stops water from penetrating the surface and extends the life of the concrete.
It’s the same sealer used on all concrete bridge decks, Frisbie said.
Frisbie said the the center of the roundabout is being enhanced because water-soaked soils put too much pressure on the decorative concrete wall – which features drawings of fish – and caused some cracking.
He said the cracked sections are being replaced, and the entire surface will be treated with an anti-graffiti coating because it already has been tagged once.
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LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County Animal Care and Control has four cats waiting for adoption this week.
Two tuxedo cats, a brown tabby and and a domestic medium hair with gray and white markings are set to go to new homes, with all having been altered.
In addition to spaying or neutering, cats that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are microchipped before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.
If you're looking for a new companion, visit the shelter. There are many great pets there, hoping you'll choose them.
The following cats at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption (other cats pictured on the animal control Web site that are not listed here are still “on hold”).
Female brown tabby
This female brown tabby is 3 years old.
She has a long, luxurious coat with white markings and gold eyes, and she has been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 29, ID No. 36214.
Male tuxedo cat
This male tuxedo cat is 1 year old.
He has a short black and white coat, and is missing an eye due to an injury. He weighs 9 pounds and has been neutered.
Find him in cat room kennel No. 37, ID No. 36164.
Domestic short hair mix
This female domestic short hair mix is 8 years old.
She has a gray and white coat, green eyes, weighs nearly 8 pounds and has been spayed.
She’s in cat room kennel No. 105, ID No. 36162.
‘Susie Q’
“Susie Q” is an 8 year old domestic medium hair mix.
She has green eyes, a gray and white coat, weighs 14 pounds and has been spayed.
Find her in cat room kennel No. 106, ID No. 36161.
Adoptable cats also can be seen at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Cats_and_Kittens.htm or at www.petfinder.com .
Please note: Cats listed at the shelter's Web page that are said to be “on hold” are not yet cleared for adoption.
To fill out an adoption application online visit http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control/Adopt/Dog___Cat_Adoption_Application.htm .
Lake County Animal Care and Control is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport, next to the Hill Road Correctional Facility.
Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday. The shelter is open from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and on Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Visit the shelter online at http://www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Animal_Care_And_Control.htm .
For more information call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278.
Email Elizabeth Larson at