News

Editor's note: Highlands Senior Center will not be able to operate at the Masonic Lodge due to equipment issues so they have withdrawn for this heat event. The article has been updated accordingly.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — In response to the forecasted extreme heat, facilities that are part of the Lake County Community Organizations Active in Disaster Resilience Hub Network are taking proactive measures to ensure the safety and well-being of the community by opening for cooling this week.

These centers will provide a safe and cool environment for residents to escape the heat.

The non-governmental organizations that are part of the Community Organizations Active in Disaster, or COAD, which will open for the first time in this capacity in response to the early July heat event are the Cobb Mountain Lions Club, Galilee Lutheran Church, Kelseyville Senior Center, Lakeport Senior Center, Lucerne Alpine Senior Center and United Christian Parish.

With temperatures expected to soar above 100, it is crucial for everyone, especially vulnerable populations such as the elderly, children, and those with preexisting health conditions, to take precautions to avoid heat-related illnesses.

The county of Lake does not routinely open official extreme weather centers; however, there are numerous county operated facilities with routine open hours that are excellent cooling/warming options such as libraries and peer centers.

Stay informed about extreme heat updates and additional resources by visiting https://lakecountyca.gov/927/Lake-Co-Ready.

What to bring

Residents visiting the resilience centers are encouraged to bring any necessary medications, snacks and activities to stay comfortable.

You may also wish to bring charging cords for your cellular devices.

Personal water bottles, which can be filled at the centers, are encouraged to reduce single use plastic waste.

COAD schedule

The purpose of the COAD of Lake County is to develop and support partnerships for communication, coordination, cooperation and collaboration amongst the whole community including voluntary, charitable, not-for-profit, faith-based organizations and government agencies, both in public and private sectors, during all phases of a disaster.

The schedule for the COAD members through Sunday follows.

TUESDAY, JULY 2

Kelseyville

Galilee Lutheran Church
8860 Soda Bay Road
Telephone: 707-279-4832
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.
Pets OK: Cats in crates, dogs on leash.

Lakeport

Lakeport Senior Center
527 Konocti Ave.
Telephone: 707-263-4218
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lucerne

Lucerne Alpine Senior Center
3985 Country Club Drive
Telephone: 707-274-8779
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 3

Kelseyville

Galilee Lutheran Church
8860 Soda Bay Road
Telephone: 707-279-4832
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.
Pets OK: Cats in crates, dogs on leash.

Lakeport

Lakeport Senior Center
527 Konocti Ave.
Telephone: 707-263-4218
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lucerne

Lucerne Alpine Senior Center
3985 Country Club Drive
Telephone: 707-274-8779
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

THURSDAY, JULY 4

Kelseyville

Galilee Lutheran Church
8860 Soda Bay Road
Telephone: 707-279-4832
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.
Pets OK: Cats in crates, dogs on leash.

FRIDAY, JULY 5

Kelseyville

Galilee Lutheran Church
8860 Soda Bay Road
Telephone: 707-279-4832
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.
Pets OK: Cats in crates, dogs on leash.

Lakeport

United Christian Parish
745 N Brush St.
Telephone: 707-263-4788
Hours: 2 to 5 p.m.

Lucerne

Lucerne Alpine Senior Center
3985 Country Club Drive
Telephone: 707-274-8779
Hours: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

SATURDAY, JULY 6

Cobb

Cobb Mountain Lions Club
15780 Bottle Rock Road
Telephone: 707-715-7008
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.

Kelseyville

Galilee Lutheran Church
8860 Soda Bay Road
Telephone: 707-279-4832
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.
Pets OK: Cats in crates, dogs on leash.

Kelseyville Presbyterian Church
5340 Third St.
Telephone: 707-279-1104
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 
Hours: 1 to 6 p.m.

Lakeport

United Christian Parish
745 N Brush St.
Telephone: 707-263-4788
Hours: 2 to 5 p.m.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Early on Tuesday morning Pacific Gas and Electric began turning off power to a small number of Lake County residents and thousands more around the region due to a red flag warning and heightened fire danger.

The number of Lake County customers originally expected to be part of the PSPS was 49, a number which on Monday grew to 153 and included areas east of Lower Lake and southeast of Boggs Mountain.

As of 3 a.m., power had been turned off to more than 130 customers near Boggs Mountain.

Power is expected to be restored by 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Altogether, PG&E said the total number of customers set to be impacted across the 10 counties to be included in the PSPS is 12,000.

In addition to Lake County, that number covers 277 in Butte, 550 in Colusa, 361 in Glenn, 16 in Napa, 8,888 in Shasta 96 in Solano, 12 in Sonoma, 1,873 in Tehama and 204 in Yolo.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — In preparation for the Independence Day holiday, the California Highway Patrol is launching a statewide enforcement effort aimed at keeping the public safe on our roads.

With unsafe speed being the main contributor to crashes in California, the CHP will focus on speed control and promoting safe driving practices throughout the holiday weekend.

“Speeding isn’t just breaking the law — it’s putting lives at risk. Every additional mile per hour reduces a driver’s reaction time and increases the severity of a crash,” said CHP Commissioner Sean Duryee. “We’re asking the public to choose safety over speed to ensure everyone gets home safely.”

To help keep the roadways safe, the CHP will initiate a statewide maximum enforcement period, or MEP, beginning at 6:01 p.m. on Wednesday, July 3, continuing through 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 7.

During this extended holiday weekend, all available CHP officers will be on patrol to encourage safe driving and assist motorists when needed.

Last year during the Independence Day MEP, 68 people were killed in crashes throughout the state.

Tragically, nearly half of the vehicle occupants killed in a crash within CHP jurisdiction were not wearing a seat belt.

Additionally, CHP officers made 1,224 arrests for driving under the influence during the 102-hour holiday enforcement period. This equates to an average of one DUI arrest every five minutes.

Keep yourself and others safe by designating a sober driver or using public transit or a ride-share service.

If you see a driver who seems impaired, call 9-1-1 right away. Be prepared to give the dispatcher details about the vehicle, including license plate number, location, and direction of travel. Your call could save a life.

“The safety of the public is our top priority. Slow down, drive responsibly, and ensure you and your loved ones reach your destination safely,” added Commissioner Duryee.

Gov. Gavin Newsom, Senate pro Tem Mike McGuire and Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas, on Monday announced what they called a “robust” ballot measure to tackle property crime and the fentanyl crisis, including through targeted reforms to Proposition 47.

The proposed ballot measure would implement new penalties for repeat offenders, crack down on serial shoplifters, enhance felony prosecutions for fentanyl dealers, and increase resources for drug treatment programs.

“With targeted reforms to Prop 47, this ballot measure is a critical step forward in our efforts to strengthen California’s public safety laws and provide law enforcement with additional tools to address the growing concerns of property crime and the fentanyl crisis. This balanced approach cracks down on crime and protects our communities — without reverting to ineffective and costly policies of the past,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“Californians want safer, stronger communities, and we’re delivering exactly that with this commonsense approach,” said Senate President pro Tempore Mike McGuire (D-North Coast). “These are a methodical set of measures that will crack down on retail theft and hold offenders accountable for hardcore drug crimes, without enacting the draconian policies of the ‘80s and ‘90s that devastated communities of color and cost taxpayers billions of dollars.”

“Here’s what Californians tell us: They don’t want to go back to mass incarceration, and spending billions of dollars to imprison people for years over minor offenses,” said Speaker of the Assembly Robert Rivas (D-Salinas). “Californians know that approach failed. They want tax dollars going to education, jobs, drug rehab and mental health programs. And they want smart public-safety laws on the books, enforced consistently with clear consequences. Our proposition and legislative package delivers on their priorities. It will stop fentanyl traffickers and hold those who steal from local businesses responsible for their bad actions. It will deliver real results that we can afford. We listened to Californians and are giving them a better choice.”

“Retailers have faced significant challenges with property crime in recent years across the nation,” said Rachel Michelin, President of the California Retailers Association. “Coupled with a robust retail theft legislative package, this proposed ballot measure is a smart solution that will protect our stores, employees, and customers. By establishing targeted penalties and aggregating theft amounts, this balanced approach holds criminals accountable and deters organized crime and serial shoplifters in California — without resorting to outdated and ineffective policies of the past.”

What this measure does

Takes down serial shoplifters: Establishes penalties for repeat offenders who are convicted three times for petty theft or shoplifting within three years. Under this measure, an offender with three theft-related convictions over a three-year period, could face up to three years in jail.

Aggregates theft amounts: Empowers law enforcement to combine the value of multiple thefts — even from different victims — to charge a felony.

Cracks down on fentanyl lacers: Introduces stiffer penalties for knowingly selling or providing drugs mixed with fentanyl without informing the buyer.

Holds fentanyl dealers accountable: Establishes a statewide fentanyl admonishment requirement, making it easier for prosecutors to ensure drug dealers who repeatedly sell deadly amounts of fentanyl can be charged with murder if a death occurs.

Increases resources for drug treatment: Expands mental health and drug addiction treatment programs in communities, improving public safety.

Targeted reforms to Prop 47

Under the proposed measure, the coalition seeks to implement targeted reforms to Prop 47 to allow for increased felony prosecutions, crack down on serial offenders, and hold fentanyl dealers accountable.

Passed by voters in 2014, Prop 47 classified certain crimes as misdemeanors, changed resentencing laws, and created the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund to support rehabilitation programs and fund drug and mental health treatment.

Since implementation, Prop 47 has saved taxpayers over $816 million through reduced incarceration costs.

Prop 47 was previously reformed once before in 2016 — by Prop 63, which was led by then Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom.

California law is already among the toughest in the nation

California law has existing robust tools for law enforcement and prosecutors to arrest and charge suspects involved in organized retail crime, including up to three years of jail time for organized retail theft.

The state has the 10th toughest threshold nationally for prosecutors to charge suspects with a felony, $950.

Forty other states — including Texas ($2,500), Alabama ($1,500), and Mississippi ($1,000) — require higher dollar amounts for suspects to be charged with a felony.

California’s efforts to tackle property crime

Since Gov. Newsom took office in 2019, California has invested $1.1 billion to fight crime, hire more police and improve public safety.

As part of the Real Public Safety Plan, last year the state announced the largest-ever investment to combat organized retail crime in California history, an annual 310% increase in proactive operations targeting organized retail crime, and special operations across the state to fight crime and improve public safety.

Complementing this proposed ballot measure, the Legislature is poised to pass a comprehensive and bipartisan package of legislation to further crack down on property crime.

This package of bills responds to the Governor’s proposed legislative framework from January that calls for the creation of new laws and expanding criminal penalties to further crack down on professional thieves — those who profit from stealing goods for resale.

The legislation will bolster law enforcement’s ability to arrest suspects, create a new crime addressing organized auto burglary committed to resell stolen property, and eliminate the sunset provision for the organized retail crime statute.

For more information about the proposed ballot measure, click here.

The California Transportation Commission, or CTC, on Friday approved more than $2 billion to improve and maintain a transportation system that serves as the backbone for the world’s fifth largest economy.

The approved funding will support the next generation of transportation projects, ranging from bridge maintenance and rail system upgrades to enhanced railroad safety features and increased access for bicyclists and pedestrians.

These benefits will help power economic opportunity as well as mitigate the effects of climate change.

The latest allocations include more than $483 million from the federal Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021, or IIJA, and approximately $443 million from Senate Bill (SB) 1, the Road Repair and Accountability Act of 2017.

“We are committed to providing a world-class transportation system by making smart investments to upgrade our infrastructure and better serve all travelers,” said Caltrans Director Tony Tavares. “Increasing mobility for Californians demands a multi-modal approach that prioritizes improved safety, system-wide resiliency and sustainability, equitable access, and continued support for the efficient movement of goods and services that help fuel the state’s economic engine.”

The CTC’s investments include $103 million for the North Coast Corridor Rail project in San Diego County, a transformative effort designed to expand and upgrade passenger facilities, decrease rider travel times with a second rail line to bypass slower freight locomotives, and construction of a new bridge spanning the Batiquitos Lagoon.

The funding allocations include $17.8 million to improve Highway 99 and State Route 68 in Tulare County; $10 million to provide Santa Barbara residents with cleaner, climate-friendly electric buses and chargers; and expand facilities for people who walk and bike, such as $3.5 million for Stockton’s East Channel Street Streetscape, which will install bike lanes and sidewalk extensions. In addition, projects approved will enhance safety at railroad crossings, including $5.9 million for improved signaling, signage, and gates at two commuter rail crossings in the city of Montebello.

The latest CTC-approved projects also include:

Approximately $3 million in support of allocations toward the installation of fencing, gates, lighting, and camera systems at 5 maintenance stations in Del Norte, Humboldt, Lake and Mendocino counties.

Approximately $31 million including more than $27.4 million in federal IIJA funding and $3.5 million in SB1 funding in support of allocations toward roadway and guardrail improvements and replace rumble strips on Route 1 from south of Philo Greenwood Road to north of Little Lake Road near Mendocino in Mendocino County.

Approximately $6.5 million in SB1 funding in support of allocations toward culvert improvements at various locations on Route 169 from east of the Pecwan Creek Bridge to Route 96 near Weitchpec in Humboldt County.

Approximately $3.5 million in support of allocations toward culvert and fish passage improvements and reduce sediment loads to the South Fork Eel River at various locations along Route 254 from north of U.S. 101 near Miranda to north of Holmes Flat Road near Weott in Humboldt County.

Approximately $4.5 million including more than $4 million in federal IIJA funding in support allocations toward roadway and other safety improvements on Route 1 from north of Havens Neck Drive to Gypsy Flat Road near Gualala in Mendocino County.

Approximately $242,000 in support of allocations toward mitigation work, revegetation and monitoring for the Calpella Two Bridge Replacements Project on Route 20 near Ukiah in Mendocino County.

Approximately $10.2 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward the construction of a soldier pile retaining wall, guardrails, and roadway and culvert repairs on Route 36 near Bridgeville in Humboldt County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward roadway and culvert repairs on U.S. 101 south of Kane Road near Big Lagoon in Humboldt County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $3.2 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway, and culvert repairs and erosion control on Route 1 from the Blue Slide Gulch Viaduct to south of the Wages Creek Bridge near Westport in Mendocino County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $2.6 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs on U.S. 101 and Route 271 north of Hermitage Road near Cummings in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding for emergency allocations toward culvert and embankment repairs with rock slope protection on U.S. 101 near Cloverdale in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $1.3 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and drainage repairs along with the removal of debris and hazardous trees on Route 128 east of Route 1 near Navarro in Mendocino County following a series of large storms in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $1.1 million in SB1 funding in emergency allocations toward roadway and culvert repairs along with erosion control on Route 128 near Cloverdale in Mendocino County following heavy rainfall in the winter months of 2024.

Approximately $447,000 in SB1 funding toward the Gualala Downtown Streetscape Enhancement Project on Route 1 in Mendocino County.

IIJA, known as the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law,” is a once-in-a-generation investment in our nation's infrastructure to improve the sustainability and resiliency of our energy, water, broadband and transportation systems. Since 2021, California has received more than $42 billion in IIJA funds, including more than $29 billion for transportation-related projects.

In addition, SB 1 provides $5 billion in transportation funding each year that is shared between state and local agencies. Road projects progress through construction phases more quickly based on the availability of SB 1 funds, including those partially funded by SB 1.

For more information about California transportation projects funded by IIJA and SB-1, visit https://rebuildingca.ca.gov/ and www.build.ca.gov.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — With excessive heat and red flag warnings issued for Lake County this week, Pacific Gas and Electric said it may need to shut off power to about 12,000 Northern California customers, including a small number in Lake County.

The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning from Tuesday through Thursday, and a red flag warning on Tuesday.

During that time period, temperatures are forecast to spike and top the century mark across Lake County and much of the rest of the region. At the same time, northerly winds of up to 35 miles per hour and low humidity are anticipated.

Those conditions have prompted PG&E to activate its Emergency Operations Center and send two-day advanced notifications in targeted areas where the company said it may need to proactively turn power off for safety to reduce the risk of wildfire from energized power lines.

PG&E said the potential public safety power shutoff, or PSPS, is anticipated to begin early Tuesday morning and could last through Wednesday.

If fully implemented, the PSPS will affect approximately 12,000 customers, including two tribal governments, in targeted parts of eight counties.

In Lake County, 49 customers, all of them east of Lower Lake, are expected to be impacted, PG&E reported.

Also set to be impacted are the following counties: Colusa, 550 customers; Glenn, 361 customers; Napa, nine customers; Shasta, 8,888 customers; Solano, 96 customers; Tehama, 1,855 customers; and Yolo, 204 customers.

Customers can look up their address online to find out if their location is being monitored for the potential safety shutoff here.

“PG&E’s commitment is that catastrophic wildfires shall stop. PG&E is determined to protect our hometowns from wildfires, and a PSPS is a last resort,” the company said in its PSPS announcement.

Once severe weather has passed, and it is safe to do so, PG&E said it will work quickly and nimbly to patrol and inspect lines to restore power for customers as soon as possible.

Six community resource centers offering ice, ADA-accessible restrooms, device charging, Wi-Fi, blankets, air conditioning, bottled water and snacks will be available in the affected counties; however, such a center won’t be open in Lake County.

Customers are encouraged to update their contact information and indicate their preferred language for notifications by visiting www.pge.com/mywildfirealerts or calling 1-800-743-5000, where in-language support is available.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.