News

LAKEPORT, Calif. – Although Clear Lake is still officially open to the boating public, to protect public safety and public property, the Parks and Recreation Division of the Lake County Public Services Department has temporarily closed all boat launches located on Clear Lake within county parks due to the lake's continuing high and rising waters.

Officials said the high lake level can damage park structures and facilities.

Temporary boat launch closures include Clearlake Oaks Boat Launch in Clearlake Oaks, Lucerne Harbor Park in Lucerne, Keeling County Park in Nice, Lakeside County Park in Lakeport and Rodman Slough in Upper Lake, Public Services said Friday.

Those ramps will reopen when Clear Lake recedes below the monitor stage of 8 feet Rumsey and the safety of these areas have been assured, according to the report.

Clear Lake hit flood stage, 9 feet Rumsey, early Friday morning, as Lake County News has reported. The lake is predicted to rise still higher, to about 9.5 feet Rumsey, but Monday.

Rodman Slough County Park launch – a “soft” launch with no concrete – is currently submerged and will remain closed for a longer period of time, the county reported.

Along with its boat launch, Lakeside County Park also is closed in its entirety – ball fields, picnic areas, and playground – until further notice due to high water, Public Services said.

The city of Lakeport and the city of Clearlake stated on Friday that their public launch facilities will remain open as long as it is safe to do so and Clear Lake remains open.

In Lakeport, this includes Library Park (ramps at First, Third and Fifth streets) and in Clearlake at Redbud Park, 14655 Lakeshore Drive.

Privately-owned boat launching facilities may remain open and the public is encouraged to contact these businesses directly.

The boating public is cautioned to keep in mind that due to the ongoing storms, there is much debris in the lake – tree limbs, parts of docks, etc. – and a slower speed is greatly encouraged, particularly near shore where any wake can cause potentially damaging waves to already weakened structures.

For more information about public boat launches and other park amenities, please call 707-262-1618 or visit http://parks.co.lake.ca.us.

For current information on Clear Lake, visit the Lake County Water Resources Web site at www.co.lake.ca.us/Government/Directory/Water_Resources.htm .

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LAKEPORT – This week the Lake County Office of Education announced three senior director appointments that are part of a restructuring of the agency.

With the departure of Lake County Office of Education (LCOE) Deputy Superintendent Chris Thomas, who was recently appointed state trustee to the Round Valley School District, Superintendent of Schools Wally Holbrook has led his office on a process of restructuring and evaluating how best to serve Lake County communities while efficiently and effectively utilizing resources.

Upon election in September, Holbrook launched a detailed 100-Day Plan, which included a comprehensive review of programs and services.

“Our program review is now complete, and it provided an ideal platform for analyzing how best to restructure the county office and ensure smooth transitions,” Holbrook said.

The program review is available on the LCOE Web site, http://www.lake-coe.k12.ca.us/forms/document.asp?Q=1843&T=Documents , or hard copies can be accessed at the county office, located at 1152 S. Main St., Lakeport.

Rather than replace Thomas as deputy superintendent, LCOE has eliminated this position, and is restructuring by adding three senior director positions to the management team, which Holbrook said has resulted in increased efficiency, cost savings and greater expansion capabilities.

The transition began March 1, with the appointment of Tim Gill to the position of senior director of Educational Services.

Gill has served at LCOE as the director of curriculum and instruction, and prior to that has extensive experience teaching middle and high school math. He also provides a wide range of professional development in the area of mathematics instruction to schools throughout California.

Additionally, Business Services Director Michelle Buell has been appointed senior director of business services.

Buell has served at LCOE for 16 years. She began as an accounts clerk at Kelseyville Unified School District and moved to the County Office in 2005. Buell was promoted to internal business manager in 1998, and has served in her current position as director of business services since 2007.

Finally, the executive management team will be completed with the appointment of Brock Falkenberg to the position of senior director of human resources and designated programs.

Falkenberg has worked at LCOE for five years, and currently serves as the director of regional occupational programs.

This final transition will not be complete until July, ensuring the executive management team will be fully in place for the 2011-12 school year, the LCOE said.

“We are excited about this opportunity to improve our efficiency and effectiveness; there is a real sense of optimism throughout our organization,” said Holbrook. “We are confident that these strategic appointments and the restructuring of our organization will translate into increased support and resources to our schools, districts, students and communities.”

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SACRAMENTO – Assemblyman Wesley Chesbro (D-North Coast) has introduced a bill package to help Del Norte and Mendocino counties recover from the damage caused by the March 11 tsunami.

One bill would ensure the state covers the entire local government cost of responding to the emergency, while the second bill would provide tax relief for those who suffered a significant loss of income, his office reported Friday.

AB 1429 is the bill to ensure local governments are compensated for the expenses they incurred responding to the emergency caused by the tsunami and its aftermath.

If the federal government eventually declares a federal disaster in counties that suffered tsunami damage, the federal government will pay 75 percent of the cost of responding to the emergency, Chesbro's office said. Normally, the state covers 75 percent of the remaining 25 percent and the local government is responsible for the remainder.

Under AB 1429, Chesbro is proposing that the state would reimburse local governments for the full amount of their expenses not reimbursed by the federal government, even if the federal government does not declare a Federal Disaster.

“Crescent City and Fort Bragg are already grappling with the economic blow caused by the tsunami surges that crashed into the North Coast,” Chesbro said. “This comes on top of a time when local governments are financially strapped and responding to a natural disaster is a considerable financial burden.”

AB 1428 would provide tax relief for those in Del Norte and Mendocino counties who suffered a large loss of income as a result of tsunami damage.

“AB 1428 will help lighten the blow for those who lost a significant amount of income by allowing individuals and companies to carry over financial losses to subsequent tax years if the amount of their loss exceeds the amount of the allowed deduction in the current tax year,” Chesbro said.

In addition to these bills, Chesbro last week asked Gov. Jerry Brown to waive the normal one-week waiting period to file for unemployment for those who lost their jobs as a result of the tsunami. The governor agreed and issued a proclamation waiving the waiting period on March 18.

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CHICO, Calif. – A Butte County man who was shot by a California Highway Patrol officer earlier this month following a vehicle pursuit and who later walked away from a hospital has been located and arrested.

Jeffrey Daniel Crone, 32, was taken into custody by Chico Police officers on Friday afternoon, the agency reported.

Sgt. Scott Franssen reported that Chico Police's Street Crimes Unit located Crone in an apartment on Rio Lindo Avenue at about 4:30 p.m. Friday.

He said detectives announced themselves to Crone and talked him out, and Crone was arrested without incident.

Crone was to be medically cleared for incarceration and then booked into the Butte County Jail, Franssen said.

On March 4 Crone had been involved in a lengthy vehicle pursuit with Butte County Sheriff's deputies and CHP that began the Durham area of Butte County, according to Franssen.

He said that pursuit ended with a violent collision on W. Fifth Street and Crone ramming a CHP vehicle and another occupied citizen's pickup.

Ultimately Crone was shot by a CHP officer on scene, Franssen said.

Crone, taken to Enloe Hospital in Chico for treatment, walked away from the hospital on March 14, Chico Police reported.

At that point he was not under arrest, but on Friday he was arrested on a felony warrant for charges resulting from the March 4 chase, Franssen said.

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