News

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lake County Sheriff’s Office is working to find a Lakeport man who has been reported missing.

Alexander James Why, 38, was last seen on South Main Street in Lakeport on Friday.

On that same day, he last spoke with his wife. She has not been able to get ahold of him since and now believes his cell phone may be dead.

Why is described as a white male adult, 6 feet tall and 190 pounds. He was last seen wearing black sweatpants, a blue shirt and sandals.

If you have seen him or have any information to help locate Alexander Why, please call central dispatch at 707-263-2690.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council is set to discuss an updated contract with a company tasked with bringing more retail opportunities to the city.

The council will meet Tuesday, May 7, at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Lakeport City Hall, 225 Park St.

The agenda can be found here.

The council chambers will be open to the public for the meeting. Masks are highly encouraged where 6-foot distancing cannot be maintained.

If you cannot attend in person, and would like to speak on an agenda item, you can access the Zoom meeting remotely at this link or join by phone by calling toll-free 669-900-9128 or 346-248-7799.

The webinar ID is 973 6820 1787, access code is 477973; the audio pin will be shown after joining the webinar. Those phoning in without using the web link will be in “listen mode” only and will not be able to participate or comment.

Comments can be submitted by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. To give the city clerk adequate time to print out comments for consideration at the meeting, please submit written comments before 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 7.

On Tuesday, the council will meet new city employee Lyara Perkins, and will present proclamations designating the week of May 1 to 7 as Elks Youth Week, the week of May 4 to 11 as National Osteogenesis Imperfecta Week and the week of May 10 to 16 as National Police
Week.

City Manager Kevin Ingram will ask the council to approve a contract renewal with The Retail Coach for a proposed comprehensive retail recruitment and development plan in an amount not to exceed $81,000.

The council first hired the firm in July of 2019, with an initial contract amount of $30,000, and voted to extend the contract in February of 2021.

In other business, Police Chief Brad Rasmussen will present a memorandum of understanding between the Lakeport Unified School District and the Lakeport Police Department for the services of a school resource officer for fiscal years 2024/2025 and 2025/2026.

Public Works Director Ron Ladd will present a reimbursement agreement with the Lakeport Fire Protection District for the parking lot rehabilitation project in a form substantially similar to the agreement included in the agenda packet.

Ladd also will ask for the council’s approval of a resolution for the acquisition of the right of way and the public utility easement from a private property owner located at Lupoyoma Street and South Main St.

On the consent agenda — items considered noncontroversial and usually accepted as a slate on one vote — are ordinances; minutes of the City Council’s special meeting on April 16 and regular meeting on April 16; approval of Application 2024-018: Approve application 2024-018, with staff recommendations, for the Tuesday Farmers’ Markets in the Park; approval of Application 2024-019, with staff recommendations, for the 2024 Summer Concerts in the Park series; receipt and filing of the Community Development quarterly report of activities; review and filing of the second quarter financial update; and authorize out-of-state training for five staff members to attend the 2024 Neighborworks Training Institute in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, from Aug. 26 to 30, 2024.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. — The Lakeport Economic Development Advisory Committee will meet this week to get updates on retail in the city and a new transportation plan.

The committee, or LEDAC, will meet from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 8, in the Silveira Community Center, 500 N. Main St., Lakeport.

The meeting is open to the public.

It will also be available via Zoom. The meeting ID is 842 2886 1335, pass code is 594383 or join by phone, 669 900 6833.

On the agenda is a presentation by Charles Parker, project director for The Retail Coach, the consulting firm the city of Lakeport hired to attract new retailers.

Parker will present findings about Lakeport’s retail trade area, best practices for downtown business districts and the current state of retail.

LEDAC also will receive a presentation on the Lakeport Active Transportation Plan.

The citywide transportation plan will aim to improve conditions for people of all ages and abilities who walk, bike, roll and take transit.

Dan Burden, director of innovation and inspiration for the Blue Zones Project and Drusilla "Dru" van Hengel, PhD, of Nelson Mygaard will discuss the plan and the economic benefits of active transportation investments, emerging themes in the active transportation field, and major concerns and opportunities they have discovered working with community members and stakeholders to-date.

Take the Lakeport Active Transportation Plan Survey here.

Other items on the agenda include the latest on the Business Walk Strategic Plan, and economic development updates from the county of Lake, Lake County Economic Development Corp. and the city of Lakeport.

LEDAC’s next meeting will be July 10.

LEDAC advocates for a strong and positive Lakeport business community and acts as a conduit between the city and the community for communicating the goals, activities and progress of Lakeport’s economic and business programs.

Members are Chair Wilda Shock, Vice Chair Denise Combs and Secretary JoAnn Saccato, along with Bonnie Darling, Jeff Davis, Candy De Los Santos, Bill Eaton, Monica Flores, Pam Harpster, Laura McAndrews Sammel, Bob Santana and Tim Stephens. City staff who are members include City Manager Kevin Ingram and Community Development Department representatives.

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.

LAKEPORT, Calif. — A special Friday event put the spotlight on the effort to stop the alarming rate of Indigenous people who are victims of crime each year across the nation.

Lake County Tribal Health held the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People Day event on Friday afternoon at Xabatin Park in Lakeport to bring awareness to the Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, or MMIP, epidemic.

There was a remarkable outpouring of emotional support for the event, with the estimated number of attendees — who came both from Lake and Mendocino counties — at just over 1,400, Tribal Health reported.

Tribal Health officials reported that the Friday gathering was fun and filled with many activities for families.

Many community agencies participated. There were nearly 50 booths hosted by organizations in health, government, law enforcement, education and recovery, along with numerous tribal groups and a booth for children.

The day began with a 20-minute opening ceremony from the Native Resistance Drum Group performing prayer songs and a woman's welcoming song.

Shortly after the opening ceremony, the community welcomed the Pomo Nation Dance group, established in 2012 by the late Thomas Brown.

This was followed by a 30-minute raffle prize and giveaway featuring over 100 items.

After the raffle, four additional dance groups performed: the Xabenapo of Big Valley Rancheria, Xabatin Feather Dancers, Patwin Dance Group and the Round Valley Feather Dancers, which Tribal Health said comprise a large number of the MMIP population.

Each group brought a unique form of the Shake Head/Feather Dance with unique songs from their ancestors who sang before them.

In Indigenous communities, dancers will dance to heal and the singers will provide the songs and pray through each song. Each song has a specific meaning and is a prayer.

The event put the focus on “Healing Together.”

On display promimently throughout the day were red shirts and dresses. Red has historically been a color of great importance to Indigenous people, and now it’s being used to call attention to missing and murdered members of the Indigenous community.

The MMIP event is held in May in memory of Hanna Harris, a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe who was murdered in July 2013 in Montana. Her birthday is May 5.

Grassroots efforts to raise awareness of MMIP have gained traction over the last decade, and have been aided by Deb Haaland, the first Native American Secretary of the Interior, who created the MMIP Unit in 2021.

Statistics show that American Indians are 2.5 times more likely to experience sexual assault crimes compared to all other races, and one in three Indian women reports having been raped during her lifetime. Thirty-four percent of native women are raped in their lifetimes.

The Urban Indian Health Institute reported that there are 5,712 MMIP cases involving women. At the same time, the National Crime Information Center said that, in 2020, 4,276 reports involving American Indian and Alaska Native males were logged into its database.

The institute also lists California as No. 6 nationwide for its number of MMIP cases.

The Centers for Disease Control reported that homicide is the No. 3 leading cause of death among Indigenous people up to 19 years old and the No. 6 leading cause of death among those who are 20 to 44 years of age.

According to the National Criminal Justice Training Center, 40% of victims of sex trafficking are identified as American Indian/Alaskan Native women.

In the summer of 2022, the State Legislature passed the Feather Alert bill authored by Assemblyman James Ramos. It was signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom shortly afterward and went into effect in January of 2023.

The Feather Alert is meant to provide for a quicker response to help with finding missing Indigenous people who are believed to be in danger. However, Ramos is working to make updates to the bill to make it more responsive.

KELSEYVILLE, Calif. — The second annual Buckingham Test & Tune, a gathering of vintage speedboats and classic cars, is coming to the shores of Clear Lake on Saturday, May 18, and Sunday, May 19.

It will take place at the Buckingham Golf Club and Community Center, located at 2855 Eastlake Drive in Kelseyville.

The California Speedboat Association, major proponent of the event, has a rich history, dating back to incorporation in 1937.

Vintage hydroplanes, from as far away as Oregon, Arizona, Washington and Canada, will perform exhibition runs.

Paul “Kiwi Paul” Williams, a citizen of both New Zealand and Canada is making the trek to participate.

After hearing about the 2023 event, he was motivated to travel to see the beauty of Clear Lake, experience local hospitality and be part of an historic event.

Jeff “Capt Nemo” Buckley, national chairman for the American Power Boat Association’s Vintage and Historic Division, will be traveling from South Carolina.

“I promise the on water action will be loud n’ proud as some of the finest boats and drivers from across the country will be here,” Buckley said. “On behalf of APBA and the V&H, thank you for having us and opening your arms to this wonderful sport and the V&H family.”

There will also be static boat displays, and classic cars will be on hand both Saturday and Sunday. This year, world renowned street rod fabricator Roy Brizio will be on hand for a meet and greet.

Brizio will be at the Operation Tango Mike booth at 1 p.m. on Saturday. He’s fresh off his win as the fabricator and winner of the 2024 Grand National Roadster Show, earning the top award for “America’s Most Beautiful Roadster” with a 1932 Ford.

Live music from the Mark Weston band will keep the Saturday car show lively, and the LC Diamonds will have you dancing on Sunday, with music from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., both days.
Registrations for both the Saturday and Sunday shows are available. Contact Peggy Bonds at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Vintage and historic speedboats will run on the water from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, weather and water conditions permitting.

There will be food available for purchase, with an expanded food court, including burgers, sandwiches, tacos, ice cream and more. Cocktails and a multi tap beer truck will be available at the Buckingham Golf and Country Club.

There is no fee for spectator admission.

For more event information contact Rich Scogin at 707-900-8188.

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Lake County Animal Care and Control is offering many waiting dogs for adoption this week.

Dogs available for adoption this week include mixes of Alaskan husky, Anatolian shepherd, Australian shepherd, Belgian malinois, border collie, Chesapeake Bay retriever, Chihuahuas, German shepherd, hound, Labrador Retriever, mastiff, pit bull terrier, Rottweiler and terrier.

Dogs that are adopted from Lake County Animal Care and Control are either neutered or spayed, microchipped and, if old enough, given a rabies shot and county license before being released to their new owner. License fees do not apply to residents of the cities of Lakeport or Clearlake.

Those dogs and the others shown on this page at the Lake County Animal Care and Control shelter have been cleared for adoption.

Call Lake County Animal Care and Control at 707-263-0278 or visit the shelter online for information on visiting or adopting.

The shelter is located at 4949 Helbush in Lakeport.

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.