How to resolve AdBlock issue? 
News
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — A driver was arrested for driving under the influence early Sunday after he crashed his pickup near Clearlake Oaks, resulting in injuries to him and his two passengers.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported that the crash occurred at 4:25 a.m. Sunday during rainy conditions.
The CHP said the driver, Ryan T. Grivette, 21, of Nice was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Grivette was driving a 2006 Ford F-250 pickup northbound on New Long Valley Road south of Pomo Trail with Jarrett D. Schoenahl and Makala M. Mcmullen, both age 21 of Clearlake Oaks, riding as his passengers.
Grivette, who was driving at an unknown speed, was approximately 1,850 feet south of Pomo Trail when, due to his intoxication, he lost control of the pickup and drove off the east road edge of New Long Valley Road, the CHP said.
The CHP said the front right of the pickup crashed into a tree.
As a result of the crash, Grivette sustained minor injuries and his passengers suffered major injuries and were transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital, the CHP report said.
The report said Grivette was wearing his seat belt, but his passengers were not.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office reported that the crash occurred at 4:25 a.m. Sunday during rainy conditions.
The CHP said the driver, Ryan T. Grivette, 21, of Nice was placed under arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol.
Grivette was driving a 2006 Ford F-250 pickup northbound on New Long Valley Road south of Pomo Trail with Jarrett D. Schoenahl and Makala M. Mcmullen, both age 21 of Clearlake Oaks, riding as his passengers.
Grivette, who was driving at an unknown speed, was approximately 1,850 feet south of Pomo Trail when, due to his intoxication, he lost control of the pickup and drove off the east road edge of New Long Valley Road, the CHP said.
The CHP said the front right of the pickup crashed into a tree.
As a result of the crash, Grivette sustained minor injuries and his passengers suffered major injuries and were transported to Adventist Health Clear Lake Hospital, the CHP report said.
The report said Grivette was wearing his seat belt, but his passengers were not.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
The Feather Alert, a public notification tool to combat the deadly epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People, is soon to go into effect.
The new alert was authorized by AB 1314, authored by Assemblyman James C. Ramos (D-Highland), was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, as Lake County News has reported.
The Feather Alert will be available in January to help law enforcement quickly notify the public about the disproportionate number of missing Native Americans and enlist their aid for timely leads to locate victims and prosecute suspects.
“The passage of Assembly Bill 1314 provides law enforcement with additional resources to ensure the safe return of missing indigenous persons, and most importantly, improves collaboration and strategic partnerships across local, state, and tribal communities,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray.
“It was incredibly rewarding to see the Feather Alert bill passed. We look forward to the work ahead to ensure successful implementation. We have the deepest gratitude for the commitment of Commissioner Amanda Ray and the men and women of the California Highway Patrol who are tasked with making certain that the tribal voice is heard,” said Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Chairwoman Regina Cuellar.
A report by the Sovereign Bodies Institute indicated only 9% of murders of Indigenous women in California have ever been solved.
At a May 4 hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs, which Ramos chaired, tribal leaders urged legislators to take more urgent action to stem the tide of unsolved cases and provide more immediate support when suspected abductions or other acts of violence occur against California Indian people who suffer a disproportionate number of those crimes.
Among other recommendations, witnesses at the hearing called for more immediate notification to the public and enlisting the aid of news outlets to help locate possible victims.
“California Assembly Bill 1314, establishing the Feather Alert for missing Native Americans, is the direct result of Indian Country’s call to action and our partnership with state legislators to begin to address the nationwide epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. We as tribal people do not want to be known solely as another statistic but as the human beings we are — who deserve to be found, to be safe, and to be protected by our public safety systems,” said Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians Chairperson Janet K. Bill.
This year, California joined Washington State and Colorado in enacting similar notification systems.
On Wednesday, tribal leaders and others gathered to learn how the system will work and provide their input for effective implementation.
Ramos, along with Assembly colleagues Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) and Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno) and representatives from the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Justice and local and tribal law enforcement participated in the almost day-long roundtable discussion on Wednesday to learn and ask questions about the new alert.
The California Highway Patrol will activate the alert at the request of local law enforcement, and it will work much like an Amber Alert for missing children.
“I am gratified that the governor approved this bill to help stop the violence afflicting California’s Native American communities,” Ramos said. “The Feather Alert will aid law enforcement and families in getting the word out quickly when a Native individual is missing or endangered by alerting the public in a broad and effective manner. Creating an alert or advisory system was a top recommendation from tribal leaders in May to highlight this issue.”
Ramos also noted that California, the state with the greatest population of Native Americans in the nation, is also among the states with the highest rates of reported cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
“I sincerely thank Assembly Member Ramos for taking action to address the MMIP crisis in California. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide input on the implementation of the new Feather Alert system. Throughout the state, the new system will significantly improve outcomes in cases involving missing indigenous people,” said Chairman Joe James of the Yurok Tribe.
Feather Alert criteria
To activate the Feather Alert, the following criteria that must be met:
• Missing person is an indigenous woman or an indigenous person.
• Investigating law enforcement agency has utilized available local and tribal resources.
• A local law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstance.
• A local law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, or environment or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril.
• Information is available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person.
In California, the Feather Alert joins these other special notifications overseen by the CHP:
• The AMBER Alert, which stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response is used when children age 17 or younger have been abducted. It has been in use since 2002.
• The Blue Alert, approved in 2011, notifies the public when a suspect in the assault or killing of a police officer remains at large and the search is active.
• The Silver Alert, used when elderly, developmentally or cognitively-impaired persons are missing and are determined to be at-risk. Adopted as the top priority of the California Senior Legislature in October 2011, it was enacted through SB 1047, legislation introduced by state Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) and Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana). The bill was approved in 2012 and went into effect in 2013.
• The general endangered missing advisory is used when an individual is missing under unexplained or suspicious, and is believed to be in danger due to issues with age, physical and mental health issues, weather, being with a potentially dangerous person or other circumstances.
The new alert was authorized by AB 1314, authored by Assemblyman James C. Ramos (D-Highland), was signed into law by Gov. Gavin Newsom in September, as Lake County News has reported.
The Feather Alert will be available in January to help law enforcement quickly notify the public about the disproportionate number of missing Native Americans and enlist their aid for timely leads to locate victims and prosecute suspects.
“The passage of Assembly Bill 1314 provides law enforcement with additional resources to ensure the safe return of missing indigenous persons, and most importantly, improves collaboration and strategic partnerships across local, state, and tribal communities,” said California Highway Patrol Commissioner Amanda Ray.
“It was incredibly rewarding to see the Feather Alert bill passed. We look forward to the work ahead to ensure successful implementation. We have the deepest gratitude for the commitment of Commissioner Amanda Ray and the men and women of the California Highway Patrol who are tasked with making certain that the tribal voice is heard,” said Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians Chairwoman Regina Cuellar.
A report by the Sovereign Bodies Institute indicated only 9% of murders of Indigenous women in California have ever been solved.
At a May 4 hearing of the Select Committee on Native American Affairs, which Ramos chaired, tribal leaders urged legislators to take more urgent action to stem the tide of unsolved cases and provide more immediate support when suspected abductions or other acts of violence occur against California Indian people who suffer a disproportionate number of those crimes.
Among other recommendations, witnesses at the hearing called for more immediate notification to the public and enlisting the aid of news outlets to help locate possible victims.
“California Assembly Bill 1314, establishing the Feather Alert for missing Native Americans, is the direct result of Indian Country’s call to action and our partnership with state legislators to begin to address the nationwide epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People. We as tribal people do not want to be known solely as another statistic but as the human beings we are — who deserve to be found, to be safe, and to be protected by our public safety systems,” said Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians Chairperson Janet K. Bill.
This year, California joined Washington State and Colorado in enacting similar notification systems.
On Wednesday, tribal leaders and others gathered to learn how the system will work and provide their input for effective implementation.
Ramos, along with Assembly colleagues Joaquin Arambula (D-Fresno) and Esmeralda Soria (D-Fresno) and representatives from the California Highway Patrol, the Department of Justice and local and tribal law enforcement participated in the almost day-long roundtable discussion on Wednesday to learn and ask questions about the new alert.
The California Highway Patrol will activate the alert at the request of local law enforcement, and it will work much like an Amber Alert for missing children.
“I am gratified that the governor approved this bill to help stop the violence afflicting California’s Native American communities,” Ramos said. “The Feather Alert will aid law enforcement and families in getting the word out quickly when a Native individual is missing or endangered by alerting the public in a broad and effective manner. Creating an alert or advisory system was a top recommendation from tribal leaders in May to highlight this issue.”
Ramos also noted that California, the state with the greatest population of Native Americans in the nation, is also among the states with the highest rates of reported cases of Missing and Murdered Indigenous People.
“I sincerely thank Assembly Member Ramos for taking action to address the MMIP crisis in California. I am grateful for the opportunity to provide input on the implementation of the new Feather Alert system. Throughout the state, the new system will significantly improve outcomes in cases involving missing indigenous people,” said Chairman Joe James of the Yurok Tribe.
Feather Alert criteria
To activate the Feather Alert, the following criteria that must be met:
• Missing person is an indigenous woman or an indigenous person.
• Investigating law enforcement agency has utilized available local and tribal resources.
• A local law enforcement agency determines that the person has gone missing under unexplained or suspicious circumstance.
• A local law enforcement agency believes that the person is in danger because of age, health, mental or physical disability, or environment or weather conditions, that the person is in the company of a potentially dangerous person, or that there are other factors indicating that the person may be in peril.
• Information is available that, if disseminated to the public, could assist in the safe recovery of the missing person.
In California, the Feather Alert joins these other special notifications overseen by the CHP:
• The AMBER Alert, which stands for America’s Missing: Broadcast Emergency Response is used when children age 17 or younger have been abducted. It has been in use since 2002.
• The Blue Alert, approved in 2011, notifies the public when a suspect in the assault or killing of a police officer remains at large and the search is active.
• The Silver Alert, used when elderly, developmentally or cognitively-impaired persons are missing and are determined to be at-risk. Adopted as the top priority of the California Senior Legislature in October 2011, it was enacted through SB 1047, legislation introduced by state Sen. Elaine Alquist (D-Santa Clara) and Sen. Lou Correa (D-Santa Ana). The bill was approved in 2012 and went into effect in 2013.
• The general endangered missing advisory is used when an individual is missing under unexplained or suspicious, and is believed to be in danger due to issues with age, physical and mental health issues, weather, being with a potentially dangerous person or other circumstances.
During the California Grocers Association annual meeting on Nov. 30, outgoing board chair Renee Amen passed the gavel to Dennis Darling, who will serve as the next CGA board chair for 2023.
Darling and his wife, Ruth, have owned and operated Foods Etc. in Clearlake and Susanville for 25 years.
At the end of 2024 the couple is retiring, and their daughter and son-in-law will take over the business.
In the meantime, Darling is going to step back from the day-to-day operations and take on a more strategic role while he serves as CGA board chair.
“The industry has been really good for me and my family, and this is an opportunity for me to give back,” Darling told CGA. “And you know what, I just love the idea of being able to communicate with all these different grocers and vendors, too. There are so many outstanding people who are involved in CGA and I’m just really proud to be a part of that group.”
As a longtime owner of an independent grocery store, Darling is especially familiar with the grocery industry from the perspective of an independent business. He has experienced many challenges over the years, most recently with the challenges of COVID compliance and labor issues.
But Darling also believes wholeheartedly in the benefits of running his own business, noting that it’s been a rewarding experience that allowed his family to be an integral part of the communities they serve.
Prior to his membership and work with CGA, Darling was active in the California Independent Grocers Association, or CIGA, which represented the voice of independent grocers for many years.
In 2013, Darling and another and Bob Parriott began working with CGA to discuss a merger. CIGA was struggling with leadership but had funds to contribute, and CGA was eager to add more independents to its membership.
Thanks to the work of Darling and a handful of others, the two organizations officially merged in mid-2014. The move strengthened the grocery industry in California, boosting advocacy efforts and creating a more diverse member pool. Since then, CGA has been a strong voice for independent grocers in addition to larger chains and companies.
“In the eight years since that merger, funds from CIGA have been used for education in helping independent grocers with training and compliance,” Darling said.
CGA also established the Independent Operators Committee, which Darling said has been integral to ensuring small independents are well-represented within CGA. The committee meets twice a year and supports independent grocers with issues like compliance, hazardous waste disposal, workers’ comp and labor and employment issues.
“It’s been a great merger. I think it’s been really good for both entities and frankly I don’t even really think about it much anymore, we’re just one family,” Darling said. “Ron is excellent to represent everybody. Not just the small chains but the independents.”
As the grocery industry faces ongoing challenges from inflation, labor and supply chain, Darling expects 2023 to be a busy year.
“If we had even one of those at a time it would be very challenging, but to try and deal with them all at the same time has really made the business much more difficult,” he said.
During his time as board chair, Darling also wants to focus more on advocacy at the local level for both chains and independent stores — in addition to CGA’s already active efforts at the state and national levels.
“The independents are really well-positioned to advocate on behalf of the industry at the local level,” he said. “They know who their local elected officials are, they know the sheriffs, they know who the local regulatory people are, and so I think they'll be a big help in that.”
With the support of CGA, Darling is confident all CGA member companies are in good hands. Darling notes the outstanding CGA staff and their efforts in government relations and communicating with members, as well as a successful lineup of training and events that are always “first-class.”
While there’s a full calendar ahead of Darling as CGA chair next year, there will also be some fun. Darling notes that CGA’s training symposium will take place in Hawaii in January, an event that was carried over from CIGA and that CGA happily embraced.
“Again, I’m just really proud to be part of that and be able to give back to the industry that’s been so good to us,” he said.
Jessica Love works for the California Grocers Association.
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors on Tuesday afternoon gave staff direction on the process to pursue the appointment of a temporary sheriff as Sheriff Brian Martin prepares to retire.
Martin, now at the end of his second term, will retire as of Dec. 30.
He told the board that under the state Government Code, the highest-ranking officer may temporarily discharge the duties of sheriff-coroner until the vacancy is filled “in the manner provided by law,” which in this case will be the appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
With there being no undersheriff, Martin said Capt. Chris Chwialkowski is the highest ranking and senior deputy next in line of authority. He was promoted to the rank of captain in April 2015.
Martin proposed that Chwialkowski temporarily act as sheriff beginning on Dec. 31 and continuing until the board has interviewed candidates and formally appointed a permanent sheriff-coroner to serve until Jan. 2, 2025.
“I’m certainly not here to influence your decision on who that might be,” Martin said of that board appointment.
However, he recommended they move through the process as quickly as possible, explaining that there is a special training to be held by the California State Sheriff’s Association on Jan. 6.
It’s held every four years and Martin said he has reserved a seat for the acting sheriff. “The sheriff will benefit greatly from attending that training.”
He also asked for the board to move quickly so the appointed sheriff could spend time with him to facilitate a smooth transition, noting there are pending personnel matters and contracts.
Martin said there are a number of people in the sheriff’s office and other county agencies who would meet the legal qualifications.
The recommendation to the board included that the sheriff-coroner vacancy be offered as a promotional opportunity and open for five days to county employees only.
A public interview process for the candidates is scheduled for the board on Dec. 20.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier had suggested increasing the open period for the internal recruitment to be 10 days, but the board decided to stay with the five-day period.
Martin said anyone eligible has probably given it enough thought at this point, since his retirement announcement occurred in late October.
Supervisor Michael Green said the matter is complicated, and he suggested that the sheriff’s department has been under duress. As a result, he didn’t agree that a short promotional period is in the best interest of the county. He said they should take time to conduct due diligence.
Martin took issue with Green’s statement about his agency being under duress. “I’m pretty proud of how the department’s been running for the last eight years and I think I’m leaving it in a lot better shape than it was, so I’ll disagree with that comment,” he said.
Later in the discussion, Green said he wanted to clarify his comment about the sheriff’s office being under duress, explaining that all agencies are under some form of stress. He said he believed the county would short circuit its due diligence but just looking internally.
Martin replied that the board has the ability not to select anybody on the first go-round.
Supervisor Moke Simon said the candidate the board will choose will go through a “two year interview” process.
“We’re selecting someone to just keep us moving in the right direction hopefully. The voters will choose in two years who the sheriff of Lake County is,” said Simon, adding that the person the board appoints may not be the person elected in the 2028 election.
“We’re just doing our government duty to get us to that point,” Simon said.
County Counsel Anita Grant said the person appointed on a short-term basis before Martin retires will have the sheriff’s duties under “temporary discharge.” The process won’t confer the auspices of the sheriff, just the function.
The board’s longer-term appointment will confer those responsibilities. When the board makes the appointment for the two-year period, Grant said it will be an elected position for all intents and purposes.
She said the interviews in public will give the public “the opportunity to see along with you who’s interviewing.”
Sabatier said he’s glad they’re deciding on a two-year term instead of a six-year term.
That was a reference to Assembly Bill 759, passed in this year’s state legislative session, which will temporarily extend the terms of the DAs and sheriffs who have been elected in 2022 to 2028 in order to align with the 2028 presidential election cycle. That law does not, however, apply to appointees.
Martin said it may be known in 15 or 16 months who the next sheriff might be.
There was no public comment on the matter before the board gave staff direction to open up the internal applications for five days and bring candidates back for interviews on Dec. 20.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
Martin, now at the end of his second term, will retire as of Dec. 30.
He told the board that under the state Government Code, the highest-ranking officer may temporarily discharge the duties of sheriff-coroner until the vacancy is filled “in the manner provided by law,” which in this case will be the appointment by the Board of Supervisors.
With there being no undersheriff, Martin said Capt. Chris Chwialkowski is the highest ranking and senior deputy next in line of authority. He was promoted to the rank of captain in April 2015.
Martin proposed that Chwialkowski temporarily act as sheriff beginning on Dec. 31 and continuing until the board has interviewed candidates and formally appointed a permanent sheriff-coroner to serve until Jan. 2, 2025.
“I’m certainly not here to influence your decision on who that might be,” Martin said of that board appointment.
However, he recommended they move through the process as quickly as possible, explaining that there is a special training to be held by the California State Sheriff’s Association on Jan. 6.
It’s held every four years and Martin said he has reserved a seat for the acting sheriff. “The sheriff will benefit greatly from attending that training.”
He also asked for the board to move quickly so the appointed sheriff could spend time with him to facilitate a smooth transition, noting there are pending personnel matters and contracts.
Martin said there are a number of people in the sheriff’s office and other county agencies who would meet the legal qualifications.
The recommendation to the board included that the sheriff-coroner vacancy be offered as a promotional opportunity and open for five days to county employees only.
A public interview process for the candidates is scheduled for the board on Dec. 20.
Supervisor Bruno Sabatier had suggested increasing the open period for the internal recruitment to be 10 days, but the board decided to stay with the five-day period.
Martin said anyone eligible has probably given it enough thought at this point, since his retirement announcement occurred in late October.
Supervisor Michael Green said the matter is complicated, and he suggested that the sheriff’s department has been under duress. As a result, he didn’t agree that a short promotional period is in the best interest of the county. He said they should take time to conduct due diligence.
Martin took issue with Green’s statement about his agency being under duress. “I’m pretty proud of how the department’s been running for the last eight years and I think I’m leaving it in a lot better shape than it was, so I’ll disagree with that comment,” he said.
Later in the discussion, Green said he wanted to clarify his comment about the sheriff’s office being under duress, explaining that all agencies are under some form of stress. He said he believed the county would short circuit its due diligence but just looking internally.
Martin replied that the board has the ability not to select anybody on the first go-round.
Supervisor Moke Simon said the candidate the board will choose will go through a “two year interview” process.
“We’re selecting someone to just keep us moving in the right direction hopefully. The voters will choose in two years who the sheriff of Lake County is,” said Simon, adding that the person the board appoints may not be the person elected in the 2028 election.
“We’re just doing our government duty to get us to that point,” Simon said.
County Counsel Anita Grant said the person appointed on a short-term basis before Martin retires will have the sheriff’s duties under “temporary discharge.” The process won’t confer the auspices of the sheriff, just the function.
The board’s longer-term appointment will confer those responsibilities. When the board makes the appointment for the two-year period, Grant said it will be an elected position for all intents and purposes.
She said the interviews in public will give the public “the opportunity to see along with you who’s interviewing.”
Sabatier said he’s glad they’re deciding on a two-year term instead of a six-year term.
That was a reference to Assembly Bill 759, passed in this year’s state legislative session, which will temporarily extend the terms of the DAs and sheriffs who have been elected in 2022 to 2028 in order to align with the 2028 presidential election cycle. That law does not, however, apply to appointees.
Martin said it may be known in 15 or 16 months who the next sheriff might be.
There was no public comment on the matter before the board gave staff direction to open up the internal applications for five days and bring candidates back for interviews on Dec. 20.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Clearlake City Council will hold a special meeting this week to accept final election results from the Nov. 8 general election and conduct some other end-of-year business.
The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, for a closed session to discuss labor negotiations with the Clearlake Police Officer Association before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom or can attend in person.
The agenda can be found here.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of
staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
On Thursday, the council will make a presentation to Mayor Dirk Slooten at the end of his second term of office. Slooten and Councilman Russ Cremer were both reelected in November, and now the gavel will pass to another council member for the year.
On the agenda is the acceptance of the November 2022 Election Results in the form of Resolution No. 2022-75. The Registrar of Voters Office must wrap up the official canvass that day.
In other business is the authorization of an amendment to the Clearlake Police Officers Association memorandum of understanding to modify the salary amounts.
The council also will consider adoption Resolution 2022-74 to approve and implement the Cannabis Equity Program.
Another resolution the council will consider is Resolution No. 2022-73, Related to providing grant funds to Chelsea Investment Corp. for affordable housing.
Chelsea is the firm that is developing an affordable housing development on a 15.5-acre property at 15837 18th Ave. that the county traded to the state earlier this year in exchange for the Lakeport Armory property, located on seven acres at 1431 Hoyt Ave. in Lakeport next to the Lake County Jail. The armory is due to be the new sheriff’s office headquarters.
The housing project is supposed to include 82 affordable housing units.
Email Elizabeth Larson atThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, or Lake County News, @LakeCoNews.
The council will meet at 5:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8, for a closed session to discuss labor negotiations with the Clearlake Police Officer Association before the public portion of the meeting begins at 6 p.m. in the council chambers at Clearlake City Hall, 14050 Olympic Drive.
The meeting will be broadcast live on the city's YouTube channel or the Lake County PEGTV YouTube Channel. Community members also can participate via Zoom or can attend in person.
The agenda can be found here.
Comments and questions can be submitted in writing for City Council consideration by sending them to City Clerk Melissa Swanson at
To give the council adequate time to review your questions and comments, please submit your written comments before 4 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 8.
Each public comment emailed to the city clerk will be read aloud by the mayor or a member of
staff for up to three minutes or will be displayed on a screen. Public comment emails and town hall public comment submissions that are received after the beginning of the meeting will not be included in the record.
On Thursday, the council will make a presentation to Mayor Dirk Slooten at the end of his second term of office. Slooten and Councilman Russ Cremer were both reelected in November, and now the gavel will pass to another council member for the year.
On the agenda is the acceptance of the November 2022 Election Results in the form of Resolution No. 2022-75. The Registrar of Voters Office must wrap up the official canvass that day.
In other business is the authorization of an amendment to the Clearlake Police Officers Association memorandum of understanding to modify the salary amounts.
The council also will consider adoption Resolution 2022-74 to approve and implement the Cannabis Equity Program.
Another resolution the council will consider is Resolution No. 2022-73, Related to providing grant funds to Chelsea Investment Corp. for affordable housing.
Chelsea is the firm that is developing an affordable housing development on a 15.5-acre property at 15837 18th Ave. that the county traded to the state earlier this year in exchange for the Lakeport Armory property, located on seven acres at 1431 Hoyt Ave. in Lakeport next to the Lake County Jail. The armory is due to be the new sheriff’s office headquarters.
The housing project is supposed to include 82 affordable housing units.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
Statewide flu activity has reached high levels across California, which has the potential to add to an already concerning number of hospitalizations of children due to the spread of winter viruses including respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, influenza and COVID-19.
State public health leaders are reminding Californians that masking in indoor public places, among other safety measures, is effective at slowing the spread of respiratory viruses that are making children, and the elderly, very sick.
“RSV and flu, and now COVID-19, are on the rise — leading to the hospitalization of our youngest and most vulnerable Californians who need all of us to help protect them. So we’re reminding Californians about the effective mitigation and safety measures they can take to protect themselves and their loved ones, including getting the Flu shot, keeping up to date with their COVID-19 booster, and masking in indoor public places,” said State Public Health Officer and CDPH Director Dr. Tomás Aragón.
Hospitals across the state are working to add pediatric beds as quickly as possible, but the number of children who need hospitalization is currently outpacing their ability to expand.
Hospitals typically have about 35 to 40% open pediatric intensive care unit beds, but that number is down to about 20% statewide.
It’s even lower — below 12% — in some regions of the state.
While California guidance does not require masking except in some specific situations, masking is an effective way to help protect against RSV, the Flu and COVID-19.
Here are the top 5 tips to protect against winter viruses:
Get vaccinated, boosted (and treated): Flu shots and COVID-19 vaccines and boosters continue to be your best defense to limit severe illness and death — and you can get both at the same time.
Stay home if you're sick, and test for COVID: Staying home when you're sick slows the spread of flu, RSV and COVID-19. If you're sick, remember to test for COVID and contact your doctor immediately if you're positive to discuss treatment options. Treatments work best when started right after symptoms begin.
Wear a mask: There is no vaccine for RSV, so wearing a mask can significantly slow the spread and protect babies and young children who do not yet have immunity and are too young to wear a mask themselves. Wearing a mask in indoor public places is a good way to limit the spread of germs.
Wash your hands: Frequent handwashing, with soap and warm water — for at least 20 seconds, is an easy and effective way to prevent getting sick and spreading germs.
Cover your cough or sneeze: Remember to cough or sneeze into your elbow, your arm, or a disposable tissue to help prevent the spread of winter viruses. Just make sure to wash your hands or sanitize and dispose of your tissue after.
Here are four things to consider about masking in indoor public places:
What’s spreading in your community? Winter respiratory viruses like Flu and RSV have been spreading across the state for weeks, and now COVID-19 cases are ticking up.
Why wear a mask? Masks help slow the spread of respiratory viruses. Masks aren’t just for your own health — they can also play a significant role in protecting the health of those around you, especially those at higher risk of getting severely ill from RSV, the Flu or COVID-19. When attending an indoor public event, mask up for your friends, families, infants, young children, older adults, and other loved ones with pre-existing conditions or weakened immune systems.
But which mask do I wear? If you’ve made the decision to wear a mask, great! To get the most out of your mask, pick one with good fit and filtration. The “Good, Better, Best” rule-of-thumb is surgical masks are good, KN95 or KN94 masks are better, and N95 are best.
Consider masking a statement of kindness. Still not sure you want to mask up? Remember you can never be sure if someone around you has a compromised immune system, is going through chemo treatment, or has asthma. Wearing a mask helps slow the spread of germs and shows kindness and concern for the health and well-being of others.