News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The Board of Supervisors this week voted to send a letter in support of a new federal bill to expand the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument.

Congressman John Garamendi’s Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument Expansion Act would add the 4,000-acre Walker Ridge area in Lake County to the 330,000 acre national monument, which President Barack Obama created in July 2015.

The letter is addressed to Garamendi, who represents the northern portion of Lake County, but also is being sent to Congressman Mike Thompson, who represents the county’s southern portion, and to the county’s state legislators, Assemblywoman Cecilia Aguiar-Curry and Sen. Mike McGuire.

Walker Ridge — which is owned by the Bureau of Land Management — was in the monument’s original footprint but was not in the final declaration, board members EJ Crandell and Bruno Sabatier explained in their memo asking their fellow supervisors to support the letter.

“We bring this letter of support for the Expansion Act for the board’s consideration, believing that this expansion will enhance the opportunities that this National Monument brings to our county both for conserving our precious surroundings and for the economic advantages that a National Monument destination brings to local jurisdictions,” Crandell and Sabatier explained in their memo.

During Tuesday’s meeting, Crandell said he had struggled with some of the other things that have been proposed for Walker Ridge, an apparent reference to large wind turbine projects that have been on the drawing board over the past decade.

By adding Walker Ridge to the monument, Crandell said they can now concentrate on preserving the area the way it should be.

Sabatier said he was invited by Tuleyome, the nonprofit organization that has advocated for the national monument, to fly over Walker Ridge, which he said is a stunning area filled with rare plants, and also is the flight path for many migrating birds.

He said it’s an amazing area that needed to be part of the original monument.

Tuleyome representative Victoria Brandon of Lower Lake said she was delighted the county is taking this position.

“This is a wonderful resource for our county, and it’s underutilized and under-recognized,” Brandon said of Walker Ridge.

By adding Walker Ridge to the monument, it will be included in the comprehensive monument planning which will give it the opportunity to be recognized for what it is.

The letter explained, “Walker Ridge is a remarkable ecological treasure in need of conservation. The landscape supports many habitats including chaparral, grasslands, unique low elevation forests of pine and cypress, and oak woodlands. Rare and endemic plants have evolved to grow only on unusual serpentine soils derived from ancient sea floor. Walker Ridge is also home to imperiled wildlife such as bald and golden eagles, badger, ringtail, and peregrine falcon among a long list of others, besides being a recognized wildlife migration pathway for a multitude of
species, including deer, elk, mountain lion, black bear, and bobcat. Walker Ridge is steeped in thousands of years of rich history and culturally significant to several Native American tribes.”

It also noted that it’s in Lake County’s interest to permanently preserve Walker Ridge, which is used for everything from outdoor recreation to scientific and nature study.

“Special designations such as National Conservation Area and National Monument have been shown to help local communities diversify their economies and increase tourism, as well as
helping attract businesses, thereby generating economic benefits for nearby communities through local employment and tax revenue,” the letter said.

Crandell moved to approve the letter of support, with Supervisor Jessica Pyska seconding and the board voting 5-0.

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.

Letter of Support - National Monument Expansion by LakeCoNews on Scribd

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — Virginia “Ginny” DeVries, coordinator for the Lake County Library’s Adult Literacy Program, has retired this month.

DeVries worked for the library for over 33 years and has been the guiding force of the Adult Literacy program.

Year after year, she recruited and encouraged thousands of volunteer tutors and paired them with students looking to improve their reading and writing.

“Ginny has a wonderful ability to encourage others. She inspired countless volunteers to help people improve their literacy skills,” said Library Director Christopher Veach. “Her passion for literacy helped motivate students to take that leap and sign up to improve their reading and writing.”

The Lake County Library has started recruitment for a new Literacy Program coordinator. An application is available on the County website at http://jobs.lakecountyca.gov.

The coordinator works 20 hours per week. The application closes on Oct. 4 at 5 p.m.

The Lake County Library Adult Literacy program helps adults who need help learning to read and write. Anyone interested in helping others with reading or who needs help with their reading can participate.

Residents can contact the Library’s Adult Literacy Program by calling 707-263-7633. They can also visit the Lakeport Library on 1425 N. High St. in Lakeport in person.

More information about the Literacy Program is also available on the library website, including forms to sign up.

The Adult Literacy Program is supported through County Library funds, a grant administered by the California State Library, and donations from the local non-profit the Lake County Literacy Coalition.

Visit the Lake County Library website at http://library.lakecountyca.gov.

Caltrans reported efforts are underway to attack litter on the state’s highways while also offering employment opportunities to groups of people in need of jobs.

Clean California, a $1.1 billion effort to massively expand state and local litter abatement efforts introduced in Gov. Gavin Newsom’s California Comeback Plan, is seeking to create an estimated 11,000 state and local jobs over three years, including opportunities for people exiting homelessness, veterans, students, at-risk youth and those reentering society from incarceration.

In this News Flash, Caltrans highlights recent hiring events geared to fill available state jobs for landscape maintenance, equipment operation, and highway maintenance.

Caltrans’ Clean California hiring events provide interested applicants an opportunity to obtain a state job with medical, dental, vision, paid sick leave and retirement benefits.

Salaries for the jobs vary, and workers with experience who are hired may make up to $5,379 a month to start in certain positions. Available Clean California job postings can be found on CalCareers.

The statewide program includes potential projects in all 58 counties, with nearly a third of the funds being directly invested into cities, counties, tribes, and transit agencies to clean and enhance local streets and public spaces.

Caltrans will award millions in matching grants to fund impactful projects on local streets and roads, tribal lands, parks, pathways, and transit centers in underserved, rural and urban communities.

This News Flash is the 233rd in a series of videos highlighting Caltrans’ activities that present the wide-ranging work that Caltrans does to enhance California’s economy and livability.

CLEARLAKE, Calif. — Clearlake Animal Control has another new dog joining its group of adoptable canines this week.

The City of Clearlake Animal Association also is seeking fosters for the animals waiting to be adopted.

Another way to help is through donations. A wish list has been posted at Amazon and on Chewy. For those who wish to shop local and drop off items, call 707-273-9440 to schedule a delivery or donate at the association’s Facebook page.

Call the Clearlake Animal Control shelter at 707-273-9440, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to inquire about adoptions and schedule a visit to the shelter.

Visit Clearlake Animal Control on Facebook or on the city’s website.

Here are this week’s adoptable dogs. The newest dog is featured at the top.

‘Edgar’

“Edgar” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a short black and cream coat.

He is dog No. 5189.

‘Andy’

“Andy” is a male pit bull terrier mix with a short gray and white coat.

He is dog No. 5150.

‘Bear’

“Bear” is a male American Staffordshire terrier mix with a short brown coat.

He has been neutered.

He is dog No. 3476.

‘Bella’

“Bella” is a female pit bull mix with a short brindle coat.

She is dog No. 5080.

‘Blue Eyed Jack’

“Blue Eyed Jack” is a male German shepherd mix.

He is dog No. 5046.

‘Mara’

“Mara” is a female Rottweiler mix.

She has a short black and tan coat.

He is house-trained.

She is dog No. 4628.

‘Mitzy’

“Mitzy” is a female shepherd mix with a medium-length black and white coat.

She is dog No. 4648.

‘Sassy’

“Sassy” is a female American bully mix with a short black coat.

She has been spayed.

She is dog No. 4602.

‘Tanisha’

“Tanisha” is a female shepherd mix with a short orange and white coat.

She is dog No. 4647.

‘Terry’

“Terry” is a male Dutch shepherd mix with a smooth brindle coat.

He is dog No. 4880.

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. — A Wednesday morning head-on wreck near Nice killed one driver and resulted in the arrest of the second on suspicion of driving under the influence of drugs and vehicular manslaughter.

The name of the man who died was not released on Wednesday night by the California Highway Patrol’s Clear Lake Area office pending notification of next of kin.

The CHP report explained that at 7:26 a.m. Wednesday, Steven Michael Pruitt, 35, of Lakeport was driving a dark blue Chevrolet Camaro westbound on the Nice-Lucerne Cutoff just west of the Rodman Slough as the other driver was headed eastbound driving a light green Honda Civic eastbound.

For reasons the CHP said are still under investigation, Pruitt allowed his Camaro to cross over into the opposing lane over the solid double yellow lines, where it collided head-on with the Honda Civic.

After the collision, the CHP said the Camaro came to rest on the north edge of the cutoff and the Honda Civic came to rest on the road’s south edge.

CHP Clear Lake Area Commander Lt. Dan Fansler, who was the first to arrive on scene, assumed incident command, the report said.

The CHP said the Honda’s driver was pronounced dead at the scene by Northshore Fire Protection District personnel.

Both drivers were using their safety equipment, the report said.

The CHP established one-way traffic control, which remained in place during the entire investigation.

The roadway was fully reopened shortly before 11:45 a.m. Wednesday, according to the CHP.

During the on-scene investigation, it was determined that Pruitt was under the influence of drugs and he was placed under arrest. The CHP said Pruitt was medically cleared and booked at the Lake County Jail.

Pruitt, whose booking sheet lists his occupation as a child care provider, is being held for DUI causing injury and vehicular manslaughter while intoxicated, with bail set at $1 million, according to jail records.

He is due to appear in Lake County Superior Court for arraignment on Friday.

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. — A Clearlake Oaks woman arrested last month for the July killing of her boyfriend has been extradited back to Lake County from Missouri.

Tammy Sue Grogan-Robinson, 56, was arrested in August in Missouri, more than a month after she fatally shot 56-year-old Charles Vernon McClelland of Rohnert Park at the Clearlake Oaks home where she was living.

Authorities found McClelland’s body on the morning of July 7, not long after deputies responded to a local hospital on the report of a woman later identified as Grogan-Robinson reporting she had shot a man who had assaulted her.

Investigators said Grogan-Robinson and McClelland had been in an on-again, off-again dating relationship for five years.

The Lake County Sheriff’s Office would later conclude, based on its extensive follow-up investigation, that Grogan-Robinson’s shooting of McClelland wasn’t justified.

That resulted in the Lake County District Attorney’s Office filing a complaint for murder against Grogan-Robinson on Aug. 13.

Authorities said she was arrested on Aug. 18 in Missouri — where she has family — on a felony arrest warrant and extradited back to Lake County.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Richard Hinchcliff filed charges against Grogan-Robinson that include murder and assault with a firearm, with special allegations of intentionally discharging a firearm causing death, personal use of a firearm and inflicting great bodily injury.

Hinchcliff told Lake County News that Grogan-Robinson was previously arraigned and had been asking the court to allow her to represent herself.

In a Tuesday motion hearing before Judge J. David Markham, however, defense attorney Mitchell Hauptman, who made a special appearance on Grogan-Robinson’s behalf, said she was dropping her request to represent herself and wanted to retain an attorney.

Markham confirmed that with Grogan-Robinson, who appeared via Zoom from the Lake County Jail.

Hauptman raised issues because he had not yet received discovery in the case from the District Attorney’s Office. Deputy District Attorney Rich Watson said he had been directed not to release that information until Grogan-Robinson retained an attorney.

Grogan-Robinson is set to return to court on Tuesday afternoon, at which time the court will review the $2 million bail she is being held on at the Lake County Jail, where she was booked after arriving in Lake County on Sept. 11, based on jail records.

Hauptman said she is entitled to a review of that bail amount and Watson said he wanted to notify the victims of the proceeding.

At next week’s hearing, Hauptman intends to have Dr. Chris Lombardo testify — either in person or by a letter — to Grogan-Robinson’s character. Lombardo has worked with Grogan-Robinson, a surgical technician, in a local surgical unit.

Grogan-Robinson also is scheduled to have her attorney make their first appearance and to enter a plea to the charges at Tuesday’s hearing.

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.