News

LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s COVID-19 cases have continued to climb in recent days, reaching 100 on Wednesday.

Lake County Public Health posted the latest numbers on its COVID-19 dashboard.

Of those 100 confirmed cases in Lake County, 18 are active and 81 have recovered. On Friday, Lake County Public Health reported one death attributed to the virus.

As of Wednesday, two patients were hospitalized. So far, Public Health said nine people have been hospitalized during the course of treatment.

County public health departments statewide reported more than 290,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 6,700 deaths as of Wednesday night.

Case totals for neighboring counties are Colusa, 98; Glenn, 153; Mendocino, 107; Napa, 453; Sonoma, 1,519; and Yolo, 760.

Public Health said 5,272 tests have so far been conducted in Lake County.

Overall in California, 4,996,175 tests have been conducted in California, the California Department of Public Health said on Wednesday. That represents an increase of 99,805 tests over the prior 24-hour reporting period.

As testing capacity continues to increase across the state, an increase in the number of positive cases has been expected, increasing the importance of positivity rates to find signs of community spread, state officials said.

The state said local health departments have reported 16,629 confirmed positive cases in health care workers and 95 deaths statewide to date.

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. – Beginning on Monday, July 13, official nomination papers will be available for candidates who are interested in running for the office of city council member for the city of Lakeport.

There are three seats available, each for a four-year term, on the November ballot.

The seats which will be up for election in November currently are held by Tim Barnes, Kenny Parlet and George Spurr.

Interested candidates must be registered to vote and reside within the city limits of the city of Lakeport.

The deadline to file nomination papers for the seats will be Thursday, August 6, at 5 p.m., or by appointment only on Friday, Aug. 7.

Each candidate must be nominated by not less than 20 nor more than 30 registered voters; therefore, it is recommended that you pick up your nomination papers well in advance of the deadline for filing to allow time to gather signatures.

If you are interested in running for Lakeport City Council, please contact City Clerk Kelly Buendia at 707-263-5615, Extension 101, or Deputy City Clerk Hilary Britton at 707-263-5615, Extension 102, for further information and to set up an appointment to pick up and review the nomination packet.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, the city asks that candidates call ahead for an appointment with the clerk’s office during the nomination period.

Regular business hours for Lakeport City Hall are Monday through Thursday, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

The clerk’s office will be available, with 24 hours’ notice, on Fridays by appointment only, to assist candidates with filing their nomination papers.

LAKEPORT, Calif. – On Tuesday night, the Lakeport City Council approved the contract with Kevin Ingram to serve as Lakeport’s new city manager.

Ingram, named assistant city manager in January as part of the city succession plan, previously served as the city’s Community Development director.

The council’s approval of his contract formalized his hire as of Aug. 1, the day after retiring City Manager Margaret Silveira’s last official day on the job.

City Attorney David Ruderman presented the contract negotiated with Ingram to the council at its virtual Tuesday night meeting.

Ruderman went over the key points of the contract, which runs for an initial term of two years and eight months, from Aug. 1, 2020, to March 31, 2023. The contract automatically renews in additional one-year increments thereafter, unless the city council provides advanced notice of nonrenewal.

The base salary is $140,844, with an annual performance bonus of up to $1,500 and cost of living adjustments that match other at-will city employees, Ruderman reported.

The contract’s terms give Ingram regular CalPERS retirement benefits, life insurance and long-term disability insurance that is equal to that provided to the city’s management employees, 20 days per year of vacation leave, one sick leave day per month, 80 hours of administrative leave each year, a monthly car allowance of $400, a cell phone stipend and technology allowance.

“I’m so pleased that we did the succession planning that we did and we have such a great candidate to take over,” said Councilwoman Stacey Mattina.

Mayor Pro Tem Kenny Parlet, who ran the meeting in the absence of Mayor George Spurr, said he couldn’t agree more with Mattina’s sentiments.

There was no public comment before Councilwoman Mireya Turner moved to approve the contract, which was seconded by Mattina and approved 4-0.

Also on Tuesday night, during its consent agenda items, the council approved a retirement incentive for Silveira, which Ruderman explained was a cash-out of 822 hours of salary that will create salary savings because Silveira is retiring 18 months ahead of the end of her contract term.

Silveira told Lake County News last month that she decided to retire early in an effort to save money for the city – which is facing revenue challenges due to COVID-19 – while at the same time taking the opportunity to spend more time with family.

Ingram told the council that he’s honored to be the next city manager, adding it’s been a privilege to work with Silveira.

“She’s been a fantastic mentor from day one,” he said, adding she’s left big shoes to fill but also has provided the tools to do the work.

Parlet said Ingram has a huge job to do to catch up to Silveira’s accomplishments, wishing him luck in doing so.

In other business on Tuesday, the council voted to rename the city’s community center in Silveira’s honor and directed staff to start the process of changing the name of Westside Park Road to “Charlie Jolin’s Way,” in honor of the man who played a key role in envisioning and creating the park.

The council also held a public hearing for the adoption of the housing element update of the general plan, continued a protest hearing regarding vegetation abatement to the Aug. 4 meeting, directed the preparation of a report detailing properties that are delinquent in water and sewer charges, approved an amendment to the franchise agreement with Lakeport Disposal Inc. and awarded a $567,141 construction contract to Team Ghilotti Inc. for the Second Street Sidewalk Improvement Project.

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. – Firefighters contained two wildland fires on Tuesday that began less than an hour apart on different sides of the county.

The Sleeper fire burned near Upper Lake while the Mart fire prompted limited evacuations in Clearlake.

The Sleeper fire was first reported shortly before 2:30 p.m. in the area of Highway 20 and Highway 29 near Upper Lake.

Northshore Fire and Cal Fire were among the agencies responding, according to radio traffic.

Northshore Fire Chief Mike Ciancio reported over the radio just before 3 p.m. that forward progress had been stopped on the fire, with line all around it.

Units were reported to have remained on the scene until evening for mop up.

Cal Fire spokesman Will Powers said the fire burned 4.3 acres.

Shortly after 3 p.m., the Mart fire was reported near the Clearlake Walmart store on Dam Road.

Lake County Fire, Cal Fire and Clearlake Police were on scene, with police assisting with evacuations along Dam Road while firefighters dealt with spot fires and downed power lines that caused a power outage to hundreds of customers.

Firefighters stopped the fire’s forward progress at around 5 p.m, with police lifting evacuations shortly afterward.

Powers said the Mart fire burned approximately 2.4 acres.

The Clearlake Police Department said an initial fire assessment showed one residence was partially burned and two other structures destroyed.

Officials on Tuesday did not release information on the causes of the fires.

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.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA – Fire crews and aircraft were quickly dispatched to a wildland fire on the Grindstone Ranger District of the Mendocino National Forest Tuesday afternoon.

The Nail Fire is located approximately 30 miles west of Willows near Fouts Springs and estimated at 25 acres, forest officials reported.

Resources assigned to the incident include several overhead – or supervisory – personnel, along with four engines, four water tenders, one dozer, three air tankers and air attack, which officials said are planes used to coordinate aerial firefighting aircraft over wildland fires.

In addition, two crews have been ordered, officials said.

The cause of the fire is being investigated.

The University of California Board of Regents announced on Tuesday the appointment of Michael V. Drake, M.D., as the 21st president of UC’s world-renowned system of 10 campuses, five medical centers, three nationally affiliated labs, more than 280,000 students and 230,000 faculty and staff.

Drake has a long and distinguished career in higher education, most recently as president of The Ohio State University, or OSU, from 2014 until this past week.

Prior to his six years at OSU, his entire academic career has been at UC, including as chancellor of UC Irvine for nine years from 2005 to 2014 and as the systemwide vice president for health affairs from 2000 to 2005.

“I am delighted to welcome back Dr. Michael Drake to the University of California as president, and I am confident that Dr. Drake is the leader we need to guide our world-class higher education system through this time of unprecedented challenge,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom.

“Throughout his nearly four decades of service in higher education in California and around the nation, Dr. Drake has distinguished himself as a visionary for how universities can be dynamic institutions of growth and opportunity while remaining agile in a changing environment,” Newsom said. “It is more imperative than ever that our institutions of higher education remain open, accessible and inclusive, and emerge from this moment even more equitable than before. Dr. Drake possesses the demonstrated insight, experience and commitment it takes to help us continue to grow the next generation of extraordinary California leaders.”

“I want to congratulate Dr. Drake on his appointment as president of the University of California and welcome him back to California,” said California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley. “These are unprecedented times in higher education and Californians need access to our institutions more than ever. I look forward to working with Dr. Drake to make the UC more accessible to California Community College transfer students and to ensure that California leads the nation in creating economic and social mobility for students of every background.”

A reputation for leadership

Drake received his A.B. from Stanford University and his residency, M.D., and fellowship in ophthalmology from UCSF. He subsequently spent more than two decades on the faculty of the UCSF School of Medicine, including as the Steven P. Shearing Professor of Ophthalmology.

Under his leadership, Drake greatly enhanced UC Irvine’s reputation as a premier university. UC Irvine rose to join the top 10 public universities in U.S. News & World Report’s annual list and was ranked by Times Higher Education as the No. 1 university in the U.S. under 50 years old. During his tenure at the campus, the four-year graduation rate increased by more than 18 percent, while undergraduate enrollment and diversity significantly increased. In addition, Drake oversaw the establishment of new schools of law and education as well as programs in public health, nursing and pharmacy.

Drake’s tenure at OSU was marked by record-high applications and graduation rates, groundbreaking research and strong donor support. He established several successful programs to increase student access and affordability, including a tuition guarantee program; enhanced scholarships covering the cost of attendance; and increased grants to support middle- and lower-income students. In fact, OSU’s need-based financial aid increased by more than $200 million between 2015 and 2020.

“Much has changed in the 15 years since I was given the privilege of becoming chancellor at UC Irvine, but not my absolute belief in this great University and its time-honored mission,” Drake said. “I look forward to working with the regents, chancellors, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and our broader community as we, together, guide the University through the challenging times ahead. Brenda and I are thrilled to be back. Fiat Lux!”

Drake has published numerous articles and co-authored six books. He served as a reviewer for several medical journals, including the Journal of the American Medical Association, Investigative Ophthalmology and Visual Science and the American Journal of Ophthalmology. Drake is a member of several national scientific and scholarly societies, and has received various awards for teaching, public service, mentoring and research.

He is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He received the UCSF School of Medicine’s Clinical Teaching Award, the Hogan Award for Laboratory Research, the Chancellor’s Award for Public Service, the Martin Luther King Jr. Award for University Service, the UC Irvine Medal, and the University of California Presidential Medal in recognition of his exemplary service to the University.

“Dr. Drake personifies the qualities we looked for in selecting a new president: He is committed to seeing the whole student and to supporting all our students. He recognizes the incalculable value of faculty and staff to the University’s mission, and he understands the importance of the public and private partnerships that help us achieve that mission,” said John A. Pérez, chair of the UC Board of Regents. “As the first person of color to serve as UC president, Dr. Drake returns to UC at an important point in the University’s journey. This is a homecoming the University of California is very excited to be celebrating early.”

Drake’s extensive public service experience includes various roles for the American Medical Association, the National Eye Institute, the Association of American Medical Colleges, and multiple commissions on health in the state of California.

He is a former chair of the board of directors of the Association of American Universities and currently serves as a member of the board of directors for the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. He is also the chair of the board of governors of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, a member of the American Talent Initiative Steering Committee, and a member of the board of directors of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

“Stepping down as president of the University of California is bittersweet, especially after seven wonderful, dynamic years, but I depart knowing Dr. Michael Drake will lead with experience and integrity, with the critical support and guidance of the UC Board of Regents,” said current UC President Janet Napolitano. “Michael has my full confidence, and I am excited to see how his fresh infusion of ideas and new perspectives will shape the University in the months and years ahead.”

A rigorous search

The 10-month long search for the University’s next systemwide leader began in September after Napolitano announced she would leave UC in August 2020. The regents approved rigorous criteria to guide their search.

“UC faculty, staff and students repeatedly told us they want a president who will prioritize issues of equity and fairness and be a powerful advocate at the state and national level,” said Regent Gareth Elliott, chair of the Special Committee in charge of the presidential search. “When we needed the right person to steward UC’s global reputation, it turns out we didn't have to look too far from home. I am very proud of this thorough and inclusive search, and I’m delighted it resulted in such a great match with Dr. Drake.”

“We are thrilled that Dr. Drake has chosen to return to UC at this pivotal moment in the midst of profound global and national change,” said professor Kum-Kum Bhavnani, chair of UC’s Faculty Academic Senate and the Academic Advisory Committee. “President-designate Drake’s demonstrated commitment to undergraduate and graduate students and the work of faculty, understanding of the needs of UC employees, his commitment to social mobility, and his intimate insights into diversity, policing and inclusion ensure UC will continue to be a leader in higher education nationally and internationally as the world enters a bold new era.”

“Participating in the search for the next UC president was a privilege that I did not take lightly,” said Student Regent Hayley Weddle, who also served on the Special Committee. “The top three qualities I was looking for in a new president were a proven record of success in promoting equity and access in higher education, a commitment to working closely with students as partners to address pressing issues such as basic needs and sexual harassment, and a clear vision to advance UC’s public service mission. President-designate Drake has all of these qualities and more, and I am excited to welcome him back to the University of California.”

The board approved Drake’s salary at $890,000.

Pending an academic personnel review, Drake will be appointed as a tenured professor at UCSF.

Drake, 69, and his wife, Brenda, have two grown sons and four grandchildren.