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As we head into the summer months, the California Highway Patrol is reminding motorists to ensure their vehicles are properly maintained and in good repair.
Due to the current health crisis, vehicles may have been idle for longer periods than normal and have not received the same daily attention to maintenance details.
“We understand the public is eager to get out and travel, but health and safety should remain a priority for everyone on California’s roadways,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Remember, fewer cars and less congested roadways are not an invitation to speed or engage in dangerous behavior behind the wheel.”
As statewide restrictions lessen and travel increases, this summer is likely to see a surge of traffic.
The CHP recommends:
– Drive sober! Never drive after consuming alcohol or while under the influence of legal or illegal drugs.
– Avoid distractions when operating a motor vehicle.
– Make sure vehicle maintenance is up to date. Hot summer temperatures can put stress on engines. Tires, belts and hoses, fluid levels, interior and exterior lights, and wiper blades must all be in good condition.
– Program any mapping systems, whether in your phone or in your car, in advance. Caltrans has a mobile app for traffic information, or visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov for highway conditions. Prepare for device malfunctions or loss of connection by knowing your route before you leave.
– Buckle up! Be sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seat belt. Check that young passengers are using the correct child safety seat for their height and weight.
– Never leave pets, children, or the elderly alone in a car for any length of time. California laws address how to handle situations in which children or animals are left in vehicles. However, the best approach if you see an unattended child or animal is to call 9-1-1.
– Expect road construction and plan for delays. Remember to “be work zone alert” and move over or slow down when passing any stationary vehicle displaying emergency or warning lights, including emergency vehicles, Caltrans vehicles and tow trucks.
Due to the current health crisis, vehicles may have been idle for longer periods than normal and have not received the same daily attention to maintenance details.
“We understand the public is eager to get out and travel, but health and safety should remain a priority for everyone on California’s roadways,” CHP Commissioner Warren Stanley said. “Remember, fewer cars and less congested roadways are not an invitation to speed or engage in dangerous behavior behind the wheel.”
As statewide restrictions lessen and travel increases, this summer is likely to see a surge of traffic.
The CHP recommends:
– Drive sober! Never drive after consuming alcohol or while under the influence of legal or illegal drugs.
– Avoid distractions when operating a motor vehicle.
– Make sure vehicle maintenance is up to date. Hot summer temperatures can put stress on engines. Tires, belts and hoses, fluid levels, interior and exterior lights, and wiper blades must all be in good condition.
– Program any mapping systems, whether in your phone or in your car, in advance. Caltrans has a mobile app for traffic information, or visit http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov for highway conditions. Prepare for device malfunctions or loss of connection by knowing your route before you leave.
– Buckle up! Be sure everyone in your vehicle is wearing a seat belt. Check that young passengers are using the correct child safety seat for their height and weight.
– Never leave pets, children, or the elderly alone in a car for any length of time. California laws address how to handle situations in which children or animals are left in vehicles. However, the best approach if you see an unattended child or animal is to call 9-1-1.
– Expect road construction and plan for delays. Remember to “be work zone alert” and move over or slow down when passing any stationary vehicle displaying emergency or warning lights, including emergency vehicles, Caltrans vehicles and tow trucks.
State health officials require Californians to wear face coverings in most settings outside the home
A growing body of scientific research has shown that people with no or few symptoms of COVID-19 can still spread the disease and that the use of face coverings, combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing, will reduce the spread of COVID-19, health officials said.
“Science shows that face coverings and masks work,” said Gov. Gavin Newsom. “They are critical to keeping those who are around you safe, keeping businesses open and restarting our economy.”
Gov. Newsom also addressed why he took this action now. “Simply put, we are seeing too many people with faces uncovered – putting at risk the real progress we have made in fighting the disease. California’s strategy to restart the economy and get people back to work will only be successful if people act safely and follow health recommendations. That means wearing a face covering, washing your hands and practicing physical distancing.”
“As Californians venture into our communities more, wearing face coverings is another important way we can help protect one another,” said Dr. Sonia Angell, state Public Health officer and director of the California Department of Public Health. “Combined with physical distancing and frequent hand washing, wearing cloth face coverings when we are with others outside of our household will reduce the spread of COVID-19, which is still a very real threat across our state."
Thursday’s guidance mandates the use of cloth face coverings by the general public statewide when outside the home, with limited exceptions.
Californians must wear face coverings when they are in the situations listed below:
– Inside of, or in line to enter, any indoor public space;
– Obtaining services from the healthcare sector in settings including, but not limited to, a hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank;
– Waiting for or riding on public transportation or paratransit or while in a taxi, private car service, or ride-sharing vehicle;
– Engaged in work, whether at the workplace or performing work off-site, when:
Interacting in-person with any member of the public;
– Working in any space visited by members of the public, regardless of whether anyone from the public is present at the time;
– Working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or distribution to others;
– Working in or walking through common areas, such as hallways, stairways, elevators, and parking facilities;
– In any room or enclosed area where other people (except for members of the person’s own household or residence) are present when unable to physically distance.
– Driving or operating any public transportation or paratransit vehicle, taxi, or private car service or ride-sharing vehicle when passengers are present. When no passengers are present, face coverings are strongly recommended.
– While outdoors in public spaces when maintaining a physical distance of 6 feet from persons who are not members of the same household or residence is not feasible.
The following individuals are exempt from wearing a face covering:
– Children aged 2 and under;
– Persons with a medical, mental health, or developmental disability that prevents wearing a face covering;
– Persons who are hearing impaired, or communicating with a person who is hearing impaired, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;
– Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines.
– Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service;
– Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided that they are able to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet away from persons who are not members of the same household or residence;
– Persons who are engaged in outdoor work or recreation such as swimming, walking, hiking, bicycling, or running, when alone or with household members, and when they are able to maintain a distance of at least six feet from others;
– Persons who are incarcerated. Prisons and jails, as part of their mitigation plans, will have specific guidance on the wearing of face coverings of masks for both inmates and staff.
More information about the state's COVID-19 guidance is on the California Department of Public Health's Guidance web page.
More information about reopening California and what individuals can do to prevent the spread of COVID-19, visit Coronavirus (COVID-19) in California.
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The Lakeport City Council on Tuesday approved a design contract for the city’s new lakefront park.
The park will be located on two parcels the city recently purchased.
One parcel, an acre and a half in size, is located at 810 N. Main St. and was purchased from the Hotaling family last month for $50,000.
Earlier this month, the city council approved the purchase of the second property, located at 800 N. Main St., from the Lakeport Unified School District. That property is 5.3 acres, with a $660,000 purchase price.
At Wednesday night’s Lakeport Unified School District Board meeting, Superintendent Jill Falconer said she signed all of the documents to finalize the property sale on Tuesday and that the funds will be available to the district on Thursday.
The land acquisitions and the park development are covered by a $5.9 million state grant the city received earlier this year, as Lake County News has reported.
On Tuesday, Assistant City Manager Kevin Ingram presented to the council a professional services agreement with SSA Landscape Architects Inc. of Santa Cruz for planning, design, engineering and project management for the park project.
Ingram told the council that the city received 13 proposals for the design work.
He said he reviewed all of the proposals and narrowed it down to three or four firms. A consultant selection panel analyzed the top proposals and selected SSA, which he said offered a very thorough proposal tailored to the city’s park plan.
The panel also negotiated changes to the not-to-exceed contract amount of $695,000, which comes out to about 11 percent of the total project cost.
Ingram explained during the discussion that the grant guidelines allow for up to 25 percent of the total grant – in this case approximately $1.47 million – to be spent on design.
The project’s scope will include a public presentation before the city council when the firm is at the 35-percent phase of design in order to ensure that the final design is consistent with the public’s vision for the park.
Ingram said the grant’s required timeline to complete the project is “very ambitious,” explaining that it has to be open to the public in the summer of 2022.
City staff is planning to hold a project kick-off meeting with SSA on June 23 and June 24, Ingram said.
He said he expected the construction plans to be developed and put out for bid by year’s end.
Ingram said SSA’s proposal was one of the few that went into the park’s individual features to explore how they should fit together.
“I’m very confident that this is going to be a very good team to work with,” he said.
In some of the initial concept drawings SSA provided, Ingram and council members pointed out that adjustments were needed in some areas – as examples, the event lawn and seaplane area – to reflect the city’s concept. That’s why Ingram said it will be reviewed by the council at the 35-percent design phase.
There was no public comment on the contract before Councilman Kenny Parlet moved to approve it. Councilwoman Mireya Turner seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0; Councilwoman Stacey Mattina had recused herself because she owns property within 1,000 feet of the park property.
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 park will be located on two parcels the city recently purchased.
One parcel, an acre and a half in size, is located at 810 N. Main St. and was purchased from the Hotaling family last month for $50,000.
Earlier this month, the city council approved the purchase of the second property, located at 800 N. Main St., from the Lakeport Unified School District. That property is 5.3 acres, with a $660,000 purchase price.
At Wednesday night’s Lakeport Unified School District Board meeting, Superintendent Jill Falconer said she signed all of the documents to finalize the property sale on Tuesday and that the funds will be available to the district on Thursday.
The land acquisitions and the park development are covered by a $5.9 million state grant the city received earlier this year, as Lake County News has reported.
On Tuesday, Assistant City Manager Kevin Ingram presented to the council a professional services agreement with SSA Landscape Architects Inc. of Santa Cruz for planning, design, engineering and project management for the park project.
Ingram told the council that the city received 13 proposals for the design work.
He said he reviewed all of the proposals and narrowed it down to three or four firms. A consultant selection panel analyzed the top proposals and selected SSA, which he said offered a very thorough proposal tailored to the city’s park plan.
The panel also negotiated changes to the not-to-exceed contract amount of $695,000, which comes out to about 11 percent of the total project cost.
Ingram explained during the discussion that the grant guidelines allow for up to 25 percent of the total grant – in this case approximately $1.47 million – to be spent on design.
The project’s scope will include a public presentation before the city council when the firm is at the 35-percent phase of design in order to ensure that the final design is consistent with the public’s vision for the park.
Ingram said the grant’s required timeline to complete the project is “very ambitious,” explaining that it has to be open to the public in the summer of 2022.
City staff is planning to hold a project kick-off meeting with SSA on June 23 and June 24, Ingram said.
He said he expected the construction plans to be developed and put out for bid by year’s end.
Ingram said SSA’s proposal was one of the few that went into the park’s individual features to explore how they should fit together.
“I’m very confident that this is going to be a very good team to work with,” he said.
In some of the initial concept drawings SSA provided, Ingram and council members pointed out that adjustments were needed in some areas – as examples, the event lawn and seaplane area – to reflect the city’s concept. That’s why Ingram said it will be reviewed by the council at the 35-percent design phase.
There was no public comment on the contract before Councilman Kenny Parlet moved to approve it. Councilwoman Mireya Turner seconded the motion and it was approved 4-0; Councilwoman Stacey Mattina had recused herself because she owns property within 1,000 feet of the park property.
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – Lake County’s largest youth sports organization is preparing to return to play in a new season that will include rigorous requirements to protect players, coaches and the public.
The Konocti Youth Soccer League is gearing up to roll out its fall soccer season, said Board President Wayne Yahnke.
The league normally registers about 700 players each year and recently expanded to include competitive soccer. “And then COVID struck,” said Yahnke.
Despite the challenges and temporary reduction in numbers due to the pandemic, Yahnke said the organization is growing and its members are excited about it.
Getting the league reopened has been no small task, he explained.
Yahnke said the league has worked hard to stay on top of best practice and has reviewed an estimated 100 pages of health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of California and leading youth sports organizations.
The league board met on Monday night and approved its plan to move forward, Yahnke said.
The plan includes a phased-in return to play with social distancing and smaller team sizes, specifically, no more than 10 players and coaches per cohort.
They hope that as the phases progress through the season they’ll get to do more training. “That’s down the road and we’re not sure that we will actually get to that point,” he said.
Yahnke said they’re also working with the county and the city of Lakeport to meet the requirements to reserve playing fields.
They’ve invested heavily in hand hygiene stations and are creating unique layouts for fields, including hash marks on the field perimeters to denote where people can stand to adhere to social distancing or where children can place equipment, he said.
In addition, Yahnke said the league has found a practice-based curriculum that implements training with social distancing in mind which will be implemented for the coaching staff.
He said the league will issue a soccer ball to every player that they’ll get to keep, which meets the Public Health requirements for no shared equipment.
They also will have drop off and pick up zones for players, Yahnke said.
“It’s definitely going to look different than it has in the past,” he said.
However, Yahnke explained, “The board sees it as an important challenge to meet,” to bring back some sort of normalcy while providing a healthy atmosphere for young athletes.
Yahnke said the league has extended the registration deadline by almost six weeks, to July 16.
The registration cost also has been reduced to $60, he said.
The league is finalizing the reservation process which Yahnke said will be on its website within the week.
He said the website also will be updated with a COVID-19 information tab.
For more information, visit the website or call the Konocti Youth Soccer League at 800-853-5975 or emailThis email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .
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 Konocti Youth Soccer League is gearing up to roll out its fall soccer season, said Board President Wayne Yahnke.
The league normally registers about 700 players each year and recently expanded to include competitive soccer. “And then COVID struck,” said Yahnke.
Despite the challenges and temporary reduction in numbers due to the pandemic, Yahnke said the organization is growing and its members are excited about it.
Getting the league reopened has been no small task, he explained.
Yahnke said the league has worked hard to stay on top of best practice and has reviewed an estimated 100 pages of health recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the state of California and leading youth sports organizations.
The league board met on Monday night and approved its plan to move forward, Yahnke said.
The plan includes a phased-in return to play with social distancing and smaller team sizes, specifically, no more than 10 players and coaches per cohort.
They hope that as the phases progress through the season they’ll get to do more training. “That’s down the road and we’re not sure that we will actually get to that point,” he said.
Yahnke said they’re also working with the county and the city of Lakeport to meet the requirements to reserve playing fields.
They’ve invested heavily in hand hygiene stations and are creating unique layouts for fields, including hash marks on the field perimeters to denote where people can stand to adhere to social distancing or where children can place equipment, he said.
In addition, Yahnke said the league has found a practice-based curriculum that implements training with social distancing in mind which will be implemented for the coaching staff.
He said the league will issue a soccer ball to every player that they’ll get to keep, which meets the Public Health requirements for no shared equipment.
They also will have drop off and pick up zones for players, Yahnke said.
“It’s definitely going to look different than it has in the past,” he said.
However, Yahnke explained, “The board sees it as an important challenge to meet,” to bring back some sort of normalcy while providing a healthy atmosphere for young athletes.
Yahnke said the league has extended the registration deadline by almost six weeks, to July 16.
The registration cost also has been reduced to $60, he said.
The league is finalizing the reservation process which Yahnke said will be on its website within the week.
He said the website also will be updated with a COVID-19 information tab.
For more information, visit the website or call the Konocti Youth Soccer League at 800-853-5975 or email
Email Elizabeth Larson at
LAKEPORT, Calif. – The city of Lakeport has filed a lawsuit against opioid manufacturers and distributors for creating the opioid epidemic in the city, joining a consortium of 35 California counties and cities taking similar legal action.
The Lakeport City Council gave staff unanimous direction to proceed with litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors following a May 19 closed session, which City Attorney David Ruderman reported in open session at the same meeting.
On Wednesday, the city reported that it has retained the national law firm of Baron & Budd and a joint venture of law firms to represent its interests, seeking an abatement remedy in addition to legal damages for taxpayer money spent providing social resources in response to the crisis.
The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California, Case No. 1:20-cv-04007.
The California Opioid Consortium now includes 36 counties and cities, representing approximately 11.2 million residents.
All 36 counties and cities have filed suits in federal court and the cases have been transferred into the multidistrict litigation in Ohio, where more than 2,800 public entities have filed similar suits.
John Fiske of Baron & Budd told Lake County News that Lakeport’s case also will be transferred to the multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Ohio, where it will be managed along with all other opioid cases. He said there is no specific timeline for the case’s handling.
“The city seeks to recover taxpayer funds used to respond to the opioid epidemic,” said City Manager Margaret Silveira. “Local government services have been subsidizing the impact of the opioid epidemic, created by irresponsible multi-billion dollar corporations, which have placed profits over public safety.”
“Taxpayer funds include significant police resources having been spent in responding to the devastating effects of opioids in our community,” said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
According to the California Department of Health, Lake County has endured 21 deaths due to opioid overdoses in 2018, giving it an opioid overdose death rate of 22.7 per 100,000 people, the highest rate in the state.
The California Opioid Consortium and its counsel have developed evidence that many of the nation’s largest drug manufacturers misinformed doctors about the addictiveness and efficacy of opioids.
The manufacturer defendants include Purdue Pharma; Teva Ltd; Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson; Endo Health Solutions Inc.; Allergan PLC; and Mallinckrodt.
Drugs manufactured by these companies include, but are not limited to, OxyContin, Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Nucynta, Nucynta ER, Opana/Opana ER, Percodan, Percocet, Zydone, Kadian and Norco.
The lawsuit also names the nation’s largest drug distributors – Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, and McKesson Corp. – which failed to monitor, identify and report “suspicious” opioid shipments to pharmacies, in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act.
The lawsuit also names other large national distributors and retailers.
The city’s entire legal team includes the law firms of Baron & Budd; Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor; Powell & Majestro; Farrell Law; Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler; McHugh Fuller Law Group.
The firms currently represent over 700 cities and counties throughout the United States.
The Lakeport City Council gave staff unanimous direction to proceed with litigation against pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors following a May 19 closed session, which City Attorney David Ruderman reported in open session at the same meeting.
On Wednesday, the city reported that it has retained the national law firm of Baron & Budd and a joint venture of law firms to represent its interests, seeking an abatement remedy in addition to legal damages for taxpayer money spent providing social resources in response to the crisis.
The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District of California, Case No. 1:20-cv-04007.
The California Opioid Consortium now includes 36 counties and cities, representing approximately 11.2 million residents.
All 36 counties and cities have filed suits in federal court and the cases have been transferred into the multidistrict litigation in Ohio, where more than 2,800 public entities have filed similar suits.
John Fiske of Baron & Budd told Lake County News that Lakeport’s case also will be transferred to the multidistrict litigation in the Southern District of Ohio, where it will be managed along with all other opioid cases. He said there is no specific timeline for the case’s handling.
“The city seeks to recover taxpayer funds used to respond to the opioid epidemic,” said City Manager Margaret Silveira. “Local government services have been subsidizing the impact of the opioid epidemic, created by irresponsible multi-billion dollar corporations, which have placed profits over public safety.”
“Taxpayer funds include significant police resources having been spent in responding to the devastating effects of opioids in our community,” said Lakeport Police Chief Brad Rasmussen.
According to the California Department of Health, Lake County has endured 21 deaths due to opioid overdoses in 2018, giving it an opioid overdose death rate of 22.7 per 100,000 people, the highest rate in the state.
The California Opioid Consortium and its counsel have developed evidence that many of the nation’s largest drug manufacturers misinformed doctors about the addictiveness and efficacy of opioids.
The manufacturer defendants include Purdue Pharma; Teva Ltd; Janssen Pharmaceuticals Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson; Endo Health Solutions Inc.; Allergan PLC; and Mallinckrodt.
Drugs manufactured by these companies include, but are not limited to, OxyContin, Actiq, Fentora, Duragesic, Nucynta, Nucynta ER, Opana/Opana ER, Percodan, Percocet, Zydone, Kadian and Norco.
The lawsuit also names the nation’s largest drug distributors – Cardinal Health, AmerisourceBergen, and McKesson Corp. – which failed to monitor, identify and report “suspicious” opioid shipments to pharmacies, in violation of the federal Controlled Substances Act.
The lawsuit also names other large national distributors and retailers.
The city’s entire legal team includes the law firms of Baron & Budd; Levin, Papantonio, Thomas, Mitchell, Rafferty & Proctor; Powell & Majestro; Farrell Law; Hill, Peterson, Carper, Bee & Deitzler; McHugh Fuller Law Group.
The firms currently represent over 700 cities and counties throughout the United States.
MENDOCINO COUNTY, Calif. – The Mendocino County health officer said that recent end-of-year school gatherings and in-person church services in the Ukiah area have contributed to new confirmed COVID-19 cases.
On Wednesday evening Dr. Noemi Doohan confirmed six new COVID-19 cases in the Ukiah Valley region. Four of those cases are teenagers.
Doohan said the new cases reported Wednesday bring Mendocino County’s case count to 53; those include 19 who are isolated, one hospitalized in the ICU and 33 recovered.
She said eight of the county’s recently confirmed cases have been traced back to two end-of-school-year or graduation-related gatherings in Ukiah.
In addition, four cases over the past week have been linked to in-person church services in the Ukiah area, Doohan said.
In response to this spike in positive cases, Doohan said Mendocino County Public Health will be doing outbreak testing. That testing began on Wednesday and is continuing on Thursday at the Public Health Building at 1120 South Dora St. in Ukiah.
Doohan said Mendocino County is experiencing a spike in cases for individuals under the age of 35, which now make up 43 percent of the county’s cases.
She said a case that was recently in the ICU was in the 19 to 35 age group.
The end of the school year, graduation and the start of summer is often a time to celebrate and hold large gatherings. However, Doohan said all gatherings including those in homes, parks and community spaces are not allowed and are high-risk for the spread of COVID-19.
Group activities are limited to members of the same household or a social bubble which means a stable group of 12 individuals who form either a household support unit, a childcare unit, or a children’s extracurricular activity unit.
On Wednesday evening Dr. Noemi Doohan confirmed six new COVID-19 cases in the Ukiah Valley region. Four of those cases are teenagers.
Doohan said the new cases reported Wednesday bring Mendocino County’s case count to 53; those include 19 who are isolated, one hospitalized in the ICU and 33 recovered.
She said eight of the county’s recently confirmed cases have been traced back to two end-of-school-year or graduation-related gatherings in Ukiah.
In addition, four cases over the past week have been linked to in-person church services in the Ukiah area, Doohan said.
In response to this spike in positive cases, Doohan said Mendocino County Public Health will be doing outbreak testing. That testing began on Wednesday and is continuing on Thursday at the Public Health Building at 1120 South Dora St. in Ukiah.
Doohan said Mendocino County is experiencing a spike in cases for individuals under the age of 35, which now make up 43 percent of the county’s cases.
She said a case that was recently in the ICU was in the 19 to 35 age group.
The end of the school year, graduation and the start of summer is often a time to celebrate and hold large gatherings. However, Doohan said all gatherings including those in homes, parks and community spaces are not allowed and are high-risk for the spread of COVID-19.
Group activities are limited to members of the same household or a social bubble which means a stable group of 12 individuals who form either a household support unit, a childcare unit, or a children’s extracurricular activity unit.